Film
Assistant Professor Srirath Pakdeeronachit, Ph.D.
Learning
Objectives
Be familiar with the history and development of the
film industry and film itself as a medium.
Have a greater awareness of the cultural value of film
and the implications of the blockbuster mentality for
film as an important artistic and cultural medium.
Be familiar with the 3 components of film industry –
production, distribution and exhibition.
Recognize how the organizational and economic
nature of the contemporary film industry shapes the
content of films.
Learning Objectives
(Cont.)
Understand the relationship between film
and its audiences.
Recognize the promise and peril of
convergence and the new digital
technologies to film as we know it
Possess improved film-watching media
literacy skills, especially in interpreting
merchandise tie-ins and product
placements.
A Short History
of the Movies
• The Early Entrepreneurs
➢1879:
zoopraxiscope
(Edweard Muybridge)
➢Persistence of vision
➢Photographic frames
move at 24 frames a
second.
Kinetoscope
1895: “L’ Arrivee d’un train en gare” The
early film of train coming towards
audiences. People screamed and hid to
avoid being crushed by train. Viewers back
then did not have sufficient film literacy.
1895: “L’ Arrivee d’un train en gare” The
early film of train coming towards
audiences. People screamed and hid to
avoid being crushed by train. Viewers back
then did not have sufficient film literacy.
In 1897 (B.E.2440), King Rama V
travelled to Europe. Staff from the
Lumiere company made a film of
his visit to Bern, Switzerland. This
film is the first film that recorded
content about Thai nationality.
1. Short History of Movies
•The early industry was built largely by
entrepreneurs who wanted to make money
entertaining everyone
•Earliest movies were about real life, no story,
no editing.
•Georges Méliès began to make narrative
motion pictures in 1890s. His movie was
released in 1902 ‘A trip to the moon’
1902 A trip to the moon: Georges Méliès
1. Short History of Movies
• 1903: Edwin W. Porter’s The Great Train
Robbery used montage – an editing, tying
together two separate scenes.
a now-iconic scene from the great train robbery is
considered one of the first "fourth wall-breaking"
shots in film history.
1. Short History of Movies
Films have become story tellers.
1. Short History of Movies
The nickelodeon: 1905 – 1915
The first type of indoor
exhibition space
dedicated to showing
projected motion
pictures.
“Nickelodeons” – the
price of admission to
see films was one
nickel, in the US.
1. Short History of Movies
• 1915: Writer, actor, and cameraman D. W.
Griffith released The Birth of a Nation
❑one of the most technically advanced and
ambitious films of its time.
❑It introduced innovative cinematic techniques
such as close-ups, cross-cutting, and largescale battle scenes.
❑ the film was highly controversial due to its
racist portrayals and glorification of the Ku
Klux Klan (KKK). the film inspired protests
across the country and newspaper criticism
▪ The first film shown in Thailand was Parisian Cinematograph in
1897. Film making commenced with experiment made by Prince
Sanphasatsuphakit, the younger brother of King Rama V, who
imported his own film equipment.
▪ The early films were mostly documentary, many of them
concerning palace life.
1. Short History of Thailand
▪ The first Thai directed, silent movie, Chok Song Chan
(Double luck) was made in 1927.
Luang Kolkarnjanejit :the cameraman of Chok Song Chan
1. Short History of Movies (Cont)
The Big Studio and Hollywood
▪From Nickelodeon to big business
▪1908, Thomas Edison founded Motion Picture
Patent Company
▪The first sound film was produced in 1926
▪Hollywood known as a “dream factory”
▪ Triangle Company, Paramount, Fox, and Universal
controlled the movie industry from California
1. Short History of the Movies
•Change Comes to Hollywood
➢Talkies
➢Don Juan (1926) with synchronized music and sound
effects
➢The Jazz Singer (1927) had several sound and
speaking scenes but was largely silent
➢Lights of New York (1928) was all sound
➢The Jazz Singer (1927) had several sound and
speaking scenes but was largely silent
1. Short History of the Movies
•New Genres, New Problems
➢The industry able to weather the
Depression with new genres:
➢Documentaries
➢Musicals
➢Comedies
➢Gangster movies
➢Horror films
➢Double feature with a B-movie
1. Short History of the Movies
•The industry survived the Depression because of its size
and power
➢vertical integration
Studio produced their own films, Distributed them
through their own outlets, and exhibited them in
their own theaters.
In effect, the big studios controlled a movie from
shooting, guaranteeing distribution and audience
regardless of quality
1. Short History of the Movies
•Television
➢The Paramount Decision (1948): Supreme Court ruled
vertical integration and block booking ( practice of
requiring exhibitors to rent groups of movies) illegal.
