Questionnaire about film classification

1. Have you ever watched a film when you were younger than the classification age?

2. Have you ever been let into a film at the cinema when you were below the classification age?

3. Have you ever been allowed to buy a film (in a shop) when you were below the classification age?

4. How much do your parents monitor what films you watch?


5. Do you think they should monitor it more, less or the same?

6. Do you think that classification serves an important purpose? Or do you feel it just prevents yo from watching what you want?

7. Would you agree that now that it is so easy to download films or buy them on the internet (legally or illegally) classification has become irrelevant?

8. What sort of attitude do you think shops and cinemas have towards classification?

9. Have you ever been asked to produce ID to prove that you can purchase/ be admitted into a film? Do you think asking for ID is necessary?

10. Are you ever put off seeing films due to their classification? (the classification suggests it is for younger viewers, it was a higher classification therefore you could not go and see it etc)

How does Disney represent reality?

Some would argue that Disney films give an unrealistic view of reality. Most Disney films follow the classic love story formula, when a man and a woman meet, fall in love and often get married. It is presented as the 'norm' when in real life this does not always happen. Not every couple gets married and very few 'love stories' are ever as straight forward as presented in Disney films. The difficulties the couples in Disney films have to overcome are more likely to be scenarios like waking up a cursed princess rather than a massive row about where their 'relationship is going.' People might say that this is misrepresented relationships to children, that they will have an unrealistic view of their future. In Disney films, like all children's films, good always triumphs over evil, which is unfortunately not the case in real life. I don't think it would be an unfair generalisation to say that most Disney films are very unrealistic, most are fantasy films. But then again, are Disney films trying to give an accurate portrayal of real life? Or are they their to offer escapism, to entertain and stimulate children's imagination? There is a fine line between teaching children about the 'real world' and scaring them unnecessarily. If evil won sometimes or the princess didn't always get her Prince, what sort of hope would that give children? One of the big messages in Disney films is to follow your dreams, try your best, believe that you can succeed. If these typical plot lines were reversed, the stories would show children a world without hope, encouraging them to just give up. In some ways that is a more unrealistic viewpoint of the world than everyone living happily ever after. Certainly a more depressing one anyway, definitely not one fit for children's films. Disney films may seem unrealistic, but they are unrealistic for a reason. They're certainly not doing children any harm.

How Disney uses synergy

The diagram above was produced by the Disney corporation in 1967 to show their various ventures or 'synergies.' The diagram shows that the studios were central to the Disney operation. The studios command the largest amount of real estate on the diagram and have more links than any of the others. In 1967, the company was still in touch with its studio beginnings, and it was this that formed the centre of all the company's activities.

Other divisions included in the diagram are Disney World Florida which was in its early stages (had not even been built yet), the Mineral King ski resort which never materialised, and the Celebrity Sports Center which did but was short-lived.

Some of the more interesting synergies:

•Disneyland plugs motion pictures and keeps characters before the public - The characters are arguably the most important part of the Disney theme parks. This was a planned strategy from forty years ago; Sleeping Beauty Castle was named while the film was still in production as a means of building interest in the character and story. Disney often regularly teams up with McDonalds to give away free toys in their trademark 'Happy Meals' during or sometimes before a new films general release.

•Disneyland and Disney World Florida provide a major sales outlet for merchandise licensing - The company has always carried various souvenirs for sale in the parks, including ones branded with characters from television and film.

•TV promotes the theme parks - Walt Disney viewed television as a great promotional tool. This is still the case, Disney has television advertisements for its holiday parks, channels and shows, plus any toys of characters etc.

What does the Disney brand mean?

Competition

Scope of operations/ key areas of business/turnover/profits

The company is best known for the products of its film studio, the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, today one of the largest and best-known studios in Hollywood. Disney also owns and operates the ABC broadcast television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, and ABC Family; publishing, merchandising, and theatre divisions; and owns and licenses eleven theme parks around the world. The company has been a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since May 6, 1991. An early and well-known cartoon creation of the company, Mickey Mouse, is the official mascot of The Walt Disney Company.

The Walt Disney Company operates as four primary divisions: The Walt Disney Studios or Studio Entertainment, which includes the company's film, recording label, and theatrical divisions; Parks and Resorts, featuring the company's theme parks, cruise line, and other travel-related assets; Disney Consumer Products, which produces toys, clothing, and other merchandising based upon Disney-owned properties, and Media Networks, which includes the company's television and internet operations.

Its main entertainment features and holdings include Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Disney Music Group, Walt Disney Theatrical, Disney-ABC Television Group, Radio Disney, ESPN Inc., Disney Interactive Media Group, Disney Consumer Products, and Marvel Entertainment. Its resorts and diversified holdings include Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Resort Paris, Euro Disney S.C.A., Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Disney Vacation Club, and Disney Cruise Line.

Origins of Disney

The Walt Disney Company, is the one of the largest, if not the largest, media and entertainment companies in the world. Founded on October 16, 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929. Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the animation industry before diversifying into live-action film production, television, and travel.

