Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the first part of the last movie which will conclude the world famous Harry Potter series. The series began thanks to british author, J.K. Rowling, who began the first novel, Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone on a set of restaurant napkins. The series of books fallow the adventurous lives of Harry Potter and his friends while they attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.

Rowling’s first book to start the series was first published in June of 1997 leaving the seventh, and final book, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows to be released ten years later in July of 2007. After the release of the Sorceror’s Stone, Harry Potter was an instant hit. Not only did the book capture the young minds of nine to eleven year olds, which was the initial target age according to publishers, Harry Potter appealed to the young minds of adults ranging from 20 to 100. Readers were able to lose themselves in an adventurous fantasy world and be a part of something far much greater than anything on Earth. These books not only served as a means to escape from everyday life but they brought families and friends closer together as parents read their children these books and friends began to “play” Harry Potter at school.

It is no wonder that by the release of only the second novel, J.K Rowling sold the film rights to the first 4 books. This is a perfect example of technological convergence, where print was used to create a film. After the release of the first movie, Harry Potter was changed forever. Due to the length of the books the movies had to leave out or shorten certain parts of the novels. This is especially apparent for the last book the Deathly Hallows, some may say the most important book, because of the novel’s length the epilogue could only be captured by filming two movies. The series of movies also gave a concrete image to the characters of whom readers would conjure up in their heads. Harry Potter was now even more of a phenomenon due to the appeal and accessibility of movies. Now you can hear the story of Harry Potter by renting it in a store, computer, phone, ipod, ipad, and other electronic sources. This convergence has fueled the continuing dispute between books and films, which is better?

 

Blog #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By Kaitlynne Birkett

    One of the few films I saw over break was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  This movie continued the journeys of Harry and his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, as they desperately search for a way to defeat the mass murderer, Lord Voldemort.  The series is based upon J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, a huge phenomenon that began in the nineties and has continued a couple decades after.  This movie demonstrates many examples of technological, economic, and cultural convergence.

    Technological convergence is the combination of different types of media to create a digital media form, and is extremely prominent in the seventh Harry Potter film.  The books series the movies are derived from were print turned to a live action film.  Advertising for the movie came through many different forms like trailers before movies, Youtube videos, websites, newspaper advertisements, and commercials over the radio.  By extending to so many different forms of media, the movie was able to become well-recognized and well-known by reaching out to everyone.

    Economic convergence is where the creation of a digital media form comes from a consolidation, or combination, of companies.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was produced by Warner Brothers and Heyday Films, with additional international contributors.  In addition, the release of the Harry Potter film was covered by news stations, local and national all around the world, and articles in both magazines and newspapers gave reviews on the movie.  User experience was also amplified through IMAX, and Part 2 will also be offered in IMAX in addition to three-dimensional and D-BOX motion code (“motion stimulation systems” Wikipedia calls it).  By offering the film with a wide range of viewer experiences, more companies assist in the making of the film, such as D-BOX technologies and IMAX Corporations.

    Lastly, cultural convergence is especially relative to Harry Potter.  J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, is a British author who lives in Scotland.  The books first became popular in the United Kingdom, then crossed the Atlantic to America as it spread to the rest of the world.  The book has currently been translated into 65 languages.  Warner Brothers, one of the production companies, is located in the United States, while Heyday Films, the other production company, is located in England.  The producer is David Heyman, head of the British Heyday Films.  David Yates, the director, is also from Britain, while Steve Kloves, the screenwriter, is from the United States of America.  Nearly all of the actors and actresses featured in the film are from England, with others from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.  Filming took place at Leavesden Studios and Pinewood Studios, both located in England.  The score for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was created by Alexandre Desplat, a French composer.  The film reached far and wide for people to create it, truly demonstrating cultural convergence.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

