Funding
1) What was the budget for Chicken?
£110,000
2) How did Joe Stephenson end up raising the money to make the film?
Due to having no funding body, he raised money through his friend's investments.
3) How does the Chicken budget compare to a Hollywood-funded British blockbuster such as Spectre or Paddington 2?
Paddington 2's funding was $40 million and Spectre was $245 million, both massively higher than Chicken's budget.
4) Joe Stephenson tried to secure funding from organisations that help low-budget filmmakers. What is the BFI Film Fund and how does it contribute to the British film industry?
The BFI Film Fund is an organisation that, using money from the national lottery, secures funds that support the production of British films and filmmakers.
5) Why do you think Chicken failed to secure funding from the BFI Film Fund?
Since this was Stephenson's first time directing a film, the heavy subject matter and complicated issues regarding abuse, learning difficulties, rape and incest may have made the BFI wary to fund it. Alternatively, the BFI simply may not have seen enough potential in the film to fund it. The BFI can't fund every single film that they're requested, so they must have thought that their resources were better used for other films.
Production
1) What difficulties did the film run into during production?
The lighting and weather were unpredictable in the many scenes shot outside.
2) How many days did the film take to shoot?
19
3) What scenes were particularly difficult for Joe Stephenson to film?
Outside scenes.
Distribution
1) Why did the film fail to secure a distribution deal when first made in 2014?
Perhaps due to Stephenson's lack of experience in directing, as well as the risk of dealing with a film produced on a micro-budget.
2) What film festivals did Chicken feature at between 2014-2016?
The New Hampshire film festival and Giffon film festival.
3) Why are film festivals an effective way for a low-budget film to secure a distribution deal?
They allow films that would not have a large marketing budget to reach an audience
4) When was Chicken released in cinemas in the UK?
May 2016.
5) Why do you think film subscription service MUBI chose the film to feature on the service?
The film was well received at the film festivals and attracted positive attention
6) Why was Film4 a good choice to give the film its UK television premiere?
Film4 is a channel that supports independent films, and so the viewers of the channel would have an interest and respect for an arthouse film like Chicken.
Film4 is a channel that supports independent films, and so the viewers of the channel would have an interest and respect for an arthouse film like Chicken.
7) When will the film be released on iTunes and other video-on-demand services in the USA and Canada?
January 2018
Promotion
Note: some of these pages will be blocked 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 Chicken?
The trailer suggests this to be an arthouse film, with focus on a main character with learning disabilities and the struggles of the working class.
2) What synergy can you find between the trailer and other traditional marketing methods such as the film poster?
Quotes from reviews are used throughout the trailer.
3) Why are reviews from industry figures such as Mark Kermode so important to a film's success?
Respected reviewers such as Kermode will be trusted in their opinions on films. As an opinion leader, audiences will watch reviews like his and determine whether a film is worth watching or not. This is important because, not only do reviews like Kermode's increase promotion, they also portray the film positively and generate a larger audience.
4) How does the Chicken Twitter account create and maintain interest in the film?
The film's releases on new platforms such as amazon prime get promoted. This creates interest by highlighting the film's continued support, maintaining interest as a film worth watching.
5) Who does the Twitter account re-tweet? How does this help to promote the film?
Actors, reviewers, schools and Stephenson himself, all usually praising the film. This helps portray the film in a positive light and makes it seem worth watching. Also, positive tweets about the film show a connection with large audiences and generates discussion.
6) How does the Chicken Facebook page use images and video content to promote the film?
Posters of the film and scenes from the movie grab your attention.
7) What pages are liked by the Chicken Facebook page? What does this tell you about the film and potential target audience?
Film festivals, art house cinema and the British film awards. These pages make it clear that this is an artistic, fairly niche film well received by, and supportive of, film festivals.
8) Go to the website of the B Good Picture Company. What does the homepage say and what other films have they produced or are in production currently?
"Films that get people talking, make people think, make people care."
Produced:
In Love With
CHicken
Random Acts: The Castle
McKellen: Playing the Part
In Production:
Wonder Of You
Cuma
The Greatest
Untitled Horror
Noel
Caged
Using the trailer, reviews, quotes from the movie and a general summary of the film's production.
10) Go to the B Good Picture Company YouTube channel. What videos feature on the channel? How do they help to promote Chicken?
The YouTube channel posts video clips from the film, teasing audiences on what the film has in store.
Final reading: Media Magazine - the appeal of arthouse cinema
Complete the following tasks to improve your understanding of arthouse film and the possible audience pleasures that the genre offers:
Read Beyond Hollywood: Reading Arthouse Cinema. This is in MM45 on page 24 - go to our Media Magazine archive to find the article.
1) Summarise the article in 50 words.
Arthouse films are artistic rather than commercial in character. Those who think of cinema as being simply entertainment, which is easier to read, are rarely likely to watch an arthouse film. Producers of art cinema are not in the business of making it easy for audiences to read the film either, for example the arthouse Melancholia (Denmark-Sweden 2011) and the independently-produced Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.
2) What are some of the suggested audience pleasures for arthouse film?
Inter-textuality
3) Why do some audiences struggle with arthouse film? Refer to some media theory here (there are some important media theories discussed in the article itself).
The return to the equilibrium described by Todorov is often absent in arthouse cinema. This is likely to be confusing to general audiences.
4) To what extent is arthouse film only for the middle classes and older audiences? Why might this be the case?
Middle class and older audiences may have more of an apprecation and cultural knowledge than younger audiences, which could allow them to appreciate an artistic film less focused on entertaining an audience.
5) What type of audience would be interested in Chicken?
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