EX MACHINA

• Producer- Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich
• Production companies- DNA films and Film Four Productions
• Director- Alex Garland
• Distributor- Universal Pictures
• Cast- Alicia Viikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno
• Budget- $15 million
• Locations- 4 weekends of Pinewood Studios London, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England. Juvet Landscape Hotel in Norway.    
• Technology- CGI, the CGI was surprisingly good for a low budget film.
• Number of screen - opening weekend- (1279) 4 on the opening weekend for USA.
• Number of screens - peak number- (1,279)
• Box office figures- $36.9 million

The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;
Alex Garland has worked with previous film companies and directors before as majorly writers and executive producers however Ex Machina was his first film to write and direct. Because of his directorial debut being this film, Garland was under immense pressure as he would want to make this film as successful as possible and he was working with some very well known production companies as well as a main distributing company. Companies such as DNA Films and Film Four productions have made notable products before. DNA films were responsible for films such as, Love Actually, The Riot Club and even Far from the Madding Crowd. Successful films mean this company is successful so for this production company to merge with such a low budget film was a great surprise however it meant that there was an expectation for the film to be successful low budget film instead of a complete flop. Film4 productions is responsible for films such as, 12 Years a Slave, 127 Hours and Never Let Me Go, because these films are also successful the same prospect applies for the film to be a successful low budget film.

The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;
Because the film had such a low budget of $15 million it was a surprise to people within the film industry that this small film had such realistic and believable visual effects. The companies had remember an maintain and idea of there budget so that the film would remain successful and still within budget. It was important for Alex Garland to makes sure this film was successful as this could have potentially outlined for further companies what Garland is capable of with the materials he was given and provided with. Distribution and Marketing were very important for the film to gain success and gain a profit, it was important for the production companies to have made sure they had made an impact with their low budget film as well as the fact that Alex Garland was hoping to make a upcoming appearance with his directorial debut. Production and Editing as well as the visual effects used to make the film were important to make sure that the film still managed to gain profits when it was released, in order to maintain success the quality needed to be memorable and admirable- especially in a science fiction film because the ideas were able to be credited and commemorated if the visuals and effects were impressionable. To achieve the editing success the production teams worked with Milk visual Effects who had worked on films such as Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Hercules, Doctor Who, The Martian.. etc, this meant that this team could make visual effects with an impacting elements and they also had the means to make them as cost productive as possible. Double Negative (responsible for films like Inception, Les Miserables, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas) and Artem (responsible for The BFG, Macbeth and Hot Fuzz) also worked with in the production teamed and applied the same working ethics to the production of the film as MVE.

The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;
Technology had developed through out the years and there are many benefits with being able to create a film today rather that 20 years ago. The introduction of social media and internet advertising has helped increase the amount of public interest. BLU-RAY DVD is an example of an improvement in technology which effects all of the three processes listed above, the idea of the quality being better for the public and more easily branched reassures the film company of a marginally good figure for success. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow marketing to be quick and free and widely accessible to society. Production has been made easier with recent technology as well as it being a lost more cost effective and high in quality.