Blinded By The Light: case study blog tasks
Blinded By The Light:
Funding and industry contexts
1) What was the budget for Blinded By The Light and which companies contributed to the production budget?
1) What was the budget for Blinded By The Light and which companies contributed to the production budget?
The budget for Blinded by the light was around 15 million dollars and the companies that contributed to the budget were Levantine Films and Ingenious Media as Bend It Films developed the film and they supported it.
2) Research the Bend It Networks website. What other films and projects has the company been involved with?
- Beecham House,
- Viceroy's House,
- Bend it like Beckham the musical and the film,
- Desi Rascals,
- It's a wonderful afterlife,
- Angus things and perfect snogging,
- Mistress of spices,
- Bride and prejudice,
- What's cooking,
- Bhaji on the beach,
- I'm British but...,
- and Blinded by the Light.
3) Research Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema on the Warners website here. Summarise the history of New Line Cinema in a short paragraph.
New Line Cinema was founded in 1967. Building on more than 50 years of innovation and creativity, New Line Cinema continues its long and successful history of producing critically acclaimed hit films that resonate with both mainstream and niche audiences around the world.New Line produced the Oscar winning “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, which generated a combined worldwide box office of almost $3 billion with an additional $3 billion in consumer products and home entertainment revenue. This was followed by a trilogy of films based on “The Hobbit,” which also generated nearly $3 billion in global receipts.
A pioneer in the horror genre, New Line is widely known for the iconic “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Final Destination” and “Blade” franchises. In 2013, New Line released the global blockbuster “The Conjuring” which launched a horror universe that includes the hit films for “Annabelle” and “The Nun.” The seven films have earned more than $2 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time. In September 2017, New Line released “IT,” based on the classic Stephen King horror novel. “IT” was a global sensation and became the most successful horror film in history with more than $700 million at the worldwide box office. The 2019 sequel, “IT Chapter Two,” brought the franchise’s worldwide gross to more than $1 billion.
The Studio is credited with revitalizing the genre of the R-rated comedy with the success of “Wedding Crashers” in 2005, and has a history of producing crowd-pleasing comedies, including the “Friday,” “Austin Powers” and “Rush Hour” film franchises, as well as “Dumb and Dumber,” “The Wedding Singer,” “Elf,” “Horrible Bosses,” “We’re the Millers,” “Central Intelligence” and “Game Night.”
New Line’s long list of popular films also includes: “Mortal Kombat,” “Shazam!,” “Rampage,” “Me Before You,” “Creed” and “Creed II,” San Andreas,” “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,” “Sex and the City” and “Sex and the City 2,” “Se7en,” “The Mask,” “The Notebook,” and “Hairspray.”
New Line’s current production model includes films produced for theatrical release as well as titles made specifically for the HBO Max streaming platform (both New Line and HBO Max are part of Warner Bros. Discovery). New Line’s 2022 release slate includes KIMI, Moonshot, House Party, Don’t Worry Darling and Black Adam.
New Line is a unit of Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
4) Read this Variety interview with director Gurinder Chadha explaining how the project came about - including budget details. How did she manage to get the film made?
Worried about adding Bruce’s music to the film, Chadha was encouraged by the Springsteen camp to begin writing the screenplay and ‘something would be figured out,’ given the film’s modest budget. “They liked the idea,” she says. “We tried to make the music work for our story rather than exploit it. Picking the songs was quite a forensic task. I only used the ones which captured the character’s journey. I set out to make a movie with integrity, that would live up to that legacy — not only Bruce’s music but what he stands for, what he represents. I had to stop seeing him as a rock star, but someone who wrote these songs for my movie.
”When Springsteen came back from reading the treatment with the simple response, “I’m all good with this,” Blinded by the Light went in front of the cameras, and wowed the audience at Sundance earlier this year, setting up a spirited bidding war won by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, who acquired it for the $15 million it cost to make. Offers were being texted to Chadha as she sat in the audience watching her own film.Springsteen demonstrated his support by showing up at the movie’s recent Asbury Park premiere. Springsteen’s longtime manager Jon Landau also hails the filmmakers, telling Variety, “They did an incredible job and we all love the film.”
As for the film’s stateside box office prospects, Chadha sees success beyond dollars. “I’ve made up the production costs and Bruce really loved the film,” she boasts. “At New York, he put his arms around me, kissed me and thanked me for looking out for him. Barbara [Carr] told me at the London premiere, he was so inspired by the movie, that he decided to direct his own for ‘Western Stars.’ That’s all the reward I need.”
5) What attracted Gurinder Chadha to the project?
The movie’s 1987 setting, rife with Paki-bashing and fear of foreigners, makes an unmistakable comparison to today’s troubled times, especially in Britain, where Brexit has become a hot-button issue. “That’s why I wanted to make this movie right now — because of those parallels,” Chadha offers. “It’s a reminder to all of us what our lives were like back then, and what we’ve achieved since then. I believe we’ve moved on from that. It’s a minority who hold those extreme views. The majority want a world where people have empathy and understanding between each other, with enough food on the table, raise their kids and be happy. Most people don’t want to hate.”
Production and distribution
Read this Deadline feature on the distribution deal for Blinded By The Light and answer the following questions:
1) Which company won the distribution rights after the all-night auction and for how much?