In 1919, Walt Dinsey moved back to Kansas City to begin his artistic career. After considering becoming an actor or a newspaper artist, he decided he wanted to create a career in the newspaper, drawing political caricatures or comic strips. But when nobody wanted to hire him as either an artist or even as an ambulance driver, his brother Roy, who worked at a bank in the area, got a temporary job for him at the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio through a bank colleague .At Pesmen-Rubin, Disney created ads for newspapers, magazines, and movie theaters. It was here that he met a cartoonist named Ubbe Iwerks. When their time at the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio expired, they were both without a job, and they decided to start their own commercial company

In January 1920, Disney and Iwerks formed a short-lived company called, "Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists". However, following a rough start, Disney left temporarily to earn money at Kansas City Film Ad Company, and was soon joined by Iwerks who was not able to run the business alone. While working for the Kansas City Film Ad Company, where he made commercials based on cut out animation, Disney took up an interest in animation, and decided to become an animator. He was allowed by the owner of the Ad Company, to borrow a camera from work, which he could use to experiment with at home. After reading a book by Edwin G. Lutz, called Animated Cartoons: How They Are Made, Their Origin and Development, he found more effective ways of animating and techniques which could help in him his line of work. Walt eventually decided to open his own animation business.

Disney then set his sights on establishing a studio in the movie industry's capital city, Hollywood, California. Disney and his brother pooled their money to set up a cartoon studio in Hollywood. Needing to find a distributor for his new Alice Comedies (which he started making while in Kansas City, but never got to distribute) Disney sent an unfinished print to New York distributor Margaret Winkler who promptly wrote back to him. She was keen on a distribution deal with Disney for more live-action/animated shorts based upon Alice's Wonderland.

Below is a timeline of Walt Disney's career up to his death in 1966. Includes history of the company as well as the release dates of some of Disney's most famous and iconic films.

1923
Walt Disney signed a contract with M.J. Winkler to produce a series of Alice Comedies, beginning the Disney company under its original name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, with brothers Walt and Roy Disney, as equal partners.[1]
1924
First Alice comedy, Alice's Day at Sea, released.
1926
Company changed name to The Walt Disney Studio shortly after moving into the new studio on Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district.
1927
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit debuts
1928
Walt loses the Oswald series contract
Mickey Mouse debuts in Plane Crazy Steamboat Willie (the first synchronized sound cartoon)
1929
On December 16, the original partnership formed in 1923 is replaced by Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. Three other companies, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company, are also formed.
The Skeleton Dance (the first Silly Symphonies cartoon)
1930
Distribution moved to Columbia Pictures
1932
Distribution moved from Columbia Pictures to United Artists
Flowers and Trees (the first Technicolor cartoon)
Mickey's Revue (which features the premiere of Goofy, originally called "Dippy Dawg")
1933
Three Little Pigs
1934
The Wise Little Hen (which features the premiere of Donald Duck)
1936
Distribution moved from United Artists to RKO Radio Pictures.
1937
The landmark Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is released to wild critical and commercial glory.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1938
On September 29, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company are merged into Walt Disney Productions.
1940
Studio moves to Burbank, California
Company goes public
Pinocchio
Fantasia
1941
A bitter animators' strike occurs
The studio begins making morale-boosting propaganda films for the United States during World War II
Dumbo
1942
Bambi
1943
Saludos Amigos
1944
The company is short on money; a theatrical re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs generates much-needed revenue and begins a reissue pattern for the animated feature films.
1945
The Three Caballeros
1946
Make Mine Music
Song of the South
1947
Fun and Fancy Free
1948
The True Life Adventures nature film series begins; it lasts until 1960.
Melody Time
1949
The studio begins production on its first all-live action feature, Treasure Island
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
1950
Cinderella
Treasure Island (Disney's first all-live action film)
1951
Alice in Wonderland
1952
WED Enterprises is formed to design what would become Disneyland.
1953
Retlaw Enterprises is formed to control the rights to "Disney". It will later own and operate several attractions inside Disneyland, including the Disneyland Monorail System and the Disneyland Railroad
Peter Pan
1954
October 27: Beginning of the Disneyland TV program on ABC.
The studio ends its distribution deal with RKO Radio Pictures and founds Buena Vista Distribution Company to distribute its feature films.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
1955
Lady and the Tramp
Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California
1957
Old Yeller
1959
Sleeping Beauty
The Shaggy Dog
1960
Pollyanna
Swiss Family Robinson
1961
The studio purchases the film rights to A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books, which are a huge source of revenue to this day.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
The Absent-Minded Professer
The Parent Trap
1963
The Sword in the Stone
1964
Mary Poppins (the first Disney film to receive a Best Picture Academy Award nomination)
1965
Disney News Begins Publication
1966
September: Walt Disney is diagnosed with lung cancer; he dies on December 15.
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree

Task

create a new blog Film industry

 

research:

origins of Disney

scope of operations/ key areas of business/turnover/profits

competition

what does the Disney brand mean

Disney innovations

How Disney uses synergy

How does Disney represent reality

Disney and Pixar