Section A resit - How do independent films sometimes achieve success?

Behind cinema is an industry, an industry facing technological development, changes in social trends and consumer attitudes, just like any other in the economy. In the same way the average market works there are market leaders, the big budget Hollywood blockbuster. Multimillion dollar budgeted films dominate the industry, achieving worldwide awareness from the high expense of marketing and accessibility of the films distribution. In the film industry many independent films suffer, without backing from well known producers and companies the films can suffer from a lacking mainstream audience.

Certain independent films can achieve success however these are the few. Many independent films appeal a much more cineliterate type of audience to Hollywood films, this change in audience style is a niche market, limiting the potential box office gross right from the off. In order to avoid this many independent film makers use a combination of methods to appeal more to the mass. These methods mainly link to broadening the accessibility of viewing the film, regularly shown in limited art house cinemas, independent films have a restricted audience because of this in comparison to showing in mainstream multiplex cinemas.

 Although wining accolades makes a film much more popular with the average audience style for independent film, it also creates appeal with the mainstream audience. During awards season many multiplex cinemas are much more open to showing independent films if they have been nominated as the box office appeal is much greater. Take for instance Dallas Buyers Club; released just shy of awards season nominations in November this film received 6 Acadamy Award nominations and 3 wins. This widened the appeal of the film, allowing multiplex cinemas to justify showing these films. Although at limited time frames, the widened accessibility from showing at multiplex cinemas rather than art house/independent cinema where it would usually be showed widened the audience appeal and could have been a reason behind the $55 million box office success.

 Success can be classed under a broad term, although is mostly depicted through the amount the film stakes at the box office. Although Dallas Buyers Club received brilliant critical response and wide academic acclaim, potentially leading towards it’s success. The amount the film took at the box office seems the most important figure, because like I said, cinema is first and foremost an industry. Profit it key. Dallas Buyers Club totalled $55 million at box office, in comparison to 2013s biggest earner, Hunger Games Catching Fire, coming in at $424 million, this is a very small margin. However with a $5 million budget and 25 day production period, this figure is incredibly successful for an originally small independent film.

 Other areas which can broaden the appeal of Independent films is the use of stars. Shown through Dallas Buyers Club with the use of Matthew McCohaughey who has recently left his type cast role of male rom-com lead to persue acting in a variety of Independent films including, Bernie, Killer Joe and Mud. McConaughey has achieved box office appeal through his recent diversification of film genre his has entered. With his win for Best Actor at the Oscars, this appeal was definatly broadened. This film also starred Jared Leto, after taking a 10 year break from acting Leto has been focused on his music career as the frontman for band 30 Seconds To Mars. This is a band which appeals to a large number of a young generation who previously would not have considered such a film but would possibly be drawn to it from this casting.

Another successful independent film is Wes Andersons recent Grand Budapest Hotel. Although this film does not contain one specific big winged box office star, when distribution rights were snapped up by Fox Spotlight, who had previously distributed Andersons previous successful adaptation of Fantastic Mr Fox, they hoped the sheer weight of the entire cast would lead to success. Which has seemed to be the case, after 17 days of wide release the film had grossed a total of £6.3 million in the UK alone, his second highest earner to date. The film marketed with a poster containing 17 acclaimed stars, including Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton and Anderson’s favourite. Bill Murray. It is believed that a weighted cast will appeal to a board audience, and this defiantly fits the bill. This film was released just after awards season ended, its light-hearted nature eased the pressure off over drama filled audiences after the release of incredibly moving films such as 12 Years a Slave. This film did not receive any accolades from the mainstream awards season and so did not use this as a marketing tool, yet stuck to the idea that audiences will see the film due to its impeccable cast and favourite auteur.

Wes Andersons use of stars to attract audiences could be argued when looking at the release of his 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom, this film starred the famous Bill Murray, Bruce Willis as well as Edward Norton however only achieved a little over £2 million at UK box offices. This is where the argument for accessibility comes in, the top two of Andersons grossing movies have been distributed by Fox Spotlight, and incredibly famous and knowledgeable company about the best ways to distribute the film. Whereas Moonrise Kingdom lacked this, limiting its appeal to a mass audience reduced its capability of achieving a high box office figure. Audiences rely on simplicity, the easy accessibility of films from nearby cinemas as well as through the internet is something which is really dependent on the success of any film, not only independent films.