A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol was released on November 6, 2009, and was produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is adapted from a book entitled A Christmas Carol, and is said to be “one of the most faithful adaptations of A Christmas Carol brought to the screen” (wikia.com). However there are some differences between the book and the film that viewers noticed during the film, but no spoilers will be revealed here. The film used similar features, regarding the process of capturing motion, as used in other films, like The Polar Express for example. The film was directed by Zemeckis, and its leading actor, Jim Carrey, took several roles within this production. The film’s success was due to its interested marketing platform. The film went to New Orleans in August, and traveled around the country in a themed train that displayed exhibits informing visitors of the film. Walt Disney Studios “is also pulling out all the new-media stops is can” (nytimes.com). There are apps, online quizzes, and a website that are all available for people to access. The film also used TV and billboard advertisements to spread the word of the production. A Christmas Carol earned $30,051,075 at the box office. The film has been available in DVD and Blur-ray format since November 16, 2010.

I have a great amount of respect for films that are book adaptations when they closely resemble because those types of films bring the book to life. I find it cool when films don’t always follow the book’s story completely because then the audience goes to the theatre to see the movie, and they end up being surprised. I am a huge fan of Jim Carrey’s work, and it’s exciting to see him play so many roles in one production, due to his ability to transform as an actor to play different characters. As an actress myself, it’s an awesome experience to be a part of. Although I was not able to witness the train promoting the movie, I bet it was cool to interact with the film in that unique manner.

 

References

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). A Christmas Carol - DisneyWiki. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol

IMDb. (n.d.). A Christmas Carol (2009) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067106/

New York Times. (2009, October 25). Disney Hopes ‘Christmas Carol’ Lives Up to Its Blockbuster Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/business/media/26carol.html?_r=0

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Hannah Montana: The Movie came out on April 10^th, 2009. The movie was produced by It’s a Laugh Productions, Millar Gough Ink, and Walt Disney Pictures. At the Box Office, the movie gained a profit of $79, 566, 871, and it was said that the movie had a budget of $30 million. The film was adapted from the TV series Hannah Montana. The directors of the film, and cast members, like Miley Cyrus and her father, had a goal of creating a realistic atmosphere for the film. By using real sites, instead of sound stages, the film’s budget rose. An incident occurred, that caused some bumps on the road for the film. It was a windy day on June 3, 2008, and a screen flew towards a Ferris wheel, and some extras and others were harmed. Disney decided to make an announcement of the incident, and then continued filming since there were no serious injuries.  Hannah Montana: The Movie, marketed their first trailer on January 15, 2009, with a collaboration of showing the film’s poster online. To get fans more excited, a clip of the movie was shown in December, and New Year’s Eve. Some of the soundtrack from the movies was also released, like “The Climb”, and “Hoedown Throwdown”. Not only did they release sneak peeks, and part of the soundtrack, a video game was created based on the film before the date when the film would be released.  A few months later, the film came out with a DVD, and sold more than $61 million worth in DVDs.

Hannah Montana: The Movie has to be one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I’m in love with the soundtrack, and the inspirational lyrics. The movie seems so raw, so natural, and it gives off the sense that the audience will be able to relate to some of the situations that come across in the film. It’s a great movie to view with family, showcasing the message that one should always remember where they come from, and never lose that site of reality. I remember getting really excited when I saw sneak peeks of the film because it made me want the release date to approach faster, and I’d be the first one in line to view the movie. I purchased the DVD, and I still watch till this day at least twice a year because I enjoy it that much.

 

References

Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Hannah_Montana_The_Movie_soundtrack.png

Disney Wikia. (n.d.). Hannah Montana: The Movie - DisneyWiki. Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Hannah_Montana:_The_Movie

IMDb. (n.d.). Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1114677/

The Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog was released on November 25, 2009, being directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film is known for incorporating a musical style, and it “is also notable as Disney’s first African-American princess”. The Princess and the Frog is produced by Walk Disney Animation Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The story was created by adapting parts from The Frog Princess, “in which the story’s heroine kisses a frog in hopes of becoming a princess, only to become a frog herself”. The images were created by hand and then transferred to a computer. TV channels were promoting the movie with commercials, and there were a lot of discussions of some changes occurring during the movie making process. The Princess and the Frog was supposed to be released on December 25^th but the producers wanted to avoid the other competition due to other major films being released the same day. This method was successful earning them more than $267 million at the box office. The movie went from the big screen to Broadway, Disneyland, and a wide variety of consumer products. The movie is now available in DVD, and there are video games, costumes, toys that can be purchased. Not only that Princess Tiana is now part of Disney on Ice. This film was and still is a huge success, winning several awards, such as Best Original Song, Animated Effects, Voice Acting, Best Voice Performance, and many more. The Princess and the Frog still creates a buzz within conversation about the movie, and started the movement again of a more musical-like aspect in Disney films.

The Princess and the Frog is one of my ultimate favorite Disney princess movies. The idea of finally having an African-American princess is definitely something special and new, instead of the common fair-skinned princesses. The plot of the movie has a sense of humor in somewhat changing up the tale of a girl kissing a frog in order to become a princess. The producers were smart, and meticulous with their decisions of releasing the movie, and as a result the film was successful with its timing. Fans of the movie are able to still stay connected with the movie, and purchase products of their favorite characters or own the movie itself.

