Marketing Independent Film

LOOKING FOR ERIC A Case Study

23 June 2009

Write a detailed synopsis for the film explaining clearly the function of the narrative and characters? Write a review of the film discussing the following: - the narrative - themes - characters - acting - screenplay - what was good about the film? - What could have been improved? What is British about the film? What other films is it similar to? How might the film be different if it were filmed in America? What is the impact of the budget constraints?

Marketing Independent Film

LOOKING FOR ERIC
1. What did we see in the film? 2. How did we approach the release strategy?
Target audience Spend and targets Print numbers and date

3. Positioning. How should we sell it? 4. The campaign rollout.

Look at this poster for Looking For Eric and answer the following questions:
What is the films genre? Could it be a hybrid or subgenre? What are the key signifiers in the poster? Are there any clues about narrative? Is genre important when marketing a film? If so why? Do you believe that this poster is successful? If so how?
You might like to consider: Colour palette Title Tagline Actors Reviews Typography, Mode of address

Now look at the DVD cover and answer the following questions:

Is it marketing the film differently to the poster? If yes, how and why? What are the key signifiers on the cover? Are there any further clues about narrative? Is genre more important when marketing a DVD? If so why? Do you believe that cover is successful? If so how? Consider whether you believe it accurately reflects the film?

You might like to consider: Colour palette Title Tagline Actors Reviews Typography Mode of address

S.W.O.T
STRENGTHS PEDIGREE OF DIRECTOR BRITISHNESS HUMOUR THE FILM ITSELF WEAKNESSES GRITTY / LACK OF GLAMOUR

LOOKS LIKE A DOCUMENTARY?

WILL IT APPEAL TO WOMEN?

OPPORTUNITIES ERIC CANTONA MANCHESTER UNITED CANNES FILM FESTIVAL END OF FOOTBALL SEASON

THREATS TOO ASSOCIATED WITH FOOTBALL ERIC CANTONA COMPETITION 44 INCH CHEST

GO WIDE

Research comparable titles

Film East is East The Wind That Shakes the Barley Mike Bassett: England Manager Brassed Off Kinky Boots Vera Drake Secrets & Lies Fever Pitch Venus Happy Go-Lucky My Name is Joe Sweet Sixteen Enduring Love Starter for 10 Ae Fond Kiss Theres Only One Jimmy Grimble Carlas Song Bread and Roses Heartlands Once in a Lifetime Distributor Film Four Pathe EFD Film Four BVI Momentum Film Four Film Four BVI Momentum Film Four Icon Pathe Icon Icon Pathe Universal Film Four BVI Pathe Release 5th Nov 1999 Box Office 10, 374,926 3,906,765 3,586,492 3,388,319 3,028,257 2,377,998 1,969,910 1,863,141 1,273, 873 1,085,089 949,228 852,178 710,054 628,661 456,362 355,023 326,480 223,574 72,228 35,783 Opening 435,627 390,720 835,219 466,058 623,123 266,010 123,929 470,013 317,426 385,190 101,083 144,388 165,338 207,345 106,366 101,282 71,968 53,906 26,493 13,947 Screens 80 105 264 203 292 65 17 224 196 77 20 66 69 84 62 127 42 26 31 22 Screen Ave. 5,445 3,721 3,164 2,296 2,134 4,092 7,290 2,098 1,628 5,002 5,054 2,188 2,396 2,468 1,716 797 1,714 2,073 855 634 23rd June 2006 28th Sept 2001 1st Nov 1996 7th Oct 2005 7th Jan 2005 24th May 1996

4th April 1997 26th Jan 2007 18th April 2008 6th Nov 1998 4th Oct 2002

26th Nov 2004 10th Nov 2006 17th Sept 2004 25th August 2000 31st Jan 1997 27th April 2001

2nd May 2003 19th May 2006

The Navigators

BFI

2nd Nov 2001

9,238

929

310

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY Audience Profile

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
'7-11 '12-14 15-17 18-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

ABC1 88% C2DE 12%

64% Male Mean age 49

Source: Caviar 301

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY

Certificate 15 Release Date 23rdJune 2006 Distributor Pathe

Box Office
Screens Open w/e Total B/O P/ Screen Open w/e $US B/O UK/US

105

391k

3.9 mill

3,721

1%

$1.8 mill

325%

Media spend
TV Outdoor Print Radio Online

Pre
10,200 39,500 58,393 0 0 769k 9% 37% 54% 0% 0% 83%

Post

131k

17%

Competition
2 weeks prior 1 week prior Same Day 1 week post
Total

Election/ Offside/ The Omen

Thank You for Smoking/ Hard Candy

Lake House/ Pretty Persuasion

40 Shades of Blue/ Just My Luck

900k

WIND THAT SHAKES Regional split for Box Office and DVD
REGION BO REG. % AVE. % INDEX