An all-night deal auction at the Sundance Film Festival, New Line and Warner Bros are acquiring for $15 million for worldwide rights, minus a a few territories, the Gurinder Chada-directed Blinded By the Light.
2) Which other companies were rumoured to be bidding for the distribution rights?
Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate and others.
3) According to the article, what was the 'allure' of Blinded By The Light?
3) According to the article, what was the 'allure' of Blinded By The Light?
Some of the allure of Blinded by the Light had to do with the surprisingly universal appeal of Springsteen’s coming-of-age tunes, which tell honest stories about a hardscrabble upbringing, ambition and the fight to break free of all shackles to do something worthwhile with one’s life.
4) What does the article suggest about the significance of Bruce Springsteen's role in the production and promotion of the film?
Based on the memoir Greetings from Bury Park by journalist/writer Sarfraz Manzoor. Manzoor is even more of a Springsteen fanatic than I am, and he’s been to about 150 shows. Landing the rights to use that many songs from an artist as major as Springsteen is a blockbuster proposition. But Springsteen has been in a very introspective mode with his autobiography and Broadway show, and the filmmakers met Springsteen and charmed him enough to bless the project and make it possible to feature his songs.
Springsteen didn’t take part in last night’s Park City premiere as had been rumored; Chada told the crowd that the Boss didn’t want to overshadow the proceedings and take the focus away from the film. His support certainly will help the picture as New Line and Warner Bros roll it out in that wide release this year.
5) UK distribution was secured by eOne Entertainment. Visit the eOne About Us page on their website - what do they claim to offer under the heading 'Passion meets possibility?'eOne enables every step in the entertainment value chain from development and production to marketing and distribution. With the reach of a studio and the flexibility of an indie, we share bold stories with audiences around the world.
Promotion and reception
Note: some of these pages may be blocked if you working in school - you will need to complete those particular questions at home.
1) What does the trailer suggest regarding genre and the potential audience pleasures of Blinded By The Light?
Promotion and reception
Note: some of these pages may be blocked if you working in school - you will need to complete those particular questions at home.
1) What does the trailer suggest regarding genre and the potential audience pleasures of Blinded By The Light?
The trailer does not seem to depict a certain audience for example it has a major effect on the fans of Springsteen himself which are more likely to be older since the movie is set in the 80s. It can also be linked to younger audiences such as 16 years old who are mainly associated to an ethnic minority groups; which highlights the racism and difficulties they have to go trough to break cultural norms of going into a certain profession.
2) What did film posters for Blinded By The Light feature and where did they appear?
- Traditional marketing: trailer, film poster with review quotes etc.
- Premieres - London, Luton and Asbury Park, New Jersey (attended by Bruce Springsteen).
- Heavy social media presence – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.
3) What TV shows and websites did interviews with writer, director and stars of Blinded By The Light? Why are interviews a good way to promote a new film release?
Writer Sarfraz Manzoor on the story behind the film - Guardian
Manzoor again on the promotion of the film and audience reaction
Variety feature on the best films from the 2019 Sundance Film Festival
Manzoor again on the promotion of the film and audience reaction
Variety feature on the best films from the 2019 Sundance Film Festival
The purpose of interviews is to encourage journalists to publish stories about their ''exclusive interviews'' with the film's stars, thereby creating ''marketing buzz'' around the film and stimulating audience interest in watching the film.
4) How does the Blinded By The Light Twitter account create and maintain interest in the film?
Twitter is often an underestimated social network among others. But its power is great – even when you reach 500 Twitter followers only, your account is already useful for promotion. But for success, one needs a reliable and effective strategy. Whatever industry you choose, even filmmaking, there are universal tips that will help to receive good results on Twitter. In this article, they are collected to be utilized for your tactics and planning.
5) How does the Blinded By The Light Facebook page use images and video content to promote the film?
The strategy or the idea behind the Facebook promotion is to generate interest and curiosity about the movie. Some factors that can be considered during Facebook Campaign planning are –
- Pre-Release Video Advertising
- Engaging audience during making of film
- Let the audience experience the story
- Questions and Fun activities
- Contest and Quiz
- Positive words about movie from other celebrities and actors
- Using Brand Partnership
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxhqX_VgHcS/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
They promote the film by tagging the individuals involved with the movie that helps them their publicity even if its bad publicity since all publicity is good publicity as its given attention towards their movie and the messages behind it which they are trying to advocate through their film.
7) Go to the Bend It Networks YouTube channel. How does Gurinder Chadha introduce the channel? What other content is on the Bend It Networks YouTube channel?
They promote the film by tagging the individuals involved with the movie that helps them their publicity even if its bad publicity since all publicity is good publicity as its given attention towards their movie and the messages behind it which they are trying to advocate through their film.
7) Go to the Bend It Networks YouTube channel. How does Gurinder Chadha introduce the channel? What other content is on the Bend It Networks YouTube channel?
She starts of my giving an outlook on all the films she has directed and helped produce, it also helps her engage with the audience in terms of their needs and what they would like to see in movies more often be it social realism or just pure comedy.Other content on her YouTube channel includes of her being in interviews on big broadcasting services like the BBC and also having causal conversations with other individuals that are in the media industry.
8) Look at the box office figures for Blinded By The Light from The Numbers website. How much did it make at the box office and why do you think it was largely unsuccessful?
| Worldwide Box Office | $18,136,756 |
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