Star Wars: The Force Awakens - The seven key areas

In pairs, apply your research of Star Wars: The Force Awakens to the seven key areas from the specification. Make sure you provide clear examples linking the areas to the film. Add images, graphs, figures to illustrate your points.

The Seven Areas:

1. the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
2. the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; 
3. the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; 
4. the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; 
5. the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; 
6. the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions; 
7. the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour. 

The Seven Areas (Translations):

• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice; (how does who owns a media company influence the type of film made and its potential success? For example do BIG companies make BIG films and therefore make all the money? Is it possible for small companies to succeed?) Which companies made Star Wars: The Force Awakens? How did this impact on the type of film that was made? 
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; (how do companies work together to produce, distribute and publicize a film? How can Disney use their size to promote and publicise a film? How can small companies work together to promote their business' when making and promoting a film?) Who publicised and distributed the film? How did these companies work together? What roles did they undertake?
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blue Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?) Research the types of technology utilised during these stages of the film production process of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences; (how and why have film companies had to alter the way they work now everyone has web enabled phones, PC's, consoles etc? How have audiences changed their viewing habits now we no longer need to go to the cinema to watch a film) Link this area to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences; (can you think of examples of how different technologies have come together to help the film industry?)  Consider, amongst other things, the many ways that the film was marketed.
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions; (how do film companies try and attract their audience? Do they do different things in different countries?) How was the film marketed in the USA, Europe and the rest of the world (particular focus here on China).
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour. (what is your opinion on the above? Do you see the developments as a good or bad thing?) Link this area to the film. Find figures for audience consumption on the different platforms for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.