Glossary of film terms



Film and Institution Glossary

Above the line advertising	Publicity that is controlled by the distribution company such as trailers, posters, links with companies,
Artshouse	Cinema specialising in films that are not mainstream e.g. art films, foreign films, classic films
Artshouse film	A low budget independent film that would most likely appeal to an educated higher class audience who follow unusual genres or like cult directors that few have heard of.
Below the line advertising	Publicity that is not controlled by distribution company and is usually free e.g. reviews, interviews, articles in magazines
Big Five	Biggest film studios: MGM, warner brothers, 20th C Fox, paramount, Sony. Produce, distribute and own cinemas
Conglomerate	A company that owns large numbers of companies in a range of mass media such as TV, film and the internet. Eg Disney, news Corporation, Time warner
Contemporary	Up to date, modern
Convention	What we expect to see in a particular genre or text
Cross media convergence	Companies coming together vertically or horizontally for mutual gain e.g. orange Wednesdays, McDonalds happy meals
Demographic	Measurable characteristics of media consumers such as age, gender, race, lifestyle, education and income
Digital screen network	A project to convert 240 screens in UK cinemas to digital costing £12m.
Digital technologies	Any piece of technology that stores information by reducing it to digits then reassembles it for an exact reproduction e.g. internet, phones, HD cameras, I pads
Distribution	After the film is made it is distributed to cinemas, promoted on TV and radio and in magazines, marketed using posters, websites, trailers, links with companies such as McDonalds
Exchange	Ways of watching and sharing films e.g. cinemas, you tube, streaming, DVD, bluray, fansites, swedes,
Global	worldwide
Hardware	The physical equipment used to produce, distribute
Horizontal Integration	One company buying others in the same level of work to strengthen their business.
Independent film	Produced outside the major film studio format usually with a low budget
Mainstream	A high budget film that would appeal to most segments of an audience
Marketing	The way in which a media text or product is sold to a target audience
Mass audience	A very large group of people
National	Within one country
Niche audience	related to or aiming at a specialised group of people or a group interested in a particular theme
Online distribution	Delivery of media content without the use of physical media usually streamed or downloaded
Print	A 35mm film reel that is sent to cinemas to show. Costs 10 times that of a digital copy
Production	The process of creating film from the idea to the final edit
Proliferation	A huge increase or a huge amount
Prosumer	Audience member who makes film and distributes usually through the internet
Swede	A summarized recreation of a popular culture film using limited (or no) budget and a camcorder. The process is sweding and once done the film has been sweded.
Synergy	The combination of 2 separate media texts or products that share similar characteristics so that one helps market the other e.g. colour, font, image, logo
Target audience	The ideal audience member in terms of age, gender, income, lifestyle, race
Technological convergence	The merging of previously separate communication methods made possible by technological advances. Eg a phone is used for photos, videos, internet, messaging
USP	Unique Selling Point. What makes the film different or the aspect that most appeals to the audience
Vertical integration	Where an institution shares or owns each part of the production and distribution process e.g. 20th C Fox makes and distributes films
Viral marketing	Being passed from one person to another usually via the internet and free