A Field in England

INSIGHT REPORT A Field In England bfi.org.uk 1 Contents Introduction 3 Executive Summary 4 Section One: Overview 5 Section Two: Planning and Execution 6 Section Three: Results 9 Section Four: Conclusions 14 2 INTRODUCTION The following is the report on the DAY AND DATERELEASEOFA Field In England. It uses a wide range of data to measure performance on all platforms, and tries to address the key questions about the significance of the release. A Field In England was released on 5 July 2013 The conclusions are based on an objective view on cinema screens, DVD, VOD and free terrestrial of the data, interviews both before and after broadcast on Film4. the film’s release, and on experience of the UK distribution and exhibition market. The BFI Distribution Fund supported the release of the project with £56,701, which contributed The report evaluates the performance of an to a P&A spend of £112,000. The total production individual film but it also tries to explain the budget was £316,879. context of the release and to suggest lessons for other films trying similar strategies. This report uses a number of measures to assess the success of the release: s "OXOFFICEREPORTSDAILYFOROPENING weekend, weekly thereafter) s /PENINGWEEKENDEXITPOLLSFROM&IRST-OVIES )NTERNATIONALFOR0ICTUREHOUSECINEMA s $6$"LU 2AYSALES/PENINGWEEKEND s 4ELEVISIONRATINGS s /NLINEMONITORING"RILLIANT.OISEFOR Picturehouse Cinemas) 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY sA Field In EnglandISANEXPERIMENTAL GENRE s4HEPRIMARYAUDIENCEWAS!"#n YEARS busting film set in the English Civil War OLD ANDFREQUENTCINEMAGOERSINTHE ANDDIRECTEDBY"EN7HEATLEYDown Terrace, bracket, who might have already been aware Kill List, Sightseers). of Wheatley’s work. s4HEFILMSBUDGETWASa WITHAa s4HEMARKETINGPLANWASTOBUILDINTEREST P&A spend supported by £56,701 from the BFI. across all platforms – Channel 4, Film4, It was fully financed by Film4. Film4OD, Picturehouse Cinemas, the related websites and social media channels and s4HERELEASEPLANWASENTHUSIASTICALLYSUPPORTED through VOD channels. by Channel 4, Film4, Picturehouse Cinemas, the FILM MAKERSANDCAST s7HEATLEYANDTHEWHOLECASTSUPPORTEDTHE release plan and mobilised their active social s4HEFILMOPENEDON*ULYONCINEMASCREENS media fan base. ON$6$AND"LU 2AY ON6/$ ANDONFREE TO AIR television through Film4. s!MONGTHEMARKETINGINNOVATIONSWASANIN depth masterclass website, which attracted a s/NTHEOPENINGWEEKEND THEFILMTOOKa large, engaged audience. in theatrical revenues from 17 venues. s!NINNOVATIVERISK SHARINGDEALWASAGREED sOFTHECINEMAAUDIENCESAIDTHEYKNEWIT with theatrical and other platforms to ensure was available free on television. that there was no unfair burden on any one area of exploitation. s4HEFILMAVERAGED VIEWERSDURING THE&ILMFREESCREENING REPRESENTINGA s)NTERVIEWSWITHEXECUTIVESSUGGESTEDTHE SHAREOFTHETELEVISIONAUDIENCEnUPFORTHAT film would not have bettered its performance slot in the schedule in terms of audiences and through a conventional release. ONSHARE s4HERELEASEWASANOBJECTLESSONINTEAM s4HETOTALTELEVISIONREACHOFTHEFILMWAS working across platforms. VIEWERS OROFTHEPOPULATION s#OMBINED(-6AND!MAZON$6$AND"LU 2AY sales on Friday and Saturday reached 1,462 with "LU 2AYOUTSELLING$6$ sOFTHETHEATRICALAUDIENCE ACCORDINGTO the cinema exit poll, rated it ‘excellent’ and @VERYGOODGIVINGA@HIGHLYFAVOURABLE SCOREOF 4 SECTION ONE: 1.1 Release strategy OVERVIEW The simultaneous multimedia release looked promising, given the strong, even cult following OFANUNCONVENTIONALFILM MAKER4HETARGET A Field In England is the fourth feature from audience for the film was also expected to be open director Ben Wheatley, who has established a to the new release pattern and to the online and reputation as a bold and innovative director and SOCIALMEDIA DOMINATEDMARKETINGCAMPAIGN built a strong fan base through his films, Down The distributors identified the primary audience Terrace, Kill List and Sightseers. AS!"#n YEARS OLD ANDTHERELEASEALSO A Field In EnglandISAGENRE DEFYINGPSYCHEDELIC TARGETEDFREQUENTCINEMAGOERSATTENDINGMORE take on the English Civil War, written by Amy THANONCEAMONTH INTHE BRACKET WHO Jump, produced by Andy Starke and Claire Jones might have already been aware of Wheatley’s for Rook Films, and financed through Film4.0. work. The audience was expected to skew towards men. 4HECASTINCLUDES*ULIAN"ARRATTThe Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley -ICHAEL3MILEYSpaced, Kill List), There was an expectation that the target 2EECE3HEARSMITHThe League of Gentlemen), audience would have seen, or at least known 2ICHARD'LOVERSightseers) and Peter Ferdinando about Wheatley’s earlier films; and that they Tony: London Serial Killer). were likely to have seen work aimed at the same demographic group, including Shaun Of The Dead, Film4 has been a major supporter of Wheatley, Attack