I, Daniel Blake

• Production of I, Daniel Blake

  • co production between 16 productions and why not production
  • Made with the support of the BFC and BBC films ( funding films which represent British culture )
  • Budget of £3.5 million
  • Took in $12 million worldwide
  • Realist: filmed on location rather than sets
• Ken loach

  prominent British filmmaker known for British social realism, despite his status as an auteur, the film was still an independent release due to its themes of the benefit system and the government, and the risks that come with this
• Trailer

  • won Palme d’or at Cannes film festival
  • “BFI: awarding funds from the national lottery”
  • name of distributor eOne
  • “bbc films” funded by the tv licence, public service broadcaster: inform, educate, entertain
  • number of reviews from different sources
  • Ken loach name
• marketing

  With a low budget I, Daniel Blake used a number of unconventional marketing strategies to build interest for the films release

  • premiere in newcastle
  • Guerilla marketing
  • Controversy
  • Grassroots marketing campaign
  • Daily mirror editorial partnership
• Guerilla marketing

  • marketing company Kommando came up with the films guerilla marketing campaign ( unorthodox or unusual to create visibility)
  • quotes from the film projected onto buildings in Newcastle and the houses of parliament ( reference to graffiti scene)
  • lead onlookers to retweet photos with the hashtag #weareraldanielblake creating a cost free media flow
• premiere

  The film premiered in Newcastle which created controversy since this would not have been the expected choice however since it was where the film was set and they involved a number of local people and organisations this built up visibility in the areas where it mattered
• controversy

  the film outwardly supported protests against austerity tax cuts, specifically the bedroom-tax which limited the size of accommodation that could be covered by benefits, this created further controversy but also created talk about the movie meaning its eventual release would be even more anticipated
• grassroots marketing campaign

  • built up visibility regionally through regional marketing officers who hosted free screenings and other community based promotional events
• daily mirror

  I, Daniel Blake had a promotional agreement with trinity mirror who owned the daily mirror which included front cover placements and an October 2016 editorial “written” by Daniel Blake himself
• hesmondhalgh

  • subverted the theory, a film which talks abut such sensitive topics is high risk and only appeals to a specific subset of audiences
  • no parent conglomerate but there is still original integration through the few independent production companies and vertical integration through the use of distributor eOne
  • Even though + ken loach’s status as an auteur provides a level of formatting the lack of star power or serialisation shows that this films main aim is not to maximise audiences but rather to convey a message, this is common for all of Loach’s films
• Curran & Seaton

  • profit is not the main goal of the success of the film but rather spreading awareness which is typical of BSR
  • Independent production companies aren’t as power hungry as the few conglomerates which dominate the market
  • independent releases and their more socially diverse patterns of ownership are in a less concentrated market and so their variety and creativity is not limited to the extent of mainstream releases
• Conventions of an independent release

  • distinguishable content and style
  • Evidence of film maker as an auteur
  • Narrative has a point ( this is the selling point)
  • May fit into a particular aesthetic
  • Non professional actors, improvised scripts, real locations - all signposting the lack of budget
  • Limited release reliant on film festivals