The International Film Business: Approaches, Concepts and Strategies
| Module title | The International Film Business: Approaches, Concepts and Strategies |
|---|---|
| Module code | EAFM205 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Will Higbee (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
This module introduces you to theoretical and practical concepts related to finance, investment, intellectual property, and business strategy, applying these concepts directly to the international film business. The module will focus on aspects of entrepreneurial activity, film finance, pitching marketing, leadership, project management, and financial management, as well as developing an understanding of the role independent film companies play in the creative industries and entertainment value chain.
There are no pre-requisites for this module and it assumes that you will not have studied business or business subjects before.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to build core competencies and the contextual knowledge needed to work in the international film business. The curriculum balances generic business content, such as accounting, tax, business entity structures, funding and the ability to prepare "pitch" documents with skills of particular use in the media and creative industries, including intellectual property law, creative management, marketing, contracts, and negotiation.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Outline the key business structures and funding used by companies and other entities in the film industry and explain the different commercial consequences of each structure
- 2. Identify and evaluate key features of creative and financial management as they apply to the entertainment value chain
- 3. Identify and evaluate the key feature of intellectual property law and systems
- 4. Appraise the impact current IP issues have on the film industry and predict how this will change in the future
- 5. Distinguish between marketing of goods and ideas and explain the different approaches needed to successfully pitch ideas to funders
- 6. Compose documents and presentations that synthesise a range of business skills and concepts to make an effective business case
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of the ways in which the international film business needs to be understood as constituting discrete but interlocking phases of development, production and post-production, and to be able to apply this knowledge to produce advanced analysis of key case studies
- 8. Demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of the ways in which the international film business embraces complex and interrelated issues of production, exhibition, and distribution, and to apply this knowledge to produce advanced analyses of key case studies
- 9. Demonstrate an advanced approach the study of the international film business in terms of the inter-relation of various commercial, technological, artistic, and regulatory factors, and to conduct research and engage in critical discussion and debate
- 10. Demonstrate advanced and precise skills in the assessment of film finance, sales, distribution and exhibition practices
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 11. Present ideas to different audiences using appropriate media
- 12. Persuade funders and other key stakeholders of the soundness of a business case
- 13. Negotiate, asserting one's own values and respecting others
- 14. Work independently and in groups
Syllabus plan
This module is usually delivered through a series of four intensive blocks of teaching (lectures, seminars, workshops) that take place at regular fortnightly intervals across the term. Each block of teaching will be taught in conjunction with expert guests and specialist input from across the film business and film value chain.
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
Teaching Block 1: Business Structures and Film Finance
- Introduction to Film Finance
- Business structures: analysing financial information
- Business planning and entrepreneurial strategies (with reference to Film Value Chain)
- The business plan: mastering its structure and contents
Teaching Block 2: Intellectual Property and working with markets
- Introduction to intellectual property law, copyright and differing systems.
- Understanding and exploiting IP
- Working with markets and festivals: business to business and business to customer models
Teaching Block 3: The pitch, negotiation and package
- Pitching and presenting
- Marketing ideas: key elements and tolls to pitch and present documents in order to secure funding.
- Entrepreneurial skills and concepts - negotiation, project packaging and managing meetings.
Teaching Block 4: Project Management and Leadership
- Business models and leadership skills
- Team building and project management
- Cognitive bias: tools for pre-mortems, post-mortems and survival
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | 252 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 48 | Four intensive blocks of teaching typically each block will consist of 2 x 6-hour days of lectures, seminars, workshops and Q&A sessions with guest speakers involving case study analysis and discussion as well as developing practical skills such as developing a pitch/business case, managing pitch meetings and negotiations |
| Guided Independent Study | 252 | Preparation and independent study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical exercises in seminars and workshops | Either short 10 minute group presentation or 30 minute short answer/multiple choice tests | 1-6, 11, 14 | Oral feedback from seminar lead in class |
| Business plan proposal | 300 word proposal | 8-14 | Written feedback from tutor |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 30 | 45 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take home exam paper | 30 | Multiple-choice/short answer test | 1-10, 14 | Individual feedback on request |
| Group presentation | 20 | 20 minutes | 1-10, 12-14 | Written feedback from 1st and 2nd markers |
| Business plan | 25 | 1800 words | 1-10, 14 | Written feedback |
| Practical group exercise | 25 | Group pitching exercise, 20 minutes, plus supporting material from pitch | 1-6, 11-15 | Written feedback from 1st and 2nd markers. Oral feedback from other negotiators and peer observers |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take home exam paper | Take home exam paper | 1-10, 14 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Group presentation | Written summary of group presentation (1000 words) | 1-10, 14 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Business plan | Business plan | 1-10, 14 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Practical group exercise | Written summary of group pitch (1500 words) | 1-6, 14 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Reassessment exercises will carry the same weightings as the original assessments.
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Finney, A. (2014) The International Film Business : A market Guide Beyond Hollywood, 2nd Edition, Routledge, London
- Moore, S.M. (2007) The Biz : The Basic Business, Legal and Financial Aspects of the Film Industry, Silman-James, Los Angeles, California
- Bespoke package of articles cases and other readings prepared in the form of a module reader
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/02/2017 |
| Last revision date | 05/11/2018 |
