Discuss the ways in which media products are distributed to audiences relating to the british film industry.

Media products are produced and distributed in institutions that are related to the audience that predominantly uses the institutions, for example Picturehouse cinemas, predominantly show independent or specialist films, whereas Vue cinema show predominantly mainstream films, they also show a wide variety of films, however picturehouse cinema only show a small selection of films.

Picturehouse and Vue cinemas may both face issues. Picturehouse cinemas may be faced with issues such as; they do not provide enough variety of films which appeal to a wide audience, therefore restricting the amount of people who use the picturehouse cinemas, therefore decreasing the cinemas profits. Picturehouse cinemas, may also face issues regarding the technology and number of screens within the cinema, for example cinema city, a picturehouse cinema in Norwich has three screens, therefore limiting the amount of films that can be shown at one time, however the cinema does have digital technology, which enables the cinema to show more films, because it is cheaper than the previous 35mm film that was used in the cinema and is still used in some cinemas.

Vue cinemas, may also be faced with issues, however picturehouse cinemas, because they are independent are more likely to be faced with more issues than Vue cinemas will be faced with. On the other hand, Vue cinemas may be faced with issues such as; competition between other mainstream cinemas [amount of showing times + their convenience, prices, location], only show mainstream, conventional films, which may not appeal to all of the target audience.

Technology has a vast impact on how media products are produced and distributed, mainly applying to the last ten years, because of the rapid growth and advancements in technology. Technology helps films to be produced and distributed by using the internet, television, mobile phones, mp3s, iPods, social networking sites, film rental, downloading, HD television, Blu-ray, 3D technology and proliferation of technology. These different types of technology allow the audience to be able to watch or download films from a larger variety of sources. The growth of technology, and expansion in the ways that we can watch films, widens the audience for films, however this will also have an effect on the amount of people who go to the cinema to watch a film, because of the growth in technology, therefore decreasing cinemas profits and stopping the cinemas from being able to expand or invest within the existing cinema complex.

Although technology, has had a positive impact of the film industry and helped it to rapidly expand, it has also let piracy happen, because of the technology that is now available, it has allowed people to either record films in the cinema and post it on the internet or record them to DVD, it also allows people to illegally download films from the internet before they have been released on to DVD, technology has also allowed people to burn DVDs for friends and family, which is against copyright laws as you are copying a DVD that you do not have any rights for. Piracy has a large impact on the film industry; it is responsible for loosing £700 million at the box office last year, just because people buy or illegally download films rather than seeing them at the cinema. Technology has a big impact of piracy, because the internet especially is the main source to pirate films. Piracy has an affect on not just cinemas but; the film industry as a whole, actors and actresses, people who work on the sets of films, DVD sales.

Piracy also decreases the amount of jobs in the film industry, which will have the biggest effect on current school and college students and their future careers. Piracy has a huge impact on independent film companies because they do not have large budgets, if their box office and DVD sales decrease, they can not afford to make other films, therefore minimising the independent film industry. It also has an affect on the amount of films that are made, because of the lack of money within the film industry, therefore leading to less producers and consequently a decrease the type and variety of films that are being made. Mainstream film companies are not badly affected by piracy, however independent film companies are, this is not economically viable, therefore creating an imbalance in the British film industry. It also gives audience less choice of films.

The increase in the investment of digital screens within cinemas has enhanced screenings in cinemas and enables cinemas to show a larger variety of films and a larger amount of films, because it is cheaper to show and get hold of digital films, as opposed to 35mm film, which is very expensive to buy. Vue and picturehouse cinemas all have digital screens within their cinemas. Although with the use of digital screens it is cheaper to show films, it also allows cinemas to stream live events from the cinemas such as live concerts and sporting events, it also allows cinemas to invite their audiences to play video games on the big screen, with other players around the world.