Identify how media products from your case studies make links with other platforms, what are the reasons for these links? (32 marks)

The case studies which I have done large amounts of research on are the 2011 romantic comedy film “Bridesmaids”, and 2006 romantic comedy “The Holiday”. Films classed as broadcast media, but strong links have been made from this broadcast platform to the platforms of e-media and print.

I will first look at the various links made with e-media, using examples from my case studies. The first and most obvious link we can make is that both films have their own interactive official websites. Regarding the Bridesmaids official website more specifically, it has a range of features such as the chance to be introduced to all of the main characters; read the story; games and much more! For the audience, the main reason for this link is most probably either surveillance or social interaction (according to the uses and gratifications theory). It allows the broadcast to be transformed into a much larger brand, and provides the audience with somewhere to go for extra information and fun and games. Successful films need to be brands and well as just movies, and interactive official websites allow this to happen.

Secondly, my films link to e-media in terms of social networking. For example, Bridesmaids and The Holiday both have Facebook and Twitter pages. This is perfect for social interaction (uses and gratifications theory), and increases the films accessibility. It allows a larger target audience to be involved. All socio-economic classes use social networking, and so they can all access information about the film. It allows them to gage public opinion on what they have done, communicate with the audience, and improve their work. I can link this strongly to my case study of Bridesmaids. In the early stages of production, the film was predicted to be a ‘flop’. Critics and the target audience didn’t believe it would be anything special- they didn’t think it would be successful. This spurred the director to take to Twitter and gage opinion on what his perspective fans wanted. The feedback really helped, and saved the film! This is how important links between platforms can be to films.

Social networking can also be useful in other ways. Often, fan made twitter accounts exist, and I know this is the case for Bridesmaids. Fans of the film often either make accounts which tweet famous quotes from the film, or they create accounts for their favourite character. These are often created for comedy purposes. This link is incredibly useful for the film’s long term success, and these accounts are active and common for a much longer period of time that the film is at its peak in terms of box office of DVD sales. They constantly remind the target audience of the film, and help to enhance the brand for months or even years after the release. Whilst carrying out my research, I have found various examples. There are accounts called @BridesmaidsSay; @BridesmaidsTalk; @BridemaidsQuotes and so on, and all have vast amounts of followers which shows how far they have enabled the film to reach. @BridesmaidsQuotes for example is followed by over 27,000 Twitter users. Furthermore, Twitter trends have a significant effect on the films popularity- most often around the time of release. Many twitter trends are worldwide, and so audiences from many different countries can see this. It increases the films accessibility, and widens the audience which in turn, increases profits for the institution. At the time of the Bridesmaids release, there were many global trends such as “#Bridesmaids” and related trends.

Fan websites are often created and dedicated to films. They have become more and more popular over the years, and bring together audiences of the same interest. According to the uses and gratifications theory, they are accessed purely for diversion and social interaction.

A final link which can be made between the original platform of broadcast and the secondary platform of e-media is that videos are often produced by fans or critics to advertise the film. They can either be for comedy or critical purposes, and YouTube is often a massive player in their success. YouTube is a video websites used by people all across the world, from all socio-economic background. Videos can quickly become viral, and to persuade members of the public to view the film in question. An example I have found is a video posted by “FanReviews”. It reviews the film from an amateur critic’s point of view and provides the viewer with footage from the film. Not only are fan videos important, the target audience love to see hidden extras such as interviews with the cast and bloopers. These behind the scenes views help the audience to feel more connected with the film and the cast/crew. It provides them with an “insider’s view” of how the film was made, and it something very appealing to many people. Bloopers especially have a comedy aspect to them, and so they can quickly take off and become viral.

Links can also be made from broadcast to print media. Print is the oldest and most established media platform. Some people may say that it is quickly being over taken by e-media, but it is still very powerful. Products such as magazines and newspapers would fit into this category. Dedicated film magazines such as Total Film and Empire magazines maintain a strong link between the film itself and print media. This link is very important, and is often created by the magazines publishing reviews of films. Most popular films are reviewed in these magazines, and both of my case studies were. Total Film reviewed Bridesmaids in their magazine, as they did with The Holiday. Of Bridesmaids, they said that it is a “side splitting comedy that lifts the veil on any wedding’s unsung heroines”. When speaking of The Holiday they said the film is “mushy” and “formulaic”, but “offers exactly what woman want”. Therefore, through extensive research, I have learnt that these links that films have with print media can either “make or break” their success.

Not only as films reviewed in dedicated film magazine, the actors and actresses are often interviewed. The films which I have looked at for my case study both have the hybrid genre of romantic comedy. The actors and actresses which often feature in these films are admired and looked up to by the target audience, particularly the young and beautiful actresses. This is a perfect advertisement for the film, and by featuring (through interviews and photo shoots) in glossy magazines, the actresses paint a picture of the film. Readers can personally identify with the stars, and after reading the interview, and persuaded to watch the film. Kristen Wiig is the ‘leading lady’ in 2011 romantic comedy Bridesmaids. After the release of the film, she featured in Vogue magazine where she was photographed and interviewed. In this interview, and others like it, the actresses tend to exaggerate the brilliance of their time spent on set, and speak of how much woman will be able to relate to their work. Even if this is clichéd by now, it never fails to fill up a few more seats in the cinema. Those woman reading the magazines such as Vogue, Glamour or Company are likely to be independent career minded woman. These are exactly the type of woman that the institutions behind rom-coms want their primary audience to be. Therefore, this is the perfect link..

Not only have I found that films link to e-media and print, but there are links which occur within broadcast such as podcast reviews. They need this in order to gain publicity, even though they don’t actually choose to be reviewed. This shows lots is out of their hands, but is still just as important for them. A commonly listened to chain of podcast film reviews are those produced by Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode. Although not always positive reviews, they are a way of the public getting a taste of the new releases before they are viewed. This is definitely a positive link because they advertise the films very well.

A final link within broadcast is that soundtrack albums for the music featured on the film are often produced. Much work goes into the selection of the music which accompanies the film’s scenes, and unheard of music can often become very popular. This is why albums are produced. iTunes is a downloading service which very often sells all of these. Bridesmaids has an album for sale on iTunes called “Bridesmaids (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)”. It is still for sale even though the film was released last year which shows again that these links keep the brand alive for much longer than you would first assume they would be. The album features 13 tracks and an array of artists.

In conclusion, the media products in my case studies make very strong link with a range of media platforms. These links are always very important. More often than not, they help to transform the film into a brand. The links which are made are sometimes out of the institutions hands (such as the creation of fan websites and the producing of podcast reviews), but this doesn’t mean they aren’t important. They are just as important as the links which are created by the institutions themselves (such as interactive websites).  Links that a film has between other media platforms can make or break a film, however, they often advertise, increase accessibility, and widen the audience which can only be positive.