Unit one
P1: BBC films
Insomniac games, inc
Intro
BBC Films are a British film production company founded in
1990. The current head is Christine Langdon.
Insomniac Games Inc. are an
American video games developer. It was founded in 1994 by Ted Price.
Ownership
BBC Films is owned by the BBC, which is owned by the British
taxpayers.
Insomniac Games are an independent gaming company. Ted Price founded Insomniac Games Inc. and he is still the CEO today. Insomniac Games is an independent games company that is responsible for many games such as Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank and more. The company worked closely with PlayStation, especially on their second and most popular game Spyro, however it was produced under Universal. For this reason Insomniac handed Spyro over to Universal so that they no longer were under the Universal umbrella and could work with PlayStation directly. For many years Insomniac Games continued to work with PlayStation until 2014 when they made Sunset Overdrive for the Xbox One.
Insomniac Games are an independent gaming company. Ted Price founded Insomniac Games Inc. and he is still the CEO today. Insomniac Games is an independent games company that is responsible for many games such as Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank and more. The company worked closely with PlayStation, especially on their second and most popular game Spyro, however it was produced under Universal. For this reason Insomniac handed Spyro over to Universal so that they no longer were under the Universal umbrella and could work with PlayStation directly. For many years Insomniac Games continued to work with PlayStation until 2014 when they made Sunset Overdrive for the Xbox One.
Operating Model
According to the BBC Films website it currently produces
around eight films a year and works in partnership with major international and
UK distributors. It gets some of its funding from the BFI lottery fund, for example BBC Films got £500,000 in funding for ‘Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa’.
Insomniac Games work on 1-2 projects a year. They produce games for various different gaming platforms including Xbox One, Playstation 4 and Microsoft Windows.
Products
BBC Films makes features films and has produced or
co-produced around eight films a year. Some you might have heard of, like ‘Alan
Partridge: Alpha Papa’, ‘Nativity!’, ‘Billy Eliot’, and ‘Pride’, as well as
many more.
Insomniac Games Inc. have made around 26 games and are the creators of Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank, and Fuse. These are some of their most famous examples. Spyro the Dragon launched Insomniac Games into the gaming stratosphere establishing their popularity with PlayStation fans through the character 'Spyro'. After 'Spyro' they created the almost equally famous Ratchet and Crank who served as mascots for the PlayStation 2. Both products were very successful.
Market Position
BBC Films is the third biggest investor in UK films. First
is the BFI with £87 million, second is Film4 with £15 million, and third BBC
Films with £12 million. In terms of revenue, BBC Films is in the top ten of UK
production companies.
Insomniac Games Inc.
are estimated to have an annual revenue of $20 to $50 million. Despite being an
independent games company their close partnership with Sony has proved to
increase their popularity. Sony’s latest console launch (the PlayStation 4,
released in 2013) was the fastest selling in history, selling 1 million
consoles in its first 24 hours on sale. Having a positive relationship with one
of the leading gaming companies has given Insomniac Games Inc. the opportunity
to have their games produced, promoted and advertised on a much larger scale;
something that most independent gaming companies struggle to achieve.
Insomniac Games Inc. have a unique position on the market. Although they don't make as much money as 343 and The Coalition who make games such as Halo and Gears of War, they are really good at making platform games and iconic characters (for example Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank). Naughty Dog's 'Crash Bandicoot' is Spyro's biggest rival. The two companies have been on roughly the same level throughout the years with the mentality of 'whatever they can do we can do better', fuelling their own 'game race'. In terms of platform games Insomniac Games Inc are definitely the leaders in the field, as with children's games such as Spyro. They are also in the unique position with the release of their new Ratchet and Clank game that is coming out alongside the 'Ratchet and Clank' movie.
Insomniac Games Inc. have a unique position on the market. Although they don't make as much money as 343 and The Coalition who make games such as Halo and Gears of War, they are really good at making platform games and iconic characters (for example Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank). Naughty Dog's 'Crash Bandicoot' is Spyro's biggest rival. The two companies have been on roughly the same level throughout the years with the mentality of 'whatever they can do we can do better', fuelling their own 'game race'. In terms of platform games Insomniac Games Inc are definitely the leaders in the field, as with children's games such as Spyro. They are also in the unique position with the release of their new Ratchet and Clank game that is coming out alongside the 'Ratchet and Clank' movie.
