Video - Film Opening: Initial Research: Institution

Hollywood Films are normally produced and distributed by huge multi-national conglomerates such as 'Universal', '20th Century Fox' and 'Paramount'. These companies tend to produce simple narrative films, using big stars with big budgets, these then produce dominant values.

Social Realist films are normally produced by much smaller companies compared to Hollywood Films, such as 'Woodfall Film Productions'. These types of films normally use much fewer stars and less special effects are used, this is because of smaller budgets. These tend to have complicated narratives and tend to challenge dominant/residual ideas.

Art-house films are produced by much smaller companies for example 'Diffusion Pictures' which have much smaller budgets therefore have less stars and less special effects compared to the main Hollywood films. These types of films have more complicated narratives and challenge dominant/residual ideas, they take more risks because they cost less. They are normally made for more personal reasons and have less need to appeal to mainstream audiences.

The companies that produces/distribute that type of film gives me a general idea of which companies tend to produced different types of films and the types of messages hidden within the films.