Production, distribution and circulation

How the media industries' processes of production, distribution and circulation affect media forms and platforms

The Lego Movie Game for mobile devices included in-app purchases but required a larger memory (over 1GB of space) which met to further mixed responses.

The game was released onto mobile devices due to the market being worth around $21 billion in revenues.
As the game appeals to families and children, the hope was they would attract a mixed-age audience.

iOS & Android  - Developers had to make it for touch screens

Microsoft Windows & MacOS  (These operating systems would need specific versions installed) – Developers had to design the game so that users could use a mouse & keyboard. There would have been different commands on keyboards.

PlayStation, Xbox – Gamers had to use controllers

Nintendo Wii U – Gamers had to use controllers

3DS – Graphics had to be 3D, capabilities for gamers to use touch & buttons

Windows: 2GB RAM (Minimum) 4GM RAM (Recommended) 10GB available space

Mac OS: 4GM RAM (Minimum) 8GB RAM (Recommended) 9GB available space

Who is the game targeting? How does this video game target, reach and address audiences?

Purchasing the game provided childhood nostalgia for parents (a brand they might have played with when young themselves) and allowed them to play with their children. This also illustrates how the audience for video games might interpret the same product differently, e.g. young and old getting different pleasures from the product. 

Arguably the target audience for the video game is younger than the film. This can be seen through its level of difficulty, which provides a younger audience with an entry point to the franchise, without needing to watch the film. The narrative of the game takes elements of the film’s narrative but lacks the cohesion and humour of the film.

•Which company produced and distributed The Lego Movie? (1)

Waner Bros

•Explain two factors affecting the regulation of the film industry. You may want to refer to the role of the BBFC and why it is important for film-makers to receive certain classifications in order to appeal to particular audiences. (4)

•Explain how The Lego Movie promotional campaign (posters and entire trailer) targeted a range of audiences (10)

The lego movie promotional campaign targets a range of audiences through its poster campaign. Vitruvius' poster campaign targets both young children and young adults/adults through the use of intertextuality. In virtuvius' poster there is use of a flying dragon which connotes the fantasy genre in which young children would appeal to, the fantasy makes the movie seem magic and give them something to look up to. It further appeals to young adults due to the intertextuality of of the hobbit, young adults who know the film will be able to recognise their favourite characters and connect with them.

The lego movie further appeals to all audiences through the trailer through the poster of wyldstyle