Film Production Analysis

Your chosen movie

1) What film have you chosen? 
I have chosen the film 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'.

2) Why did you choose this film in particular?
I chose this film because it outlines the struggles of teenagers in American High School and therefore enables young people to relate to the characters.

Institutional background

Use IMDB to find out the institutions behind your chosen film. Find your film, click on Company Credits and then look for the production company and UK distributor.

1) What was the film studio or production company behind your chosen film? E.g. Warner Brothers, Paramount etc.
The production company behind this film was Summit Entertainment 

2) Who was the distributor for the theatrical release of the film in the UK?
The distributor was Entertainment One.

No brand loyalty

1) What genre does your chosen film fit into?
Romantic Drama

2) How can you tell it fits that genre? Be specific with reference to the trailer.
In the trailer, the film is clearly set in a school, predominantly in the Freshman year, the American equivalent of year 10 in the UK.

3) Is your chosen movie a sequel?
No, this film is not a sequel. It is based on a book written in 1999 by Stephen Chbosky.

3a) If Yes, how does the film use the original movie or franchise as part of its marketing?


3b) If No, are previous films by the writer, director or star mentioned in the trailer?
Not the writer, director or star, but it does mention another film (Juno) by the producer(s).

It’s all a matter of timing

1) What was the UK release date for your chosen film?
The UK release date was 3rd October 2012.

2) When did the first trailer appear on YouTube for your movie? Find the earliest example you can and embed it in your blog.

This trailer was posted to YouTube on the 4th June 2012, 4 months before theatrical release.

3) What other examples of marketing (teaser trailers, main trailers, newspaper or TV interviews etc.) can you find for your chosen film from before the film’s release date?
This is a teaser trailer posted on YouTube two days before the official trailer was released, and is based on the relationship between two of the main characters, Charlie and Sam.

It’s a social thing

1) What was the word-of-mouth like for your chosen film? If you can’t find tweets (probably blocked) use the IMDB user review rating or the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer rating to judge whether the public have given the movie a good review.

One of the IMDB user reviews was: Stephen Chbosky has taken his exceptional novel and made it an extraordinary film. As the opening credit rolled I was impressed with the quality of the cast including Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Kate Walsh, and Dylan McDermott. And to top it off, Joan Cusack is there as well.

This review shows that they were clearly a fan of the film and approved of the casting, especially the fact that Joan Cusack was in it. He uses the word exceptional to describe the original novel, and the word extraordinary to describe the film. These are both positive adjectives instigating positive responses from readers who then go on to watch the film, because the review encouraged it.

2) Find three quotes (no more than 25 words each) from user reviews of your movie to create a picture of what the public reaction to the film has been. Post them on your blog.

1. This movie is heart felt and just amazing. I will definitely be seeing it again.

2. I had the pleasure of seeing Perks Of Being A Wallflower at Arclight Cinemas in LA yesterday and it was definitely worth the one hour drive.

3. I went to a screening last week and was totally BLOWN AWAY......this film has everything.

Risky business

Use IMDB to find out the box office records for your chosen film. Find your film, click on Company Credits and then Box Office/Business.

1) What was the original budget for your chosen film?
The original budget for this film was $13,000,000.

2) How much money did the film make in the opening weekend?
The film made $228,539 in the opening weekend.

3) How much money has the film made in total? (Look for the subheading ‘Gross’ which has the total box-office earnings listed).
In total (Feb 2013) the film has made $17,738,570

Stars in their eyes

Research the stars and director for your chosen film.

1) What films has the director previously directed? Are they in the same or similar genres?
The director, Stephen Chbosky, has not directed any other films apart from 'The Four Corners of Nowhere', which is not of the same or similar genre as this film.

2) Who is the main star in the film?
The main star is Logan Lerman.

3) What other films has the main star appeared in? Are any of the films similar to the one you are researching?
Logan Lerman is most famous for his roles in:
-The Percy Jackson series
-Stuck in Love
-Noah
-3:10 to Yuma.
Strangely, the majority of these films listed are all action based films, which is not what 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' is.

4) Are the stars or the director or writer mentioned in the trailer for the film?
The writer is mentioned in the trailer because the film is based on his novel.