Distribution and marketing

‘This is England’ was given a wide release in England due to how all the film production companies (Wrap Films, Film 4, EM Media, Optimum Releasing and Screen Yorkshire) didn’t know how successful the film would have been if it was to become a universal release.

Shane Meadow was known for making other award winning movies but the production companies still couldn’t take a risk with the movie being distributed else where and not selling due to people not liking. In the end, the film was distributed through theatrical cinemas (by Optimum Releasing), television (e.g Film 4, channel 4, etc), DVDs, Internet (itunes), etc. It’s only till it was released in the UK and people found it amazing, that the movie was then distributed internationally to other countries such as the following:

• A-Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)

• Arthaus (2007) (Norway) (theatrical)

• IFC Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical)

• IFC First Take (2007) (USA) (theatrical)

• King Record Co. (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)

• Nippon Shuppan Hanbai (Nippan) K.K. (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)

• NonStop Entertainment (2007) (Sweden) (theatrical)

• Optimum Releasing (2006) (UK) (theatrical)

• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)

• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)

• Canal Film (2008-2009) (Norway) (TV)

• Madman Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (all media)

• NetFlix (2007) (USA) (DVD)

• Red Envelope Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)

This is England was produced by a synergy of institutions and so the film had a budget of 1.5 million pounds in order to help distribute and market the film, although the effort and impact of the budget would be relitivley small due to how the budget would be able to fund for expensive and large ranged advertisement schemes such as television adverts of the the film inbetween football television breaks, to target at mass audiences. Here are the following production companies of the film.

Big Arty Productions

EM Media

Film4

Optimum Releasing

Screen Yorkshire

UK Film Council

Warp Films
 
This is England was screened at a number of film festivals around the world such as the London Film Festival in England. This was done so that film fanatics would hopefully cause a 'word of mouth' effect about the film, in order to give it a viral marketing effect. This way of marketing was expensive but it gave the film the chance to entice viewers who would be the type of audiences that would watch the film, due to Film festivals mainly showcasing the latest innovative films from short to large from known directors to upcoming directors. This made this is England the perfect film to be marketed through a film festival, due to how it met all those categories.

Here's a theatrical poster of 'This is England' showcasing some of the casting of the film. The colours red, white and blue in the title of the film represent the traditional colours of the England flag, emphasising the title of the film being about England. The customs the characters are wearing suggest that the film is set in the 80's in the time of he skin head movement, due to how they all seem to be wearing light blue jeans, where most of the men's heads are shaved off and the women's heads have a very masculine hair cut style, which clearly stands out.

There's a small boy at the front of the poster who's the only one out of line with the rest of the characters behind. This suggests that the film could be based around this boy and his life as a kid growing up in the 80's, in the skin head movement. There's only one black male character in the poster suggesting that the film could also be relating to the culture aspects of England, maybe showing the prejudice and discrimination against non-whites in the Country.

Certificate rating

This is England was certificated an 18 by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification), which prevented the film from being aimed at younger age audiences from 15 to 17, which Shane Meadows had originally hoped for. Shane Meadows appealed to the BBFC, aruging that This is England was given the wrong age rating, which would prevent it from being watched by younger viewers who would benefit from it greatly. After this appeal, city councils started looking into the film themselves which led to This is England being rated 15 in certain areas throughout England such as Bristol, Westminster and Camden, due to how certain city councils found BBFC's age rating unsuitable. This led to This is England being made more accessible for younger age audiences throughout certain cities in England.