MB: Discuss the ways Horror Films are Produced and Distributed

The success of a film is based on whether it makes three times its original budget, so one would naturally assume that Horror films produced by one of the Six Majors are bound to be more of a success that independent films made by small companies such as Vertigo Films, an independent company based in the UK. However, this is not always the case. Majors such as Warner Bros. (Time Warner) may have produced well know horrors such as "The Conjuring" (Wan, 2013), but some of horror's most loved classics were made by independent companies, such as Vertigo Films' "A Night in the Woods" (Parry, 2012)


The Conjuring (Wan, 2013)

The story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren that work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. The films comes under the Psychological Horror genre

Production

• The film was produced by Tony DeRosa-Grund, Peter Safran and Rob Cowan. The Safran Company (An independent company) and New Line Cinema (A subsidiary of Time Warner) were both studios used in the production


• Development of the film began over 20 years ago when Ed Warren played a tape of Warren's original interview with Carolyn Perron for producer Tony DeRosa-Grund. DeRosa-Grund made a recording of Warren playing back the tape and of their subsequent discussion. At the end of the tape, Warren said to DeRosa-Grund, "If we can't make this into a film I don't know what we can."


• "The Untitled Warren Files Project" was the working title for the film 


• Principal photography began in late February 2012, lasting for 38 days. Shooting took place primarily at EUE/Screen Gems Studios as well as other locations in and around Wilmington, North Carolina

Distribution

• The film was initially intended to release in early 2013, but decided on a summer release date after gaining a positive reception from test audiences. The film was ultimately released on July 19 in North America, and in the United Kingdom on August 2


• The film went on to make $41.5 million after it's opening weekend, breaking the record set by "The Purge" (DeMonaco, 2013) a month earlier for biggest opening weekend for an original horror film


• After its initial run in theatres, the film turned out to be a box office hit by grossing over fifteen times its production budget with a worldwide total of $312,459,667


• The Conjuring was released in Blu-ray and DVD formats by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on October 22, 2013

The film's massive success can be largely put down to the fact that it was distributed by a major conglomerate like Time Warner, who are able to use their subsidiary companies and synergistic promotional activity to promote their film. Horror films are often harder to promote to a large audience, as TV spots are often not available before the watershed, and don't often produce merchandise

"A Night in the Woods" (Parry, 2012) 

Brody, his girlfriend Kerry and their friend Leo go hiking in Dartmoor's Wistman's Woods, so named because of its legendary haunted past. That night jealousies, sexual tensions and strained relationships come to a head turning what should have been a peaceful camping adventure into a trip to terror. This film can also be placed under the Psychological Horror genre, but Stalker Horror also emerges here

Production

• The film was produced by Nick Love, Allan Niblo, James Richardson and Huberta Von Liel. Vertigo Films played a big part in producing and distributing the film in the UK, but it was distributed by Tribeca Film in the USA and Front Row Film Entertainment in UAE and Middle-East


• Despite research, I was unable to find a production budget for the film, but from reviews on websites such as IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, it's clear enough to see that the budget was low, with no major locations and a simplistic "found-footage" style of filming


• Richard Parry both wrote and directed the film. Including himself, the cast and crew for the film was relatively small, another suggestion of a low budget


• It premiered at the Fright Fest Film Festival in the UK in August 2011, but wasn't released until September 2012, suggesting that the budget was more or less used up after the premier

Distribution

• The film, unlike The Conjuring, did not go on to be shown in cinemas and went straight to DVD on 10th September 2012


• There is no indication of how much the film went on to make, but one can only assume that it was low due to its lack of advertising and a cinema run


• Reviews of the film varied, but all retained the notion that the film was a "rip-off" of The Blair Witch Project (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, 1999) even down to sharing a similar release poster


• Despite poor reviews, the acting in the film was praised by many critics, claiming that while it resembled Blair Witch, it surpassed it realism

It is clear to see from this example that large conglomerates certainly have the advantage in distributing their films as they have more disposable income as well as subsidiary companies that can be used to advertise their movies. However, while "A Night in the Woods" may not have been a success itself, it does not mean that independent films never succeed. The Blair Witch Project itself was an independent production and is considered one the greatest horror movies of all time. A Night in the Woods only failed due to its lack of budget, lack of advertising, and lack of originality. The later may well be something to consider when planning for our final piece.