One of the movies I saw over the break was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. The theatre was packed even though it was about a week after the release when I saw it. This film is a great example of cultural convergence, because it is so popular with so many different cultures. The production of all seven films has spanned almost a decade. Harry Potter has become part of the world’s culture. Everyone can identify with a character. It is an especially good example because it was written by the British JK Rowling and featured more than a few British actors. It was, however, produced by the American company Warner Brothers. The film became a huge hit in our culture and in British culture, converging in the process on both sides. The book turning into a film in itself is an example of technological convergence. Then looking at the advertising put out about the movie itself we can see the posters and commercials that converged. The seventh installment in the Harry Potter series is also a strong example of economic convergence. The film was produced by Warner, but there are many other companies that get a cut of the profits. There are several video games, action figures, and other miscellaneous things. Budget wise, the film had a budget estimated between $230 and $280 million dollars. Which, compared to all the other films, seems reasonable because they take in an average gross of more than $285 million, and earnings over $900 million worldwide. It is predicted that the film could very well earn between $335 million to $369 million domestically and somewhere between $1.03 billion and $1.8 billion worldwide. I guess to grossing over a billion dollars wouldn’t be too hard, since it seems people just want to see it again and again, they have a non-stop flow of customers. I could barely find a seat a week after it came out.

Sex And The City 2

Over my winter break I rented the movie Sex And The City 2. I believe this movie provides many good examples of technological convergence due to its origin and how the movie was marketed. The original premise of Sex And The City first started as a book written by Candace Bushnell. Then was turned in to a television series, which ran on HBO from 1998 to 2004 and then finally a motion picture in 2008. The movie quickly became the top-opening R-rated romantic comedy of all time. This movie was so successful that both the production company HBO Productions and Distribution companies Paradiso Filmed Entertainment and New Line Cinema wanted to make a sequel as soon as possible. In order to ensure the sequel would have the same amount of success many advertising campaigns were launched via the Internet, television and movie trailers. However despite the huge marketing campaign Sex And The City 2 opened up to very disappointing figures and did not do nearly as well the first film. Many critics felt that the reason that the film did so poorly was because of the small demographic the movie was marketed to. Instead of trying to appeal to men and older women, HBO’s marketing team started promoting products related to the movie months before its release, including a four-pack of thong underwear, T-shirts, cocktail glasses and even a “Carrie” necklace. They promoted these products through various mediums such as the Internet and even electronic billboards in New York Cities Time Square. Personally I remember when they were advertising for the second film I found the mass marketing annoying and overwhelming to the point that I did not want to support the film by seeing it in theaters. In addition I also did not find the plot appealing so decided that it would be a good film to rent. However, when the movie was coming out on DVD the same kind of extreme and obnoxious marketing was utilized again and was put off from seeing the movie once again. It was not until my Mother rented the movie several months later that I finally watched the film. Sex and the City 2 raises the question that at what point does the appeal of the actual plot of a film buckle under the sheer weight of its own over-commercialization?

 

Love and other Drugs

Over winter break I went to the theaters and saw Love and Other Drugs, a romantic comedy about a free spirit girl named Maggie who is an early onset Parkinson’s patient. Soon after meeting Jamie, a representative for Pfizer, the two, through trial and tribulation work out their differences and soon fall in love. While some may call this romantic comedy sappy, the interspersed comedy and emotional struggles that Maggie faces combine for an enjoyable experience.

This film was based off of the non-fiction book Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman by Jamie Reidy. In this way, the movie exemplifies as an example of a technological convergance as the book was turned into a digital media form. Viral Marketing was also utilized as the online equivalent of word of mouth advertising to increase sales for the film. Advertisements were displayed on sites such as facebook and written about on Yahoo to promote this film that touches upon a very serious disease that 500,000 Americans are suffering from as well as the 50,000 new cases that are reported annually.

Through the process of globalization of media content, popularity among foreign audiences has dramatically increased over the years. Films now support these audiences in including cross-cultural plot lines and diversity among the actors. When Maggie goes to a conference with Jamie, she attends a Parkinson’s convention where she is moved by the people and their stories. These individuals are all going through different stages of their Parkinson’s and are eclectic in their looks and personalities. This is a perfect example of the cultural convergance that the movie applies.

The economic convergance is a clear indicator of the producers and filmmakers that created this film. The film was produced by numerous studios such as New Regency, Stubor Pictures, Bedfod Falls and Regency Enterprises. These numerous producers all wanted to own the movie and be able to sell it across the nation. The film opened in 2,455 theaters in the United States, grossing $2,239,489 on its opening day. The film was created by 20th Century Fox, one of the six major American film studios.

Overall I would recommend this film. While there were several plot lines that were not fully expanded upon and explained, the actors and relationships were fully developed and created an enjoyable movie for viewers.