The studios were forced to sell of their exhibition
businesses (the theatres).
1. Short History of the Movies
•Movies and their audiences
➢Movies hold a very special place in our culture
➢As Hollywood is a “dream factory”, many
audiences want their lives to be just like in the
movies.
➢Today’s movie audience is increasingly a young
one. Theatres are placed at malls.
➢What becomes of film as an important medium is
completely dependent on the audience
➢The movie industry continues to produce films that
make history, art and a statement while they make
money
1. Short History of the Movies
▪ The sixties were a gold rush of Thai films, notable locally for the
fact that action star Mitr Chaibancha made 266 movies until his
death in 1970.
▪ Film industry is receiving BOI promotion as it is one of the
industry that has brought tremendous income to the country.
▪ The government has taken some serious step to reduce time it
takes to approve film applications to increase incentives for
foreign filmmakers.
If your life were a movie,
Which one would It be?
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Roles and Influences of the Movies
1. Entertainment
2. Provision of News and Information Updates
3. Education
4. Individual Values and Social Values
5. PR and Advertising
Source: Comedy Film : A Case Study of Thai Comedy Film during 2005-2009 by Prit Supasetsiri (2012)
2. Movies and Their Audiences
1996: Independence Day: An alien race destroys major cities of the world with their advanced
weaponry. However, a geek, a pilot, the US President and a group of ragtag survivors unite to
save mankind from annihilation
Villain – Alian
Hero - a geek, a pilot, the US President and a group of ragtag survivors
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Ray Ferrier, a dockworker, and his children are all set to spend a weekend together.
However, an alien tripod descends on Earth, threatening to wipe out humanity. Ferrier
must now protect his children as they seek refuge.
Villain – Alian
Hero - An American Dock worker
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Jackson Curtis, a discontented writer, battles against all odds to keep his family secure when
a series of apocalyptic calamities threatens to decimate humankind.
Villain – Nature
Hero - An American Dock
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race
against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and
governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.
Villain – Virus
Hero - An American former U.N. investigator
2. Movies and Their Audiences
True lies (1994)
A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside
down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used-car
salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.
Villain – Isalamic Jihad
Hero - An American Spy
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Sex and the city 2 (2010)
Cool – American
Women
Not so – Isalamic
Cool Women
While wrestling with the pressures of life, love, and work in Manhattan, Carrie, Miranda,
and Charlotte join Samantha for a trip to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), where
Samantha's ex is filming a new movie.
2. Movies and Their Audiences
American Sniper (2014)
Villain – Middle East Guys
Hero - An American Navy SEAL
Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the
battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of
duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.
What is/are the common
element(s) of all these
hollywood movies?
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Roles and Influences of the Movies
Wolf Warrior 2 (2017): The nationalist action film storming China
wolf worrior 2 poster.jpg
“Anyone who offend China will be killed no matter how far the target is”
Wolf Warrior
2. Movies and Their Audiences
Roles and Influences of the Movies
Wolf Warrior 2 (2017): The nationalist action film storming China
The movie’s release coincided with the 90th anniversary of the
founding of the People’s Liberation Army in China.
“Patriotism has been hidden away inside the audience for a long
time and this sentiment needs to be released through a film and
a role”
The main reason for the film’s success was it played to the
Chinese public’s growing nationalist sentiment.
Based on real-life news events in recent years, the story has
found it easier to generate national pride than traditional
propaganda films”
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_lifetime_gross/?area=XWW&utm_source=chatgpt.com
Top 10 All-Time Worldwide Box Office Hits
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
Three Component Systems
1. Production
2. Distribution
3. Exhibition
Each component is undergoing significant change in
the contemporary digital, converged media and
environment.
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
Three Component Systems
1. Production:
Technology affects production. Today many movies are shot with
digital cinematography. Digital filmmaking has made grand
special effects, but it can create greatly production costs.
CG and special effects can greatly increase production cost.
Titanic cost more than $200, avatar ($300). Average cost of
producing and marketing a Hollywood feature is over $108 million
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
Three Component Systems
2. Distribution:
Supplying movies to TV networks, cable and satellite
networks, and internet streaming companies. Advertising
and promotion budget for a Hollywood usually equals 50%
of the production costs.
To lower the cost of promotion, there is a strategy called
“platform rollout” – screen at film festival, interest critics,
and good word-of-mouth review.