Competitors
The competitors of BBC Films are Film4, Working Title Films,
and Vertigo Films.
Xbox (Although Sunset
Overdrive was their first and only exclusives with Xbox One).
Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Games are Insomniac Games Inc.'s two main competitors. Sucker Punch had Sly Cooper who was a very big icon for the PlayStation. Their biggest competitors were probably Naughty Dog as they were developing games at similar times and both growing at a similar rate; these two companies were leading the charge in their gaming field. The rivalry was greatest during the mid 90's but has simmered down over previous years. In terms of market position
Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Games are Insomniac Games Inc.'s two main competitors. Sucker Punch had Sly Cooper who was a very big icon for the PlayStation. Their biggest competitors were probably Naughty Dog as they were developing games at similar times and both growing at a similar rate; these two companies were leading the charge in their gaming field. The rivalry was greatest during the mid 90's but has simmered down over previous years. In terms of market position
P2: BBC films -
‘Pride’
Insomniac Games- ‘Sunset Overdrive’
Purpose
The purpose of ‘Pride’ is to entertain and inform its audience of the
political past events.
The purpose of ‘Sunset
Overdrive’ is to provide entertainment for the player through a game.
Genre
The genre of ‘Pride’ is a hybrid of comedy, drama, biography
and history.
The genre of ‘Sunset Overdrive’
is a ‘shoot ‘em up’ zombie parody. It is a 3rd person shooter with elements of Action and Comedy genre.
Form
The form of ‘Pride’ is that it is a feature length movie for
cinemas.
The form of ‘Sunset Overdrive’
is a console game with an open world platform for the gamer to explore and there are
missions for the gamer to complete. There is a story for the gamer to follow.
Meaning
The deeper meanings in ‘Pride’ are the fight against
stereotypes, the fight for freedom, that everyone should be equal, the fight
for freedom to be who you are.
The meaning of this
game is a parody on zombie films. The game doesn’t make complete logical sense
but that is what gives the game a sense of fun and enjoyment.
Style
The style of the movie ‘Pride’ is drama mixed with
documentary footage, and music for the time of the film’s setting.
The style of this film
is very wacky and contains lots of colours and visual effects.
Content
Based on a real story of gays and lesbians supporting the
miners during their strike in the 1980s.
The story of the game
is based on a typical zombie scenario. You play as a human whom you have
customised. An energy drink is turning anyone that drinks it into mutant/zombie
characters. You have to kill these mutants to survive and you have to try and
take down the energy drink company.
Production Process
Firstly, they read through the script of the movie. Then
they draft up set and prop design, make it and then film the movie. After filming the producers will edit the scenes to create the finished product.
Initially Insomniac Games Inc. made a deal with Xbox to make their next game a launch title for the Xbox One release. Afterwards they then came up with the idea of Sunset Overdrive and pitched it to Xbox. Once they got the ‘go ahead’, concept art and rough storyboards were created, redrafted and refined before the coding began to take place. Once the game is created it’s burnt to discs and uploaded to online stores ready for the launch.
How the Above Links
The meaning of the game affects the content as the meaning will be shown through the actual content of the game. For example, it being a zombie parody makes some of the characters in the game pretty wacky, which adds to the fun nature of the game and directly links in with the style of the game. Creating a comedic atmosphere fulfils the purpose to entertain. This comedic genre is created by the over exaggerated style and content, for example the ridiculous weapons, wacky 'out there' characters and enemies. One of the bosses is a giant air balloon mascot of the evil fizzy drink corporation that fires lasers from its eyes, and another boss is the leader of the Fan Club for the actual game breaking the fourth wall quite hilariously... Comedy gold.
When production started the creator of Insomniac Games Inc was hired by Xbox to make a launch title for the new Xbox One console. This links to the form of the game because it is now a game designed specifically for the Xbox One, so the game is more tailored to Xbox One controllers.
