Blinded By The Light: case study blog tasks

 Funding and industry contexts

1) What was the budget for Blinded By The Light and which companies contributed to the production budget?

$15 million funded by: Bend It Films, Levantine FIlms, and The Ingenious Group.

2) Research the Bend It Networks website. What other films and projects has the company been involved with?

More of there work include:

Beecham House 

Viceroy's House 

Bend it like Beckham The Musical 

Desi Rascals 

It's A Wonderful Afterlife

Angus Thongs & Perfect Snogging

Mistress Of Spices

Bride And Prejudice

Bend It Like Beckham

What's Cooking

Bhaji On The Beach

I'm British But...

3) Research Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema on the Warners website here. Summarise the history of New Line Cinema in a short paragraph.

Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is a production company specialising producing many popular hits such as the 'lord of the rings'.

4) Read this Variety interview with director Gurinder Chadha explaining how the project came about - including budget details. How did she manage to get the film made? 

Chadha is a huge Springsteen fan, who pursued her dream of making a movie about The Boss’ music based on the true-life memoir of co-writer (and fellow diehard) Sarfraz Manzoor. Chadha and Manzoor met Springsteen, they proceeded to reach out to Jon Landau and Barbara Carr at his management company, along with executive producer Tracy Nurse, a former SVP International Marketing at Sony Music, where she worked with Bruce for years, enlisting her to become part of the film’s production staff.

5) What attracted Gurinder Chadha to the project?

Gurinder Chadha was attracted to the project due to her really liking the story novel of BBTL in which when her friend Sarfraz Manzoor proposed the idea she thought that it could almost be a sequel to Bend It Like Beckham.

Production and distribution

Read this Deadline feature on the distribution deal for Blinded By The Light and answer the following questions: 

1) Which company won the distribution rights after the all-night auction and for how much?

New Line/Warner Bros - 15 million

2) Which other companies were rumoured to be bidding for the distribution rights?

Fox Searchlight and Lionsgate

3) According to the article, what was the 'allure' of Blinded By The Light?

The coming of age theme in combination with Springsteen's nostalgia inducing songs

4) What does the article suggest about the significance of Bruce Springsteen's role in the production and promotion of the film?

The Boss’ working-class anthems and affirming lyrics seem to speak directly to Javed, emboldening him to find his own voice as a writer, stand up to the racism around him and challenge his father’s rigid ideals.

5) UK distribution was secured by eOne Entertainment. Visit the eOne About Us page on their website - what do they claim to offer under the heading 'Passion meets possibility?'

eOne enables and creates world class content.

eOne enables every step in the entertainment value chain from development and production to marketing and distribution. With the reach of a studio and the flexibility of an indie, we share bold stories with audiences around the world.

Promotion and reception

Note: some of these pages may be blocked if you working in school - you will need to complete those particular questions at home.

1) What does the trailer suggest regarding genre and the potential audience pleasures of Blinded By The Light?

Musical/coming of age genre in which could be an older audience due to Springsteen's appealing to an older generation.

2) What did film posters for Blinded By The Light feature and where did they appear?

The film posters for Blinded By The Light featured a colourful, vibrant design, with a silhouette of the lead character Javed, surrounded by iconic symbols and landmarks from his hometown of Luton. The posters appeared online and in cinemas in the UK, US, and other territories.

3) What TV shows and websites did interviews with writer, director and stars of Blinded By The Light? Why are interviews a good way to promote a new film release?

TV shows that have done interviews with the writer, director and stars of Blinded By The Light include BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle. Websites that have done interviews with the writer, director and stars of Blinded By The Light include BBC News, The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, Variety and Deadline.

Interviews are a great way to promote a new film release as they provide an opportunity for the people involved in the film to engage with the press and media, and to talk about the film in their own words. This helps to create a buzz and draw attention to the film, as well as allowing the public to gain a better understanding of the film and its creators.

4) How does the Blinded By The Light Twitter account create and maintain interest in the film?

The Blinded By The Light Twitter account creates and maintains interest in the film by posting updates, behind-the-scenes photos, interviews with cast and crew, and exclusive content related to the film. They also encourage audience engagement by responding to tweets, retweeting fan comments, and running promotional contests and giveaways. They also use hashtags to promote the film and create conversations around it. Finally, they use visuals, such as GIFs and videos, to capture the attention of viewers and keep them engaged.

5) How does the Blinded By The Light Facebook page use images and video content to promote the film?

The Blinded By The Light Facebook page uses images and video content to promote the film by sharing clips from the movie, images of the cast, behind-the-scenes videos, and exclusive interviews with the cast and crew. They also use the page to keep fans updated on upcoming screenings, awards, and other news related to the film. Additionally, they use compelling visuals to promote the film’s message of resilience and hope. Finally, the page encourages fans to join the conversation by commenting and sharing their own experiences and reactions to the film.

6) Select three posts from the Blinded By The Light Instagram page and explain how they promote the film.

post 1: This promotes the film as it portrays cassette tapes of Springsteen's music i which it would have a sense of nostalgia therefore appealing to older fans

 

post 2: This post would additionally promote the film due to it depicting the characters in the film in a pose which could be depicted as dancing therefore portraying a positive message. Additionally it also displays the quote "a rollercoaster of emotion" in which this would entice the audience to consider watching the movie to experience this.

post 3: This post feature the main character Javed and other key characters to the story running in a field in which this vibrant imagery portrays a positive tone in which reflects the genre of coming of age therefore enticing people who are fans of the genre to watch this movie.

7) Go to the Bend It Networks YouTube channel. How does Gurinder Chadha introduce the channel?  What other content is on the Bend It Networks YouTube channel?

Gurinder Chadha introduces the Bend It Networks YouTube channel as "a place for stories, for inspiration, for celebration, for life." The channel covers a range of topics including creative entrepreneurship, the power of technology and the importance of diversity. It also features interviews with entrepreneurs and industry experts, events and conferences, and short films and documentaries.

8) Look at the box office figures for Blinded By The Light from The Numbers website. How much did it make at the box office and why do you think it was largely unsuccessful?

According to The Numbers website, Blinded By The Light made a total of $11,813,739 at the box office. It was largely unsuccessful due to a lack of promotional support from the studio, Warner Bros. Pictures, and mixed reviews from critics. Additionally, its limited release in the U.S. made it difficult for the film to reach a wider audience.