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
Three Component Systems
3. Exhibition:
As of February 2025, Thailand has approximately 1,200 cinemas
nationwide. Major Cineplex Group is the leading cinema
operator, with 169 locations in Thailand comprising 779
screens, and 9 international branches with 46 screens, totaling
825 screens. (Source: Bangkokbiznews)
SF Corporation is another major cinema chain, though the exact
number of its theaters is not specified. However, it is known to
have a significant presence across the country.
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
Three Component Systems
some provinces lack movie theaters entirely, including Mae
Hong Son, Bueng Kan, and Narathiwat. (Source: The Active Thai PBS)
The cinema business in Thailand operates in a semi-monopoly
structure, with only a few dominant players, which affects the
diversity of films shown and accessibility for audiences in
various regions.
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
The Studio
• Studios are the heart of the movie business and are increasing in
control of the 3-component system.
• major studio: Finance their films through profit of their own
business eg. Warner bros, Columbia, Paramount, 20th Century Fox
• corporate independent studio: Look and feel of independent film.
(eg. Sony Classics, New Line Cinema)
• independent studio: raises money outside the studio system to
produce their films. (eg. Liongate and Weinstein)
3. Scope and Nature of the Film Industry
The Studio
“Independent Films” tend to have smaller budgets with
more imaginative filmmaking and more risk taking than
the big studio.
4. Trends and Convergence in Moviemaking
Conglomeration and the Blockbuster Mentality
▪ Conglomerate is a company that owns large numbers of
companies. Many are international ownership.
▪ Blockbuster Mentality: Filmmaking characterized by
reduced risk taking and more cliché movies.
▪ Franchise films
4. Trends and Convergence in Moviemaking
Conglomeration affect
the movie industry,
leading to a blockbuster
mentality.
4. Trends and Convergence in Moviemaking
Convergence Reshapes the Movie Business
• Convergence of theatrical films with TV, satellite,
cable, VDO-on-demand, pay-per-view, DVD, itunes
and internet download provides more distribution
and exhibition opportunities for the films.
• Convergence is reshaping the movie industry,
promising to alter its structure and economics
4. Trends and Convergence in Moviemaking
• Many movies are adaptations of television shows,
comic books, and videogames
➢Merchandise Tie-Ins accounted for $191 billion
in payments
➢Product placements (AKA - embedded
marketing)
➢ https://youtu.be/xrpNv3XzTvY
Convergence Reshapes the Movie Business
• Convergence Reshapes the Movie Business
➢ 1999 hit The Blair Witch Project most visible
success of microcinema movement
➢ Changing exhibition, production and distribution
➢ Digital distribution and exhibition, although
inevitable, is unfolding slowly
Convergence Reshapes the Movie Business
• Convergence Reshapes the Movie Business
➢Digital shooting has completed replaced the films.
➢Online distribution of feature films taking hold
➢In the future: simultaneous release of movies to
theaters, DVD and cable video on demand
5. Developing Media Literacy Skills
Recognizing Product Placements
What is Product Placements in film?
• The inclusion of a product in a film, as a form of paid
advertisement
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Media literate moviegoers should be aware of the inclusion
of product placements in films and their potential influence
on the medium.
5. Developing Media Literacy Skills
• Recognizing Product Placements
➢ Product placement -- a business in its own right
➢ commercial that lives forever
➢ Awareness of efforts of movie industry to maximize
income from films is central to good film literacy
Top 10 shameless product placements in movies
Top 10 best product placements in movies
“Scripts are being doctored and camera angles changed to
accommodate manufactures paying for props or promotional
campaigns. It’s a classic case of the tail wagging the dog”
Glen Lovell, Film Critic (1997)
“There are products in everything in everyday life. Everything
is branded. I hate when they take logos off of stuff. It’s not
real life”
Michael Bay, Transformer Director (2007)
Which comments do you agree with?
Fun Facts
After the movie
“Transformers” was
launched in 2007,
General Motors’ sales
were up 2.7% in the 3
months following the
debut of “Transformers”,
(Brodesser-Akner, 2008)
Assignment
1. What is your opinion on “product placement” in the movie? Do
you think it’s too commercialized? Or do you think it’s normal to
have products’ presence in the movies as same as in real life?
2. Do you still like going to movie? Or do you like to watch it at
home (online, DVD, download)? What do you like or don’t like
about the theatre?
3. Do ticket and snack prices at the theatres keep you from going
to the movies?
4. Are you a fan of independent movies? When you are watching a
movie, how can you tell that it’s an independent?
Due Date Feb 25, 2025 submit via google classroom
File name: last 3 digits of Student ID _ Film (ex: 363_Film)