Tyrannosaur is a film similar in genre to both the

Our media product, Beach Comber, if turned into a real thriller film, would be a British independent film, fairly low-budget and with the purpose of attracting a relatively niche audience. StudioCanal have successfully distributed films of similar remits to this , with such productions as Dead Mans Shoes and Submarine being filmed on a comparably small budget to our media product and aimed at similarly specific audiences. Both Dead Mans Shoes and Submarine are Warp Films productions released by StudioCanal when it was formerly known as Optimum Releasing, but a more recent film distributed by StudioCanal directly includes Tyrannosaur.

previously mentioned contents released by StudioCanal, as well as our own. All three media texts are British, shot in England, Wales and Scotland, and located in contemporary, rather urbanised landscapes. Bar the latter common factor, with our thriller opening taking place on an isolated, rural beach and a contrastingly enclosed shed setting as opposed to a more urban location, Beach Comber was also shot in England and situated in a gritty context. These similarities between our own media product and ones already in existence and, most importantly, released by StudioCanal, mean that Beach Comber would be likely to find most success if distributed via this distribution company. As well as releasing films, StudioCanal also produce films. More commercial, more globally recognised British content has been produced by StudioCanal/Optimum Releasing and found mainstream popularity. Examples of this include Hot Fuzz, RocknRolla and Johnny English. This further sees StudioCanal as an ideal distributer of our media product, as they have worked to promote bigger names as well, hopefully enabling Beach Comber to reach a wider audience in addition to the niche one we are primarily targeting.

Cinema distribution would see us approach Cinema City, Norwich. Beach Comber would realistically screen in a small cinema, which Cinema City is, so as to reflect its small, more niche audience as a result of it being an alternative, less mainstream thriller. The fact that Cinema City is situated relatively locally to where the places our thriller was filmed means a wider audience may be attracted to our media product. This is called localisation, and is a technique of sorts which has played a key role in the success of such films as Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. Likewise to Alpha Papa, which was filmed in Norwich, Beach Comber was filmed in North Norfolk and so holds the potential to appeal to a local audience besides its niche one.

Moreover, Cinema City is greater inclined to show independent British content than any other local cinema distributer. We would, if we were to screen our thriller opening, look to secure a local screening for the reasons previously stated. Therefore, Cinema City would be our best choice of cinema distributer. In the past, Cinema City has held event evenings for the releases of certain films. If we were to premiere our opening there such an occasion could be scheduled by means of extra promotion. The event evening for Beach Comber could entail the viewers coming dressed up as their favourite character from an independent British film, or perhaps include screenings of other low-budget thrillers in the run-up to ours. This would aid audience anticipation as well as appealing to yet another wider audience because the thrillers sequenced before ours would not have to necessarily be British in origin. Cinema City attracts a loyal arthouse audience and so this scheduling of foreign content would appeal to them also, as they often visit the cinema to consume foreign-language films. Cinema City is by far the distributer our thriller stands the most chance of success with, as their philosophy with Picturehouse cinemas (which sees them air a lot of indie films targeting niche and art-house audiences beside more mainstream content set to attract the general public) means they are more likely to risk running a small, low-budget independent. Furthermore, Cinema City showed Dead Mans Shoes when it first came out. The film hugely inspired the making of Beach Comber and so it is probable that our media text would be similarly well received to the 2004 revenge thriller did at Cinema City.

Our media product would be digitally distributed via companies such as LoveFilm, as using this platform would enable our opening to be accessed by a broader audience. Additionally, StudioCanal our chosen distribution company signed an exclusive long-term European content deal with LoveFilm, giving members of the on demand service access to the portfolio of new and library movies from StudioCanal. This deal results in a greater number of LoveFilm members being able to consume low-budget British productions like our own, ultimately making LoveFilm a suitable digital distributer for our thriller.

Alternatively, digital distribution exists in the form of online mediums. Vimeo and YouTube could be further utilised to circulate both our media product and extras, like a trailer, on the web. Nowadays, the fastest ways to learn of a new release of media texts is through the internet, and the two chosen websites would be particularly handy in terms of audience feedback, as users are encouraged to leave comments on videos uploaded to both sites. As a group, we like the idea of receiving immediate feedback because it encourages much needed communication between makers and viewers of modern media productions.
Shane Meadows, director of A Room for Romeo Brass and Dead Mans Shoes, two texts that informed the planning and filming stages of our thriller opening rather significantly, spoke favourably of Vimeo and YouTube, as well as smart phones and the iPad and their contribution to digital distribution, in 2012 in an interview with BAFTA Guru: When I was a kid and when I wanted to first start making films, I was priced out the market. I couldnt get hold of the equipment to even make very

basic stuff, it wasnt available at all . . . Now with the advent of technology you only have to look on Vimeo and YouTube at what people are producing on cameras.
He regarded advances in portability and online digital distribution technology to be positively influencing creativity, filmmaking and the film industry. Although not a view straight from the horses mouth, Meadows alluded to believing that low-budget films are easier to circulate nowadays, on the platforms he spoke in favour of. Our thriller aims to emulate some of the directors work, so by him also thinking that these sites are useful in the distribution stage of the film industry, Vimeo and YouTube would be deemed the best forms of digital distribution for Beach Comber. That said, it would be natural to employ social networking sites to heighten audience experience and build further anticipation around our opening. Twitter and Facebook are two social platforms that share huge commercial success, and so would be the two we would probably look to create promotional accounts on for our thriller opening. Just like YouTube and Vimeo, these sites are free to subscribe to and use, and would be almost bound to expose Beach Comber to broader, foreign audiences. Lionsgate used social networking sites in an industry changing bid to build audience anticipation in the run-up to the release of The Hunger Games. We would likely follow the path they paved with the seizing of digital distribution, partnering the latest way to release a piece with popular social networking sites for maximum success when it comes to the amount of people consuming our media product.

Our media product is likely to be aired on Film4 because Film4, as part of the channel 4 multi channel company, is required to be innovative and experimental. Their PSB remit sees them schedule content produced by small British companies in a bid to support them by exposing them to wider acclaim and recognition. Film 4 would probably be most inclined to run our thriller opening therefore. Beach Comber is a low-budget British indie and so by airing our product, Film4 would be meeting their PSB requirements.

Furthermore, our opening targets a niche audience. Film4 has aided production for films such as This is England as well as channel 4 airing the subsequent television series of the film, both of which target similarly specific audiences. Notably, like Beach Comber, This is England is orientated around white British youths. Sam and Ian demonstrate similar antisocial behaviour to that of the characters in the film. An alternative and less likely television distributer would be BBC One. Having aired The Escape Artist as well as trialing Shetland in 2013 (the latter of which has recently returned for a second series, with episode one opening on a bleak beach setting like Weybourne, a dead girl by the waters edge), the channel may be inclined to test run Beach Comber, which is comparable to both Shetland and The Escape Artist in style and genre.