Beth Melia

PR2: Same Film, Different Time and Place

Rec and Quarantine Research Task

Quarantine Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUw2zNR5Dzc

Task 1

Find out the following information:

Rec QuarantineDirector Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza John Erick DowdleYear of Production 2008 2008Distributor Filmax Screen GemsBudget 2m $12millionBox office takings $42,392,948 $41,319,06Sequels Rec2,3,4 Quarantine 2

Read the interviews with John Erick Dowdle and Jaume Balaguero and answer the following questions

http://totalscifionline.com/interviews/2761-john-erick-dowdle-quarantined

http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/865/865683p1.html

Task 2:

Beth Melia

1. Explain Jaume Balagoro’s reasons for making REC in a handheld, documentary style and Is it a coincidence that Cloverfield and Diary of Dead were released at the same time, or does it relate to audience demand for horror filmed in this style?

2. Why do you think Screen Gems, the distributors of Quarantine wanted to get the remake out so quickly?I think Screen Gems wanted to remake REC quickly because of how well REC did with the European audience. They wanted to get the film out to a wider audience so they made it in English. This was to maximise the profits.

For your article, you need to consider why film production companies produce remakes and the factors that influence those remakes.

Factors which influenced the remake of REC

Financial factors

Trends

Genre and popularity

Synergy (related products such as DVD’s/books/TShirts)

Vertical integration (where a film company deals with the production, distribution and consumption of a film)

In your magazine article you will need to comment upon all of the above

Task 3:

In the box below, write your introduction to your article. Use your findings from Task 1 and 2 to help you

One of the reasons for Jaume Balagoro making REC in a handheld documentary style was because of trends. Around that time films such as clover field and the first paranormal activity was released. REC was following this trend.

Beth Melia

P2 describe the relationship between films and their production contexts with some appropriate use of subject terminology [IE]

M2 explain the relationshipbetween films and theirproduction contexts withreference to detailedillustrative examples andgenerally correct use ofsubject terminology

D2 comprehensively explain therelationship between films and their production contexts with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly

Article intro:

P1.

P2. REC.

REC’s director were Jaume Balagueroo and Paco plaza. The film spent around 2million and got $32,492,948 (Worldwide). The director decided to shoot the movie all handheld. The plot synopsis is a girl and her friend is making a documentary on what it’s like to work for the fire services, when they get called out to an apartment block. They originally just go to help out an old woman who has been heard screaming from her apartment. When they get to her, she attacks a fireman who then changes into a demonic creature also. The rest of the film is about getting out of the apartment block safely without being attacked by more demonic people. It was filmed in Spanish with English subtitles.

P3. Quarantine

The director of Quarantine was John Erick Dowdle. The release date was the 21st November 2008 and the distributor was Screen Gems. The budget was estimated at around $12,000,000. The overall box office takings were $14,211,321 (USA) and £937,833 (UK). Quarantine was filmed in a handheld style. This is the way REC was filmed. To fit the narrative they had to do it handheld as it was a documentary style film. The plot to Quarantine was exactly the same as REC. Reviews have said that Quarantine was more exaggerated and over the top than REC. Some have even said this

was purposely done to make REC look like a better film, therefore getting

P4. Production Contexts

I think the reason Quarantine was produced so soon after REC was for finacial reasons. They realised that REC did well throughout the european audience and it was in spanish. So to release it in english was getting it out there to a wider audience. Both REC and Quarantine are the same genre therefor they have the same target audience. The trend between them both is that they are both made in the hand held style.

P5.

Screen gems are a subsidary of sony. Sony are a verical integration company which is why REC was promoted so well. Synergy

To maximise profits of films they do remakes of them. For example they have done this with the film REC, and remade into the film Quarantine.