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The Open University

The business of film

The Open University via OpenLearn

Overview

This course explores the cultural and economic value of the film industry, including the importance of supporting film, the film business value chain, and the sources of funding. Students will learn about the development stages of a film, the distribution life cycle, and the complexities of film production. The course covers topics such as the role of producers, sources of funding, and the future of the film industry. The intended audience for this course includes individuals interested in understanding the business aspects of the film industry.

Syllabus

  • Week1Week 1: The value of film
  • Introduction
  • 1 Cultural and economic value of film
  • 1.1 What is the cultural value of film?
  • 1.2 Value and the creative and cultural industries
  • 1.3 Why should we support film?
  • 2 Why film matters to the economy
  • 2.1 Money spent by inward investment films
  • 2.2 The benefits of inward investment
  • 2.3 Should we protect home-grown production?
  • 3 Thinking about the value chain
  • 3.1 The film business value chain
  • 3.3 The value chain stages and power
  • 3.4 Who has the power?
  • 4 Week 1 quiz
  • 5 Culture, economy, value and power
  • References
  • Further reading
  • Acknowledgements
  • Week2Week 2: Developing a film
  • Introduction
  • 1 Where do films come from?
  • 1.1 Where films come from
  • 2 Development stages
  • 2.1 Making sure your project is legal
  • 2.2 Why development is so important and so hard
  • 2.3 The development budget
  • 2.4 From idea to screenplay
  • 2.5 Money upfront: ‘pre-pre-production’
  • 3 What does the public funder look for?
  • 4 Week 2 quiz
  • 5 Building the case
  • References
  • Further reading
  • Acknowledgements
  • Week3Week 3: Where do films go to?
  • Introduction
  • 1 What distributors do
  • 2 The distribution life cycle of a film
  • 2.1 A journey through windows
  • 2.2 The changing life cycle of the film
  • 2.3 The marketing plan
  • 3 Theatrical performance
  • 3.1 Analysing the box office
  • 3.2 How profitable is the theatrical release?
  • 3.3 What do the numbers look like?
  • 3.4 Marketability versus playability
  • 3.5 Case study – the release of Spooks: the Greater Good
  • 4 Week 3 quiz
  • 5 Digital solutions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Week4Week 4: Where does the money come from?
  • Introduction
  • 1 Sources of funding
  • 1.1 Three principal sources
  • 1.2 How does distribution finance work?
  • 1.3 Why there is public funding for film: culture
  • 1.4 Why there is public funding: the economy
  • 2 The bank loan
  • 2.1 The complexities
  • 2.2 Fragmentation of the value chain
  • 3 What factors shape the finances?
  • 3.1 Market value
  • 3.2 Case study: Spooks – the financial package
  • 4 Week 4 quiz
  • 5 Film value chain and innovation
  • References
  • Further reading
  • Acknowledgements
  • Week5Week 5: Making the film
  • Production: the cost and complexity of films
  • 1 The producer’s role: ‘make our days’
  • 1.1 Job roles and how they are paid
  • 1.2 Retaining people
  • 2 The schedule
  • 2.1 Breaking down a scene
  • 2.2 Scheduling the film
  • 2.3 Other costs and considerations
  • 2.4 The final budget
  • 3 Making your film bigger than it costs
  • 4 Week 5 quiz
  • 5 Producer and project
  • Acknowledgements
  • Week6Week 6: Film: past and future
  • Introduction
  • 1 Looking back
  • 1.1 The first of the Bond movies
  • 1.2 When it all went wrong on Dr. No
  • 2 The cost of independent production
  • 2.1 Who holds the power?
  • 2.2 The future
  • 3 End of course quiz
  • 4 Better business, better films
  • 5 End of course round-up
  • Take the next step
  • References
  • Acknowledgements

Reviews

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  • Good but no certificate I play all video watch and learn read content they not provide any certification they not tell you anything related to that certification

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