Film – Chicken
Funding
Director Joe Stephenson’s micro budget is £110,000 (a small budget is 1M)
- Raised entirely through investment by individuals (e.g. rich friends/contacts)
- No funding body (e.g. BFI Film Fund) was willing to fund Chicken
Chicken likely failed to secure funding from them as it is extremely sensitive
The BFI likely believed that Chicken wouldn't be very successful
Production
Adapted from a play by Freddie Machin that originally ran at Southwark Playhouse
Filmed in 19 days, almost all external locations so victim to rain, issues with lighting etc.
Film produced and distributed by Stephenson’s: B Good Picture Company
Distribution
Two-year festival circuit won awards and generated interest and critical acclaim for film
Released worldwide on DVD (Sept 2017) and Digital distribution in USA/Canada (January 2018)
Giving Film4 its TV premiere is beneficial as it appeals to both mainstream/niche audiences and has
a guaranteed audience no matter the film as well as Chicken fitting nicely with some other arthouse
films shown on the channel
Audience
Appeals to niche audience
- Those who enjoy social realism films regarding different classes, which in a world of action
movie special effects and superhero movie, seems to be an extremely small audience in
comparison.
Appeals to arthouse audiences
Due to its complex narrative/alternative representation of the disadvantaged, which is rarely ever
depicted on screen
, Promotion
The trailer suggests it’s a social realism drama
- Offers an insight regarding less fortunate lives, typically villainized in the media by
upper/middle classes
- References to the no. of film festivals the film has been shown in, as well as quotes from
critics regarding Chicken
Trailer/Poster
- Focus on the rural setting of parts of the film, offering visual pleasures to the audience
Mark Kermode
- Chief film critic, trusted by public w/ views on films, therefore has a large influence on the
success of the film
- His review gave Chicken a lot of positive publicity + likely influenced audience members
Twitter
- Engages an online community = promotes Chicken by retweeting tweets regarding the film +
giving Chicken another platform for potential exposure
- Retweets critics/websites/public reviewing the film/cast
- Retweets streaming services/channels that say when it’ll be released on their platform
Facebook
- Posts short clips from movie/trailer/BTS photos to get people excited for the movie/gain
greater exposure
Pages liked by Chicken’s FB page
- Other social realism/British films and niche streaming services/channels, showing the film is
targeted at a very nice audience interested in the themes of class/unemployment in film
B Good’s website
- Shows Stephen Frears, Ian McKellen, Noel Clarke, trusted figures in the media industry,
allows the page to use this recognition to market the film
B Good’s YT channel
Funding
Director Joe Stephenson’s micro budget is £110,000 (a small budget is 1M)
- Raised entirely through investment by individuals (e.g. rich friends/contacts)
- No funding body (e.g. BFI Film Fund) was willing to fund Chicken
Chicken likely failed to secure funding from them as it is extremely sensitive
The BFI likely believed that Chicken wouldn't be very successful
Production
Adapted from a play by Freddie Machin that originally ran at Southwark Playhouse
Filmed in 19 days, almost all external locations so victim to rain, issues with lighting etc.
Film produced and distributed by Stephenson’s: B Good Picture Company
Distribution
Two-year festival circuit won awards and generated interest and critical acclaim for film
Released worldwide on DVD (Sept 2017) and Digital distribution in USA/Canada (January 2018)
Giving Film4 its TV premiere is beneficial as it appeals to both mainstream/niche audiences and has
a guaranteed audience no matter the film as well as Chicken fitting nicely with some other arthouse
films shown on the channel
Audience
Appeals to niche audience
- Those who enjoy social realism films regarding different classes, which in a world of action
movie special effects and superhero movie, seems to be an extremely small audience in
comparison.
Appeals to arthouse audiences
Due to its complex narrative/alternative representation of the disadvantaged, which is rarely ever
depicted on screen
, Promotion
The trailer suggests it’s a social realism drama
- Offers an insight regarding less fortunate lives, typically villainized in the media by
upper/middle classes
- References to the no. of film festivals the film has been shown in, as well as quotes from
critics regarding Chicken
Trailer/Poster
- Focus on the rural setting of parts of the film, offering visual pleasures to the audience
Mark Kermode
- Chief film critic, trusted by public w/ views on films, therefore has a large influence on the
success of the film
- His review gave Chicken a lot of positive publicity + likely influenced audience members
- Engages an online community = promotes Chicken by retweeting tweets regarding the film +
giving Chicken another platform for potential exposure
- Retweets critics/websites/public reviewing the film/cast
- Retweets streaming services/channels that say when it’ll be released on their platform
- Posts short clips from movie/trailer/BTS photos to get people excited for the movie/gain
greater exposure
Pages liked by Chicken’s FB page
- Other social realism/British films and niche streaming services/channels, showing the film is
targeted at a very nice audience interested in the themes of class/unemployment in film
B Good’s website
- Shows Stephen Frears, Ian McKellen, Noel Clarke, trusted figures in the media industry,
allows the page to use this recognition to market the film
B Good’s YT channel