Angels and Demons

A movie I watched over winter break was Angels and Demons. The movie is based on the novel by Dan Brown and is the sequel to the bestselling book, The Da Vinci Code. Though it is not a recent film, I had alwyas wanted to watch it since I had read the book and enjoyed it a lot. The film was released in May of 2009.

This film was a great representation of cultural convergence. It is about old traditions interacting with new culture and new ways of thinking. Religion and technology clash to determine which school of thought is superior and will gather more believers. Will people continue to follow and worship God or will they seek their answers from science? Eventually the movie shows the viewer how religion and science must cooperate in  order to further themselves. Both religion and science compliment each other to help people better understand themselves and the world around them. The setting of the movie is in Italy’s Vatican City and Rome, which is full of art and culture dating back hundreds of years. Also, the release of the film raised controversy in many parts of the world which took offence to the idea of mixing science and religion. Samoa went as far as to ban the movie stating the it was offensive to the Catholic Church. The scriptwriters and producers took this conflict between science and religion and made it into an intense thriller that will attract many action movie fans. The accuracy of the movie to the book will also attract many of the fans of the book as well.

 The movie also demonstrates economical convergence. The producers decided to use one of the most well known actors today, Tom Hanks, to increase popularity for the film. Hanks was reportedly paid the highest ever salary for a single movie. Angels and Demons  generated a revenue of $478,869,160, making it the highest grossing film of 2009, until it was surpassed by Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Lastly, the movie is also an example of technological convergence. The movie rights to the novel were purchased by Sony Pictures Studios.

The Social Network

The Social Network, released in October of 2010, is a powerful film that shows examples of convergence, not only in its production but also in the movie’s theme. The film is based on the true story of the creation of Facebook, the social-networking site that has quickly become essential to our culture. The film questions the ethics behind Facebook and the way it influences society.

The creation of the film is an example of technological convergence; the screenplay was based on the nonfiction book The Accidental Billionaires, which tells the story of the founders of Facebook. So we have a film, based on a book, telling the story of a website. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing television series, took many artistic liberties with the script and did not stick true to the facts of the story. This created some controversy and negative responses from real creators of Facebook and those who knew them.

We can see examples of cultural convergence in the different responses the film received and what it meant to different groups. The script was leaked on the internet in July 2009, eliciting many reactions that were made public through the news, internet, etc. far before the movie was ever released. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, was portrayed in somewhat of a negative light by the script, and told Oprah Winfrey that most of the dramatic details of the film were fiction. Some believed that the film was wrong to create this questionable character of Zuckerberg, who is only 26 with a long career ahead of him. There was also a negative response from technology writers, who saw the film as an attack on recent technological advances.

The film has an excellent soundtrack, with music created for the film by Trent Reznor of the Nine Inch Nails. The soundtrack was released by The Null Corporation, an independent label which produces the Nine Inch Nails’ records. The soundtrack did not include any of the other songs in the film which were not by Trent Reznor, perhaps because Null Corporation could not get the rights to the other songs. An interesting instance of economic convergence comes into play with the film’s closing song, an effective use of The Beatles’ “Baby You’re a Rich Man.” The film was produced by Columbia pictures, an offset of Sony Pictures Entertainment owned by Sony. Sony also holds the rights to the Lennon/McCartney song catalogue, which made it easy to use “Baby You’re a Rich Man” in the film.

In spite of some controversial attention before the release of the film, The Social Network received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, and has done very well in the box office. The film is nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture, and is expected to receive Oscar nominations as well. Although it did not stick to the facts of the true story, The Social Network stands as an excellent film, which addresses the relevant issue of social networking in our culture, and the ways in which it both brings us together and distances us from each other.