 

References

Amazon.Retrieved December 3, 2014, from http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ziATjH%2BKL.jpg

IMDb. (2014, December 3). The Princess and the Frog (2009) - IMDb. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780521/

Wikia.com. (n.d.). The Princess and the Frog - DisneyWiki. Retrieved December 3, 2014, from http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/The_Princess_and_the_Frog

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

On DVDizzy.com, an article entitled Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure is the subject of discussion. The movie Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure was released on July 18, 2009, and was produced by DisneyToon Studios (for a link to the trailer click here) . This movie is part of the series called Disney Fairies, which was adapted from the Tinker Bell, the main fairy in these movies. The Disney Fairies is a large component of Disney’s Company, and these movies have been adapted from books previously sold. It was no shock that with more than 18 million books purchased, that there would be a large audience excited to watch the movie. Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure was very successful, setting out to create “The Consumer Products line, encompassing a wide assortment of categories including apparel, toys, role play, stationery, personal care, home decor, and youth electronics has been a huge success at retailers around the world, driving more than $850 MM in global retail sales” (DVDizzy.com). This business expanding into  the Disney Parks and Resorts, and Disney On Ice. A website for the Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow was created, and then later shut down and transitioned to a different website called Disney Fairies. Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure contributes to "the continuing Disney Fairies Franchise and a captivating story that continues the overwhelmingly popular adventures through breathtaking animation, spectacular music and an all-star cast of voice talents" (DVDizzy.com).
From personal experience, and as a huge fan of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, I experienced the popularity of the movie firsthand. I purchased Tinker Bell costumes, and dolls and playing with my sister. I also bought the DVD of Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. I remember the trailers were shown about a million times before the actual movie was released, and as a result the date was marked in my head and I knew exactly when to turn on the TV. This was a couple years back, but even now I am still in love with this movie because it really does have a general/all ages audience. This movie does a fantastic job with really bringing out the inner kid in everyone, and the idea of imagination and fandom in children.

References

Disney Fairies. (2013, September 19). Pixie Hollow FAQ | Disney Fairies. Retrieved from http://fairies.disney.com/pixie-hollow-faq

Disney. (n.d.). Disney Fairies | Disney. Retrieved from http://fairies.disney.com/

DVDizzy. (2009, July 18). Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure - DVD & Blu-ray Press Release - UltimateDisney.com. Retrieved from http://www.dvdizzy.com/tinkerbell-losttreasure-pressrelease-1027.html

Tinker Bell And The Lost Treasure [Video file]. (2012, February 8). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u18EHridUiU

Disney's Unique Approach for Success

In Ryan Tracy's "Disney's Powerful Marketing Machine"  he discusses how Disney uses a unique approach in order to gain profits. The company is known for their illustrious characters, and this is an essential component of the company's success. However, the main aspect of Disney is the  skill they possess of being able to take an idea, and branch off of it. In other words, each step in marketing leads to another, forming a chain reaction, that continues to grow and the company solely benefits. What Disney does in order to bring awareness to a film is to expose commercials, and advertisements globally, which leads to having a larger audience. A person that Tracy interviewed, by the name of DiClemente, stated that "Disney has a much more robust, mature, well-built-out global licensing operation". The article gives an example of this process by sharing the success of Toy Story 3. Tracy discusses how Toy Story 3 had  a global marketing campaign that resulted in $1 billion at the box office, and the creation of products such as action figures, apparel, books, magazines, and etc. Disney did not stop there, they went on to produce more attractions, video games, and apps. The article also discusses how Disney uses other sources, whether that'd be other networks or channels, to gain more viewers for their films being released. Disney's money is flowing in from many different areas of the business, and that includes Disneyland, Disney Channel, Disney Stores, and Disney Cruise Line. The company is also capable of earning back any profits they've lost, and it is one of the best companies out there. As Tracy said "Disney has demonstrated a consistent ability to turn almost anything it touches into a cash machine".
Disney is definitely on the right path, targeting different aspects of the business world. They know what they want to accomplish, and they have the experience to be successful. Disney really takes into consideration the audience that they have, and what it is that will draw their attention into everything they produce. The company does a great job with raising awareness of any projects being released, and they know exactly how to gain a lot of extra cash. Disney has the concept that if people enjoy something they will mostly want to purchase that DVD, video game, or that toy for their kid. With this mentality it's no wonder why Disney is flourishing.

References

BoxOffice. (n.d.). BoxOffice® — Toy Story 3. Retrieved from http://pro.boxoffice.com/statistics/movies/toy-story-3-2010

Disney Cruise Line. (n.d.). Disney Cruise Line. Retrieved from http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special/special-offer-stacked/?keyword_id=j0wScIyT%7Cdisney+cruise%7C54897497%7Ce%7C1540tw413989&CMP=KNC-DCLGoldPSLPMSN%7CM%7C4153700.CL.AM.02.01&s_tnt=62218:2:0

Disney. (n.d.). Disney Store | Official Site for Disney Merchandise. Retrieved from http://www.disneystore.com/?CMP=KNC-DSPTDSMSN&s_kwcid=AL!4279!10!5093480922!14893021080&ef_id=VHPFAQAABZWePFRH:20141126044134:s

Tracy, R. (2010, November 3). Disney's Powerful Marketing Machine. Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/disneys-powerful-marketing-machine-69771