I,Daniel Blake

 1) What is independent cinema and how is it different to Hollywood blockbusters? 

Independent cinema are low budget films and they are very different from blockbusters as they are produced and distributed small companies and often funded by public service broadcasts,lottery funding or public money.

2) What is I, Daniel Blake about?

 I,Daniel Blake is about a man who loses his job due to a heart attack which means he needs to go on benefits but couldn't claim them, along the way he meets a single mother who is having trouble settling into the town.

3) Who directed I, Daniel Blake and why is this important? 

Ken Loach directed I,Daniel Blake and it's important because the film is meant to expose and educate people on the things that people in society go through, it brings to light hat politicians what to hide.

4) How was I, Daniel Blake promoted to an audience? List at least three different methods used by the film's marketing campaign and how they targeted their audience.

Three methods used to market the movie was: 

• Organise free (or ‘pay what you can’) screenings and talks in community centres across the UK to build local enthusiasm for the film’s message.
• Film was premiered not in London, but Newcastle (where the film is set) to gain local support. 
• ‘I, Daniel Blake’ was projected onto the Houses of Parliament ('guerrilla marketing') and in various cities

5) What unusual or creative marketing methods were used to get audiences talking about the film?Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn attended the London premiere and people that had been denied benefit payments were asked to placard the event.

6) What was the estimated production budget for I, Daniel Blake and how much did it make at the box office? The film grossed £11 million and received a wide range of positive critic reviews. Like all Ken Loach films, it did particularly well in France. As well as Box Office success, it was also a critical success and award winner (including the renowned Palme D’or from the Cannes Film Festival). It made 15.8 million USD at the box office.

7) How can independent films like I, Daniel Blake compete with Hollywood blockbusters like Black Widow? Independent films are  relatable and pander to a specific and niche audience which guarantees  them profit because they know their audience personally, whereas blockbusters are usually just big franchise movies made for mostly profit, also they mostly have big named stars. However Independent films work with local actors with natural/raw talent; bringing them to light and possible fame. 

8) In your opinion, was I, Daniel Blake a success?

I think the basis of success is all about perspective, so from the perspective of someone within the age range that Ken Loach's movies are targeted to, in the UK it wasn't as successful  as in France. Or abroad , yet still quite successful in the UK for an independent film, even though it pandered to quite a niche audience. 

Grade 8/9 extension task:

1) Read this Media Magazine article on the disruptive marketing campaign used to publicise I, Daniel Blake. Media Magazine is an excellent publication aimed at A Level Media students and it's a great resource for GCSE students aiming for top grades. 

2) I,Daniel Blake is an A Level Media text for another exam board. Watch Media teacher Mrs Fisher's YouTube lesson on I ,Daniel Black and make notes on key points she makes.

Notes:

-Both sixteen Films (the company that Ken Loach works for and founded) and Why Not Production (a French company who loved his films and wanted to partner up with him to produce the film) neither are vertically integrated , so are strictly production companies. So they needed a company that could get distribution done for them which was eOne.

-eOne productions did the distribution and marketing for I,Daniel Blake.

-They still didn't have enough funding therefore getting it from the BBC and BFI.

-Loaches films focuses on social realism which is a very niche audience, these types of films never really do very well in cinemas. However he has won many awards for his films which are really well know in Britain and globally.

-Why Not Productions agreed to work with Sixteen Films to produce the film because they knew Ken Loach was on board and thought that it was most likely going to be a success since Loach was going to be involved.

-Loach's name is all over the posters and trailer as there is no famous cast so his name is used as a marketing technique to attract audiences.

-The funding for the film had an impact on the content of the film and marketing material as they were funded by the BBC and BFI so they had to fulfill some some obligations in order to get that money.

-The BBC and BFI only fund things that are innately British, niche/alternative,culturally significant ,educational and/or show British culture.

- The low budget of IDB meant that there was no money for large/extravagent sets or famous actors.