Attack The Block

How was the film produced?

Big talk productions produced the film, they are known for films like Shaun of the dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the world etc. The film was produced with Film4, The UK Film Council and Studio Canal. The Block that they used was several different blocks over various different council estates in London. The film was shot over 6 weeks of night shoots, due to most of the film being at night. The scenes inside were filmed at Three Mills Studios in East London.

The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing; the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice.

This key area links to how the film was produced, Media convergence is having an enormous impact on the film industry because of the ways in which institutions can produce and market for audiences/users on a widening range of platforms, capable of receiving their films.

What was the film based on?

The film was not based on anything in particular, however Cornish looked at several films for influences on such things as the way that gangs walk and talk, for instance he looked at Rumble Fish and Outsiders. He also looked at a lot of wide screen movies which he would look at to see how they would portray having five or six people in the shot at the same time. He specifically tried not to be like anything that has been produced before, because he thinks that if you recognise a scene in a film from another film, then it ruins it for the audience. However he did look at a list of films for inspiration, such as Critters, Gremlins, ET, The Warriors, Streets of Fire, The Thing and The Goonies. He basically looked at a lot of 80’s escapist adventure movies. He also looked at Poltergeist three and Tower Block for influence about the block that they were using and how to create good shots. He also looked at a lot of John Carpenter films for inspiration.

"There are lots of brilliantly crafted movies which I couldn't have made this movie without" Cornish

Are there any problems that arose while making the film?

I have not found any evidence that there were problems making the film. However problems which I suspect occurred are: They could only shoot half of the scenes at night. They had a low budget. And they used very simple technology, such as puppets instead of CGI.

The issues rose in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions.

British film makers often make social realism films and aim them at local and regional audiences whereas this would never be enough for the major media players who tend to make high budget, high concept films. They have boutique offshoots that make and often distribute lower budget films, aimed at more highbrow audiences

What are the director’s views on the British film Industry?

The views of the director is that he thinks that there should be more ‘genre movies’, and more films fitting into the comedy/horror genre. He has also noted that there has been a change away from the social realism and moves about royalty, towards something’s more imaginative and led by lots of great television shows, such as Dr Who. He also thinks that there is a lot of revival of sci-fi in the UK, due to him loving the 70’s and 80’s genre films, and he also thinks that there is a generation influenced by 80’s cinema which he thinks they’re trying to bring it back.

The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

How you consume films whether it is as a social activity after visiting a shopping centre or on an MP4 player or Play station, is what is at issue here. In an age of falling DVD sales, home cinema and an increase in downloading for both music and film audiences are changing in how they want to consume film. Identify trends and consider where the audience trends are going in the near future.

How did they save money? And what technology was used?

For the film, they raised money, where from I am unaware of, but the film cost £8 million to make, so I assume that they would have had investors. Also the technology used was old fashioned, and very basic, they didn’t use CGI unless it was to remove detail.

The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange.

The audience's ability to interact with films by, for instance, using digital technology to put extracts on You Tube and overlay new sound tracks on them, etc. and make answering videos has been greatly enhanced by Web 2.0; Film studios can make films using CGI, green screen and other special effects that were impossible to make only a few years ago. The ways of filming and editing films have changed, too, with the introduction of digital film and film cameras, editing software, laptops, digital projectors, etc.

Were there any issues with film rating?

From what I have read, there have been no major issues with the rating, a few people have been concerned for their children, wondering if it was suitable for them, but that is only a handful of people.

The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences

This means the increase of something: i.e. digital cameras, software, CGI, 3D films, film genres, etc.

How was the film promoted?

The film was promoted through television, local advertising, internet advertising, posters etc.

The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences

The Internet is acting as a hub for many aspects of film: you will find film posters, You Tube videos on films, interviews, trailers, official film and blog websites, etc. on it.  Audiences can also remake their own films by creating extracts and running new scores over them and then posting them on You Tube.

What songs were on the soundtrack?

The soundtrack was composed by Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton; they are part of the popular electronic dance group Basement Jaxx.

1.      "The Block"

2.      "Sam is Mugged"

3.      "Round Two Bruv"

4.      "It’s Raining Gollums"

5.      "Tooling Up"

6.      "Moses is Arrested"

7.      "Tell Me I’m Dreaming"

8.      "Throat Ripper"

9.      "Rooftops"

10.  "Moses - Ninja"

11.  "Just Another Day"

12.  "They Want Moses"

13.  "Actions Have Consequences"

14.  "Eat My Hat"

15.  "They Fell Out of the Sky"

16.  "I Need to Finish What I Started"

17.  "Turn the Gas Up"

18.  "Moses vs. The Monsters"

19.  "Moses the Hero"

20.  "The Ends" - Basement Jaxx