Unstoppable

Over break I went to see Unstoppable back in Wisconsin.  This film had numerous examples inside the film and while it was still being advertised.  I first saw an ad for this movie as I was watching TV.  In this single ad, the producers displayed a wide variety of technological convergence.  Initially you see the video come on the screen, showing mere clips that are all combined into one video edit.  Sounds and text are also added providing the ultimate technological convergence.  This single movie trailer converged digital cameras with computers with text and sounds (including music and special effects).  Additionally I viewed ads for this movie through the newspaper and online.  The producers for this film attempted to grab the attention of all ages using those tactics.  Newspapers for the “older” generation, TV ads for the kids between 13 and 17, and finally online ads for young adults.  The media in the actual film plays a major role throughout the whole movie.  As soon as they are made aware that there is a one million ton train, unmanned, and heading towards a major city, they jump on every opportunity possible to get footage and updates out to the public.  They followed the train by using helicopters and trucks, capturing each moment of this historic event and making it public.  Journalists were not the only ones providing video to the newscasters, citizens pulled out their phones and captured some of the moment, the train speeding by at 70 miles per hour.  Even though this is part of “Hollywood,” it is still very possible for citizen journalists to do just what they did in the movie, and there are examples still out there today.  For those whom produced the film, there was economic convergence.  Twentieth Century Fox joined forces with Prospect Park, Scott Free Productions, Firm Films, and Millbrook Farm Productions to create this film.  Also involved were Twentieth Century Fox in Germany, Belgium, Canada, France, Japan, and more providing a prime example of cultural convergence.  Those from other cultures watched and related with this American film.  Both in this film and in making the film there are numerous prime examples of cultural, technological, and economic convergence.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

The first movie I saw over break was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One.  The film was released on November 19, 2010, and it is currently still playing in numerous theaters.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an example of economic convergence in numerous ways. For example, both part one and part two of the last instillation of the Harry Potter series were “officially” filmed on a budget of $250 million.  The previous film in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was also filmed on a $250 million budget. Currently, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has grossed right over nine hundred million dollars, and as previously mentioned it is currently in theatres. Also, the second part of the final instillation is scheduled to release in July 2011.  In addition, there were two production companies: Heyday Films and Warner Bros. Pictures, but also there are fifteen distributors that are located across the globe. Furthermore, there were at least twenty-four other agencies ranging from caters to the London Symphony Orchestra that were involved in the production process. All of these aspects demonstrate how economic convergence played a role in the production of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Technological convergence was also a huge aspect of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There are fourteen companies credited for their contributions to the film’s special effects. Also, the whole Harry Potter film series is based off of the book series by J.K. Rowling. All of the vivid and seemingly impossible adventures of Harry Potter and his friends that were described in great detail in the novels had to be translated to the screen through intensive special effects. Technological convergence also appeared in the advertising. It was promoted globally in magazines, newspapers, radio ads, internet sidebars, and video trailers on television.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the perfect example of cultural convergence. It began as a novel written by a British author, and the book series became a global sensation. The same goes for the movies, and the audience keeps growing more and more. The fan base grows as more is released, and there really is no age limit to Harry Potter followers. Also, it was interesting to see that the film has numerous official sites for all of the nations that are fans.

The film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is said to be one of the most successful films of the season, and most likely the roles of cultural, technological, and economic convergence played a role in its success.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1

Part one of the final book in the Harry Potter series opened last November 2010 to sold out crowds. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is the seventh book turned movie of the popular series.  This was a highly anticipated film for Potter fans all across the world.  With the following of such loyal and long time fans it was no surprise that this movie was an instant blockbuster, not only in the United States but in many other countries as well.  With its widespread popularity this movie is a great example of cultural convergence. Warner brothers, a company based out of the United States, produced a film (or series of films) that appeals to people from all different cultures.  The largest of this outside following is in the UK where the writer of the book series is from and is also the location for many events through the book series.  Many of the actors in this film are also from the UK, including the three main actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.  Though it may seem clear that a strong following would settle in the UK the popularity of this movie spread far past the UK and the United States.  With significant gross earnings in Australia, Russia, Spain and the Philippines this movie reaches people in so many different cultures.  Much of this popularity has probably been drawn up in the last nine years as these movies have been released.  Another contributor is through the advertisement and merchandising of all things Harry Potter.  I alone saw this movie being advertised in shopping malls, movie theatres, public transportation, on television and on the internet, to just name a few.  This movie was marketed to the extreme, making it hard to ignore.  I saw the movie at the theatre where I was packed into a sold out crowd, surrounded by males and females of all ages and backgrounds.  This showed me that this movie appealed to so many different types of people and that this was not only true of here in the Untied States but that this was also happening in theatres in different countries around the world.