P3
KEY: BBC Films- 'Pride'
Insomniac Games Inc.- Sunset Overdrive
Target Audience Age
Personally I believe there is a split age audience of younger and older people. The younger people, such as late teens to early twenties, would watch this because it is almost like a coming of age film about being accepted in society. It would appeal to older people, such as mid forties and above, as they could relate to the events that occurred and have their own memories of this part of history. Therefore I
would put them in the same category.
The target audience of this game are aged 16-24. The game is
very colourful, with blood, explosions and the use of guns. The
language used contains swearing. The character the game user plays as
can grind on rails, which are similar, to what you can do a skateboard. The
language at times is quite mature but the game itself is immature. All of
these things combined will attract mainly players aged 16-24.
Target Audience Gender
All genders are represented in the movie 'Pride'. This means people can relate to it because there are all members of the LGBT Community, and even includes people of heterosexual orientation, so it appeals to all genders.
Sunset Overdrive appeals to both genders because strong female and male characters are presented throughout the game. Although there is stereotyping, all characters are stereotyped rather than just stereotyping females which makes the game equal to everyone. You can customise your avatar to be male or female and items aren't restricted to gender. For example you can be a big strong man wearing a pink tutu or dress.
From personal experience, the immaturity of the game may sway the male audience more than a female audience because generally men enjoy immature violence more than women. However the game is openly available to both genders.
Target Audience Lifestyle
People going to see the film will either be your normal
regular moviegoers, people from the LGBT Community or have an interest in the
subject matter. Younger people who probably have more money to spend will also
be more likely to go see it.
People who love Xbox and people who are big fans of other games
made by Insomniac Games Inc. They will have a lot of spare time so possibly students.
Target Audience Spending Power
I believe people who go to see this movie have big spending
powers because Pride is a much smaller scale film, it’s not a large blockbuster
film that would attract a much more general audience. Pride isn’t a movie that
will appeal to everyone, more likely the LGBT Community or the former Minor
Community. It will also be more for audience members who have a good income and
can afford to go to the cinema.
The retail price of this game was £40.00 when it was first
released. This game was only released on Xbox One and this console had only
just been released to the public when Sunset Overdrive was released. The price
of the Xbox One console was £430.00. The target audience for this game would
therefore need to have a reasonable amount of spending money.
Relationships
The relationship between the audience and the film is mostly
about learning about British history. By watching the film you get to see what
happened when the minors went on strike. You learn a lot about relatively
recent British history. Older audience members get to relive events, remember
what happened and reflect of how views of the LGBT Community have changed. They
also get to see interesting, well thought out characters evolve through the
film. Generally the film has a fun tone and the audience has a good time.
The relationship between the player and this game is that the player is in control of what happens. You as the player are given a set of missions to complete. You control the character that has been created. This level of interaction makes the player forget about everything else around them and makes feel fully immersed in the game.
The relationship between the player and this game is that the player is in control of what happens. You as the player are given a set of missions to complete. You control the character that has been created. This level of interaction makes the player forget about everything else around them and makes feel fully immersed in the game.
What would influence the target
audience to use this product?
The audience would know about the film ‘Pride’ through
advertising. Chat shows were a useful tool in advertising the show. Shows like
‘Graham Norton’ showcased the film and made it sound interesting. Talk shows
are really popular in Britain so this would have gained ‘Pride’ a lot of
attention. Because ‘Pride’ is a BBC film it was shown on BBC channels and
history channels and that helped to promote it. Word of mouth was also
important. Because ‘Pride’ is a good film with good reviews people talk about
it positively and interest is gained that way too. Advertising definitely
influences the target audience to go and watch the movie.
The game was advertised in a variety of places. It was mainly advertised on the Xbox Live store front page which is used by the majority of its focused target audience. Because it was a launch title it received more coverage than smaller indie titles would have which meant it was pushed to a much wider audience. There were also T.V and YouTube adverts which meant the game was then seen by potential non Xbox players.
The game was advertised in a variety of places. It was mainly advertised on the Xbox Live store front page which is used by the majority of its focused target audience. Because it was a launch title it received more coverage than smaller indie titles would have which meant it was pushed to a much wider audience. There were also T.V and YouTube adverts which meant the game was then seen by potential non Xbox players.
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