The Block and Four Lions. and had been developing ideas with him when HEPROPOSEDALOW BUDGETFILMTHATNEATLYFITTED The active involvement and support of an Film4’s innovative Film4.0 model. Film 4.0 was established theatre group, Picturehouse Cinemas created to find new ways of connecting talent and removed, to an extent, one of the key obstacles to ideas to audiences. ANYDAY AND DATESTRATEGYINTHEFORMOFACINEMA boycott. Picturehouse also made a vital contribution to the ideas and execution of the project, both as In fact, the stakeholders in A Field In England were EXHIBITOR0ICTUREHOUSE#INEMAS ANDDISTRIBUTOR convinced that any boycott would have had a 0ICTUREHOUSE%NTERTAINMENT minimal effect because such an unconventional film was likely to have been released on a The enthusiasm of the director and producers fraction of the number of prints that were finally Claire Jones and Andy Starke and the low budget DISTRIBUTED4HEDAY AND DATESTRATEGYTHENMAY of £316,879 reduced the financial risk and created have actually increased the theatrical reach. room for freedom and invention. The unique combination of committed supporters, multimedia skills and clear strategic thinking was critical to the success of the project. It is crucial to understand that the release model for this project was not an afterthought but an integral part of the development. All of the contributing parties were convinced that such an unconventional and daring film had little chance of fulfilling its potential under TRADITIONALRELEASEMODELSBUTCOULDANDDESERVED to) find an enthusiastic audience with a fresh approach to releasing. 5 Another major advantage provided by SECTION TWO: Picturehouse was the local loyalty towards its PLANNING AND cinemas around the UK. EXECUTION The aim of all parties was to build a single momentum around the film in all its forms that would make its opening weekend a real event. The film opened on July 5 on 17 screens, on DVD AND"LU 2AY ON6/$ANDONFREE TO AIRTELEVISION That sense of event encompassed all through Film4, beginning a multiplatform media, avoiding the impression that it was release schedule. SIMPLYATHEATRICALPROJECTWITHSOMECROSS media extensions. 5 July 2013 .ONETHELESS MAKINGAPLANWORKWITHSUCHBROAD Cinemas ambitions, and with as many moving parts, was VOD (iTunes etc.) HIGHLYCHALLENGINGANDTHEENDRESULTSSEESECTION three) were a considerable achievement. Free TV (transmission C4) DVD/Blu-Ray 2.1 Channel 4, Film4 and Film4.0 The strategy identified the main platforms for The release of A Field In England managed to the release as: free TV, DVD, Transactional VOD mobilise a coalition of parties willing to put 46/$ ANDCINEMAS tremendous energy behind a clear strategy. Channel 4 was involved directly, or indirectly, in !NNA(IGGS #OMMISSIONING%XECUTIVEAT&ILM all areas of exploitation except theatrical. As well was an energetic champion of a simultaneous as television, Channel 4 has its own DVD label CROSS MEDIARELEASEFROMTHEEARLYSTAGESOF $6$ WHICHALSODISTRIBUTESTOTRANSACTIONAL development, and she was backed by the Film4 6/$46/$ PLATFORMSSUCHASI4UNES production team. And crucially, she was supported The channel was enthusiastic about the approach, TOTHEFULLBYTHEFILM MAKERSANDPRODUCERS not least because of the previous track record The release strategy for A Field In England had of Wheatley. The flagship film channel, Film4 THESIGNIFICANTADVANTAGEOFAFILM MAKERWITH Channel was equally keen on the idea. The idea of ASTRONGANDACTIVEFANBASE 4WITTER compressing the windows was seen by both sides followers), and who himself had a keen interest in as a good way of enhancing the value of their new forms of communication and distribution. respective platforms. The support of Film4 was a major factor, not In addition, both Film4 Channel and Film4.0 felt just in terms of reach, but because it has that the approach was a neat fit with their brand rare strength in UK film in a recognisable brand positioning – exciting, innovative, and centred on associated with quality innovation. Channel 4 empowering the audience. offered another important means of marketing to Importantly, the marketing department of a large audience. the Channel 4 group also bought into the idea, The other key party was Picturehouse, both as improving profile and reach in the market exhibitor and distributor. It helped devise, refine place and able to tap into the Channel’s 23 and execute the strategy and it shared the risk million people that in one way or another WITH&ILMONALLASPECTSOFTHERELEASESEEPAGE visit the Channel. for more). 6 There was, however, one potential obstacle 2.3 Theatrical release because Channel 4 needed to operate within the guidelines set out by Ofcom regarding rules about The theatrical partner for A Field In England, CROSS PROMOTINGCONTENT Picturehouse

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