Film Production Task 1

The film I have chosen to research is Divergent. Released in 2014, Divergent is a Sci-Fi/Action film released by Lionsgate and is set in a dystopian future where the world is separated by two military factions at war with each other.

The film was produced by Douglas Wick, who was responsible for producing other films such as The Great Gatsby, Stuart Little and The Craft. The role of the producer in a film is a person who oversees the film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of the film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, directing and editing and arranging financing.

The primary target audience for Divergent was teens to young adults, mixed gender who like action movies. This is apparent because the film is mainly composed of young adult leads, which connotes power and independence, something that people at this age crave to achieve. Watching Divergent may cause this target audience to look up to them. Also Divergent is a sci-fi action film, so fans of the genre would most likely watch it because it's in their demographic.

The film had a marketing campaign that cost $50 million. The promotion for the film consisted of various techniques such as posters and trailers. They even had a panel at the popular pop culture convention San Diego Comic Con to promote the film, showcase the cast and reveal the first trailer exclusive to the audience, creating interest and anticipation for the film’s release. The film was furthermore promoted when stars of Divergent, Shailene Woodley and Theo James, were guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where another trailer was shown. Because Jimmy Kimmel Live is a popular show watched by many, this would increase the chances of Divergent by someone who watches Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The film was distributed by American studio Lionsgate. This is an immensely popular studio, producing films like The Hunger Games, John Wick, Sleepy Hollow and many many more. These films were hits critically and financially, so this would ensure Divergent would get the same treatment post-production wise. Divergent, when it was released, sold out half of its tickets. It made $288.9 millions at the box office worldwide. It reached its target as the film the No. 1 domestically and worldwide for the box office rankings. This emphasises how the marketing was successful because without it no one would see the film. Film franchises such as Star Wars would receive high profits regardless of the marketing because it is a popular brand with brand value. Divergent would have failed because it's the first in the series and no one would have heard of it if it wasn’t marketed well.