Movie Marketing: Film Industry

My Chosen Movie

1) Which film have you chosen? Guardians of the Galaxy, a movie released in 2014, part of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), with many famous actors/actresses.

2) Why did you choose this film in particular? It is a personal favourite movie of mine, and it was incredibly successful, grossing over $773 million

Institutional Background

1) What was the film studio or production company behind your chosen film? Marvel Studios

2) Who was the distributor for the theatrical release of the film in the UK? Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Brand Loyalty

1) What genre does your chosen film fit into? Action; Adventure; Science Fiction; Comedy

2) How can you tell it fits that genre? I can tell it fits the genre of Action because of the constant use of violent imagery throughout its trailer. An example of this violent imagery is at 0:24 seconds into the trailer, where guards are seen with guns, targeted at what appears to be the protagonist of the movie. In addition to this, from 1:48 to 2:04 the backing music is accompanied by the sound of gunshots, further connoting that this movie is one that deals with a lot of weaponry. I can tell it fits into the genre of Comedy because, throughout the trailer, jokes and funny moments are everywhere.

3) Does your chosen film have any stars or directors that are known to that particular genre? The film is directed by James Gunn, who is known for comedic action movies. He has directed only a few movies other than the Guardians of the Galaxy, like the live action rendition of Scooby Doo.


Timing

1) What was the UK release date for your chosen film? 24th July 2014.

2) When did the first trailer appear on YouTube for your movie? The first trailer for this movie appeared on the 20th February 2014. 

3) What other examples of marketing (teaser trailers, main trailers, newspaper or TV interviews etc.) can you find for your chosen film from before the film’s release date? There is a huge range of pre-release marketing, for example, a range of trailers and multiple interviews and panels (Like Comic-Con). 

Social Media

1) What was the word-of-mouth like for your chosen film? Word-of-mouth for this film mainly took place on social media platforms (Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, etc...); mainly in the form of posts of clips; snippets of information; release information and other relevant details. Trailers were also shown in cinemas and on television.

2) Find three quotes (no more than 25 words each) from user reviews of your movie to create a picture of what the public reaction to the film has been.

'Guardians of the Galaxy is nothing short of an amazing movie. If there's anything I can say, it's that it is the best superhero movie I have seen.' Grey Gardens, IMDb User 

'Guardians of the Galaxy is not only an exceptionally well-made comic-book film but an exceptionally well- made film, period.' Brent Hankins, IMDb User 

'"Guardians Of The Galaxy" is yet another winner for Marvel/Disney that features miraculous camera work, blistering humour, fantastic character work, and even a few unexpected kernels of heart littered throughout.' Compi24, Metacritic User


Finance

1) What was the original budget for your chosen film? $170 million

2) How much money did the film earn in the opening weekend? $94,320,883 

3) How much money has the film made in total? $773,328,629 as of January 2018.

4) For a film to be considered a box office success, it needs to make at least two-and-a-half times the budget in box office takings. Using this method, was the film you have chosen a success? 773,328,629 divided by 170,000,000 is equal to 4.54899194, meaning the movie earned 4 and 1/2 times the budget, or a percentage increase of 454%. Therefore, this movie is definitely a box office success.


Star Power

1) What films have the director previously directed? Are they in the same or similar genres? The director of Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn, has many horror/action films that he is known for, like Dawn of the Dead (2004) and has written many other films, my favourite example is the live-action rendition of Scooby-Doo (2002). Both of which were Actions, the latter was also a Comedy and Adventure film, similar to Guardians of the Galaxy.

2) Who is the main star in the film? The main star in this was Chris Pratt, but his character was put alongside a group of important characters who were played by other famous stars, like Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper.

3) What other films has the main star appeared in? Are any of the films similar to the one you are researching? Chris Pratt appeared in many other films before Guardians of the Galaxy, like The Lego Movie (which was an animated action-adventure comedic film like GotG). He also stars in many other comedies (not listed), making him ideal to play a comedic anti-hero in this film.

4) Are the stars or the director or writer mentioned in the trailer for the film? No, I think this is due to the fact that Marvel is such a huge and well-established company that details like this seem unnecessary in a teaser trailer.

Written By Aishwarya Odedra