Discuss the issues raised by
media ownership in the
production and exchange of
media texts in your chosen area
“Media production is dominated by
global companies, which sell their
products to national audiences”. To
what extent do you agree with this
statement?
What impact does media
ownership have upon the range
of products available to
audiences in the media area you
have studied?
Gladiator
DreamWorks, Universal
A Beautiful Mind
Chicago
DreamWorks, Universal, Imagine Entertainment
Miramax
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Million Dollar Baby
Crash
Warner Bros., Malpaso
LionsGate,
The Departed
Warner Bros.
No Country for Old Men
Slumdog Millionaire[O]
The Hurt Locker
Argo
12 Years a
Slave
Miramax, Paramount Vantage
Fox Searchlight, Warner Bros., Celador, Film4
Summit Entertainment, Voltage Pictures, First Light Productions, Kingsgate Films
The King's Speech
The Artist
New Line Cinema, Wingnut Films
The Weinstein Co., Momentum Pictures, UK Film Council, See-Saw Films, Bedlam Productions
The Weinstein Co. (US/AUS), Warner Bros. (France),Entertainment Film Distributors (UK), La Petite Reine, ARP
Sélection, Studio 37, La Class Americane, France 3 Cinema, U Film, Jouror Productions, JD Prod, Wild Bunch
Warner Bros., GK Films, Smokehouse Pictures
Fox Searchlight, Regency Enterprises, River Road Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, New Regency,Film4
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Fox Searchlight, Regency Enterprises, Worldview Entertainment
1. 'THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST‘ $611.9 million worldwide. Financed by Mel Gibson himself, without the safety net of a distributor in
place, the film went on to become the highest-grossing indie of all time and the second-highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.
2. 'SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE'
• $377.9 million worldwide. Danny Boyle's eclectic adaptation of Vikas Swarup's novel Q & A garnered widespread critical acclaim, and
went on to take home best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay at the 2009 Academy Awards.
3. 'MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING'
• $368.7 million worldwide. Despite the fact that it never held the No. 1 spot on the box office charts, the Joel Zwick-directed romantic
comedy, which reportedly cost $6 million to make, proved to be one of the most profitable films of all time and the second-highestgrossing romantic comedy of all time.
4. 'SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE‘
$289.3 million worldwide. Preproduction started way back in 1991 when the project was under the Universal banner, but when rising
star Julia Roberts dropped out of the lead role of Juliet, Uni balked and dropped the project. Once in turnaround the other majors didn't
touch it, but Harvey Weinstein's Miramax swooped in, bankrolled it, and ended up with the best picture statuette at the 71st Academy
Awards.
5. 'THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT‘ $248.6 million worldwide. Perhaps the most profitable film of all time, with a reported budget of
$25,000, The Blair Witch Project popularized the now ubiquitous and hyperprofitable genre of "found footage" films.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tg1zT_2pyo