Aims and Context

I am planning on creating a Step Outline for a LGBT Drama. The target audience will be 12A due to parts which some may find upsetting.  The main feature of the film is that the identity of the main characters will be kept secret until the reveal at the end.

Recent Film Productions Research

US Blockbuster:
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

• Budget: $245million + $122.5million (Marketing) = $367million
• Opening Weekend: $248million
• Worldwide Gross: $2billion
• Cast: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver
• Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy
• Production Companies: Lucasfilm (founded by George Lucas)
• Classification: PG-13
• Rating: 92% Rotten Tomatoes, Average Score - 8.2/10
• Release Date: 17th December 2015
• Director: J.J. Abrahams 
• Studio: Walt Disney 

Why it was successful:

• Star Wars is a very famous franchise therefore it has acquired a huge fanbase who were eager to see the new film.
• A lot of the original cast members featured in The Force Awakens such as: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. It also features a lot of references. 
• Social Media helped the success of The Force Awakens as there are many fan accounts for the franchise of those who support the movie regardless of how well it did. 
• Storm troopers march through London - got people talking - influx in social media activity as it went viral.
• Before Star Wars, Daisy Ridley was cast in minor UK roles like Casualty, Silent Witness and student films. The director JJ Abrahams decided to choose an unknown actor because he preferred watching he old Star Wars' and not knowing who the actors were. 

UK Production:

Bridget Jones's Baby

• Budget: $35million + $17.5million (Marketing) = $52.5million
• Opening Weekend: $9million
• Worldwide Gross: $211million
• Cast: Colin Firth, Renee Zellweger, Patrick Dempsey
• Genre: Romantic Comedy
• Production Companies: Working Title Films, Miramax
• Classification: 15
• Rating: 77% Rotten Tomatoes, Average Score - 6.3/10
• Release Date: 16th September 2016 
• Directed by: Sharon Maguire
• Studio: Universal 

Why it was successful:

• Bridget Jones's Baby is the 3rd film in the Bridget Jones franchise therefore it had attracted audiences who enjoyed the previous two films. 
• All 3 Bridget Jones's are based on the popular book series written by Helen Fielding, attracting a wide audience of those who enjoyed the book series and would like to have seen it be brought to life. 
• The character Bridget Jones is a much loved heroine after the huge success of the previous films as a lot of women relate to her quirky character. 

Why it was unsuccessful:

• Hugh Grant played a huge part in the Bridget Jones franchise and only featured briefly in Bridget Jones's baby due to his dislike of the script. Resulting in fans of Hugh Grant not wanting to watch the third film without him in it. 
• As Bridget Jones's Baby is a Romantic Comedy, it means that the audience is limited and with the plot being about pregnancy, it means that a lot of the 15+ audience would not be able to relate to the film, whereas those who are middle ages women would. However many women that age are busy and may not have been able to find time to go to the cinema.
• The film didn't do very well in the US, unlike the first two films.

Marketing:

• To appeal to the target audience of older women, they advertised the film on stereotypical 'women' products like muller light yoghurts and aero. This is due to the fact that more women purchase these products if they are health conscious and are the target audience for diet products.

US Independent Film:

Manchester by the Sea
 

• Budget: $8.5million + $4.25million (Marketing) = 
• Opening Weekend: $4million
• Worldwide Gross: $62million 
• Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams 
• Genre: Drama
• Production Companies: Pearl Street Films
• Classification: R
• Rating: 96% Rotten Tomatoes, Average Score - 8.9/10
• Release Date: 16th December 2016
• Directed by: Kenneth Lonergan 
• Studio: Amazon Studios

Why it was successful:

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World Cinema Production:
The Tribe (Originally called Plemya)

• Budget: $1.5million + $750k (Marketing) = $2,250,000
• Opening Weekend: $11k
• Worldwide Gross: $150k
• Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Roza Babiy
• Genre: Foreign Drama
• Production Companies: Harmata Film Production, Ukrainian Film Agency
• Classification: Unrated 
• Rating: 88% Rotten Tomatoes, Average Score - 7.6/10
• Release Date: 11th September 2014
• Directed by: Miroslav Slaboshpitsky
• Studio: Drafthouse

Why it was unsuccessful:

• The Tribe is filmed entirely in Ukrainian Sign Language with no subtitles or voiceover and all actors are deaf, meaning that unless someone knew Ukrainian sign language they would have to try and piece the film together via the action taking place however those who know western european sign language may be able to understand 70% of the film. therefore the film is not for everyone as many do not have the skill to be able to interpret the film. Also silent films are not for everyone therefore the audience is limited. Not much recognition from those not in the USL community. 
• An Article for the Guardian written by