- Blinded by the Light is an example of a US/UK co-production and distribution.
- Directed by Gurinder Chadha from Bend it Films, who also directed ‘Bend it Like Beckham’ (2002)
- Its distributor New Line Cinema (an American production studio owned by Warner Brothers Pictures Group) is associated with ‘indie’ films and is co-funded by independent production companies including Levantine Films. Bend it Films and Ingenious Media.
- Costing $15million to make, the movie is a low-mid budget production
- Traditional marketing and distributing techniques were used, such as posters, trailers, film festivals etc… , to promote the film
- The true story generates a sense of sentiment and makes it more relatable
- The role of Bruce Springsteen’s music engages a wider audiences through nostalgia based appeals
| Bend It Networks | – ‘based on the memoir ‘Greetings From Bury Park’ by journalist/broadcaster Sarfraz Manzoor which chronicles his experiences as a British Muslim boy growing up in 1980s Luton and the impact Bruce Springsteen’s lyrics had upon him’ – ‘he [Springsteen] had not only read, but admired the book’ |
| Deadline (Mike Flemming, 2019) | – ‘New Line has confirmed Deadline’s scoop that it has acquired Blinded By the Light after its big Sundance Film Festival bow’ – ‘It is the biggest sum paid for a Sundance film so far in what has turned out to be a very hot market. – ‘Some of the allure of Blinded by the Light had to do with the surprisingly universal appeal of Springsteen’s coming-of-age tunes’ |
| Variety (Roy Trakin, 2019) | – ‘setting up a spirited bidding war won by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema’ – “It’s a reminder to all of us what our lives were like back then, and what we’ve achieved since then. I believe we’ve moved on from that.” – Chadha |
| Independent (Clarisse Loughrey, 2019) | – ‘strikes right to the heart of why Springsteen’s work has had such an impact on culture’ – ‘Blinded by the Light offers not only a reminder of Springsteen’s lyrical genius, but of how he’s always served as a beacon for the disenfranchised, wherever they may be.’ |
| Production | Levantine Films. Bend it Films and Ingenious Media |
| Distribution | New Line Cinema (owned by Warner Brothers) |
| Exhibition | Netflix, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter |
| Merging | in 2008, New Line Cinema shut down as an independent company in order to merge with Warner Brothers |
| Conglomerate | Warner Media – owns Warner Brothers, distributor or ‘Blinded by the Light’ |
| Globalisation | The American company New Line Cinema working with British company Bend it Films allows them to reach a wider market, creating much larger profit margins for the two companies |
| Horizontal Integration | multiple companies worked together to produce the film as well as the multiple platforms used to exhibit the film which ultimately increases market power and reduces competition |
| Cultural Imperialism | The American singer Bruce Springsteen dominates the way that the main character, Javed, perceives the world around him which according to his Father humiliates his Pakistani background |
| Gatekeeping | New Line Cinema will regulate certain aspects of the film in order to promote a certain message. Eg – the incorporation of America in the film appeals to a wider audience as it imposes western views and is representative of the American company |
| Regulation | Rated as a 12A by BBFC due to ‘racist language and behaviour’ and ‘ moderate bad language’ |
Livingstone and Lunt – the idea that there is an underlying struggle in recent UK regulation policy between the need to further the interests of citizens (by offering protection from harmful or offensive material), and the need to further the interests of consumers (by ensuring choice, value for money, and market competition).
David Hesmondhalgh wrote The Culture Industries (2002) which highlights his concerns with the creative industry and it being too business and economically driven, effecting the quality of work life and human well being. Forbes magazine estimated that in 2018 over 80% of the 700+ films created made no profit, which supports Hesmondhalgh’s view that the creative industry is a ‘RISKY BUSINESS‘
| Risks | How the Risks are Minimised |
|---|---|
| It can take considerable marketing efforts to break a potential writer or performer as a new ‘star’, especially without a built initial fanbase meaning hiring newcomer Viveik Kalra as the main character may have posed potential risk | Star formatting allowed the producers to introduce well-known stars, such as Hayley Atwell from the avengers franchise, with a ready-made audience in order to neutralise a potential loss of engagement whilst also allowing opportunity for new actors to thrive. Furthermore, the use of traditional social media marketing techniques allows for wider publicity without being too expensive |
| An audiences tastes are continuously adapting which makes predicting their needs and wants nearly impossible which is especially difficult in such a competitive market | Remaking a previously successful book with a ready made audience ensures the company that the film will generate sales whilst also saving time and money, which could make up for possibility of potential loss, for the production companies as the narrative is already laid out for them. |
| With such a varied market it can sometimes be difficult to generate new and unique ideas, especially when a film is being distributed by such a huge mainstream company like Warner Brothers, and therefore could result in a failed production and a loss in profit | Rebranding Springsteen’s patrimony, the narrative can engage the tastes of more contemporary audiences whilst also touching a wider audience through nostalgia based appeals, such as those who listened to Springsteen during his prime era. Also the use of independent labelling engages the alternative audiences who are reluctant to consume mainstream media. |
plan
- 1: david hesmondhalgh – risky business
- 2:about the film – budget, quote bend it networks
- 3: risk 1 – merging, exhibition
- 4: risk 2 – globalisation
- 5: risk 3 – horizontal integration, production, distribution
- 6: conclusion – quote Variety and Deadline, many risks in the industry however producers minimised them effectively