I, Daniel Blake

1) What is independent cinema and how is it different to Hollywood blockbusters?

Independent cinemas have low budgets, creative control and they are financially supported by the public. They are different to Hollywood blockbusters because they have a higher budget and producers have more creative input.

2) What is I, Daniel Blake about?

I, Daniel Blake is about a character called Daniel Blake who was 59 and was a joiner most of his life in the North East of England. Daniel then gets a illness which made him to leave his job. He then meets a single mother (Katie) and her 2 children (Daisy and Dylan). Daniel then fights for his dignity and tries to transform the lives of Katie and her children.

3) Who directed I, Daniel Blake and why is this important?
Ken Loach and it is important as Ken Loach is more focused on giving a political message than making a profit.

4) How was I, Daniel Blake promoted to an audience? List at least three different methods used by the film's marketing campaign and how they targeted their audience.

Organise free - They put the film in food banks and shelters so people could relate to it 

Projecting the film on the House of Parliament - This use of guerrilla marketing attracts the audience as the movie title is projected on the House of Parliament which is where all the laws are made. 

Film was premiered in Newcastle - This helped gain local support from where it was set. 

5) What unusual or creative marketing methods were used to get audiences talking about the film?

Organise free - They organised the film for free in food banks and shelters. This made audiences to talk about because they showed the film for free to people who could relate to it.

6) What was the estimated production budget for I, Daniel Blake and how much did it make at the box office?

The estimated production for I, Daniel Blake was £2 million and it made £11 million at the box office.

7) How can independent films like I, Daniel Blake compete with Hollywood blockbusters like Black Widow?

I, Daniel Blake can compete with Black Widow because I, Daniel Blake was more successful than Black Widow because I, Daniel Blake made 5x its budget while Black Widow only made 100 million more than its budget.

8) In your opinion, was I, Daniel Blake a success?

I think I, Daniel Blake was a success because it made £11 million at the box office ,which is 5x its budget.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Media Magazine article on the disruptive marketing campaign used to publicise I, Daniel Blake. Media Magazine is an excellent publication aimed at A Level Media students and it's a great resource for GCSE students aiming for the top grades.

I, Daniel Blake is an A Level Media text for another exam board. Watch Media teacher Mrs Fisher's YouTube lesson on I, Daniel Blake and make notes on the key points she makes.

Read this Hollywood Reporter interview with executive Alex Hamilton on film marketing - including the I, Daniel Blake grassroots marketing campaign. Why was it successful?

It was successful because they worked with the Trinity mirror who really pushed it and many people could relate to it.