LONDON (inc. West End) CENTRAL HARLECH WESTWARD GRANADA BORDER YORKSHIRE TYNE TEES SCOTLAND(CEN) NORTHEAST SCOTLAND SOUTH ANGLIA NORTHERN IRELAND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

459,778 89,701 52,947 15,864 61,522 13,470 50,460 14,800 148,385 21,207 47,910 36,326 275,803

35.69% 6.96% 4.11% 1.23% 4.78% 1.05% 3.92% 1.15% 11.52% 1.65% 3.72% 2.82% 21.41%

24.60% 14.20% 6.50% 2.20% 11.20% 0.80% 8.40% 3.70% 7.30% 2.10% 9.30% 6.50% 3.30%

1.45 0.49 0.63 0.56 0.43 1.31 0.47 0.31 1.58 0.78 0.40 0.43 6.49

DVD Regional Sales Split

London Midlands Wales & West Lancashire Border Yorkshire North East C. Scotland N. Scotland South

1.16 0.84 0.77 0.92 1.01 0.81 0.8 1.51 1.08 0.77

2,525,217

66.22%

South West
East N. Ireland

0.62
0.76 3.29

TOTAL B.O. 3,813,390 1,288,173

Source: CIN/TARGET

WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY MEDIA EXAMPLES

Independent

The Times Belfast Telegraph

WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY OUTDOOR

5th 18th June 4 Sheets 400 panels (medium weight/ GD)

19th June 2nd July Quad Crowns 500 panels (medium weight/ GD)

Research quantifying the audience

ABC1 25-54 MALES Film afficiandos 400,000

Man U Fans 70k+

ABC1 25-54 14 million

25-64 Males interested in football 12 million

Competition around our date

-2 -1
RELEASE

+1

+2

3 m

20m

3 m

6 m

25m

1 m

2 m

5 m

Release Strategy
Target audience / comps
ABC1 25+ male film afficionados/ Ken Loach fans ABC1 25-54 adults 25-64 male football fans

12 June 2009 Wide release 200+ prints Ken Loach / Eric Cantona Launch at Cannes Film Festival Great reviews 1m+ spend

Positioning. So, what is it?

A Ken Loach movie... A football movie... A romantic comedy... Or a quirky British comedy...?

Early Poster Concepts

A Ken Loach movie...

Early poster concepts

A football movie...?

Early poster concepts

A romantic comedy...?

Early poster concepts

A quirky British comedy...?

LOOKING FOR ERIC PR Campaign

Extensive in-house PR Campaign Cantona fully supporting Friday Night With Jonathan Ross Premieres in Manchester, Dublin and London Cannes coverage Main campaign combines Cantona and Loach

Touching and hilarious... A blinder' EMPIRE**** This films the best movie medicine Ive had all year Baz Bamigboye, DAILY MAIL 'A real crowd-pleaser with both heart and soul' TIME OUT ***** Its the feel-good hit of the summer. LITTLE WHITE LIES *****

Entertaining, uplifting a winner UNCUT ****

Funny and sharply observed INDEPENDENT **** Marvellous Perfect THE TIMES **** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH **** EVENING STANDARD **** TOTAL FILM *****

LOOKING FOR ERIC

Marketing Campaign Lead media television (30s, 20s and 10s) Supporting media press, outdoor, radio, online Regional upweight in the North

CAMPAIGN PHASING
W/C 11TH MAY W/C 18TH MAY W/C 25TH MAY W/C 01TH JUNE W/C 8TH JUNE W/C 15TH JUNE

TV
ONLINE OUTDOOR PRESS RADIO

TV ads
Targeting
football fans broad audience and female appeal

Icon Film Distribution

One of the UKs leading independent film distributors Formed in 1999 to release a diverse range of titles each year Successes include: * Oscar-winners MAN ON WIRE and LA VIE EN ROSE * Mel Gibsons THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, APOCALYPTO, WHAT WOMEN WANT * Oscar-nominated MARIA FULL OF GRACE, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and WHALE RIDER * Woody Allen thriller MATCHPOINT * Childrens titles THE LITTLE VAMPIRE and BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA * And popcorn movies TRANSPORTER 3 and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT