Synergy and cross media convergence

Synergy and cross-media convergence 

Media studies 

Chené Harris 

The most important things to know/ understand about in media/ film making is cross-media convergence and synergy, these just simply determine the level of success a film can get. For example, a large conglomerate company such as Disney are very successful they have clearly used synergy and cross-media convergence while producing their films. 

Disney as part of the large conglomerates companies owned 26% of the studio market share in 2018. Disney has the power to penetrate markets and distribute most of its films – this is done through vertical and horizontal vertagration. Vertical integration, for example, is Disney purchasing fox – another production company that’s well known. Horizontal integration, for example, is that Disney is owning and running Disney land and e.c.t. These are also just good forms of advertising the market worldwide. 

Disney’s large -scale synergy and cross-media convergence has become its greatest advantages. Since 2018 Disney now works with other big companies such as Box office, creating all those good movies, for example, Black Panther ($700 million box office) and others – these just prove that synergy is one of the important things to make the film successful 

Indi films have always had lower production budgets and usually less finance available for them to join up with other companies. The rise of the internet has evolved in such a way that nearly everyone on the planet is connected to the internet consuming media in almost every website available. 

Even though synergy is a high advantage, the smaller Indi films are now able to do well despite the lack of synergy they have towards the film. An example of this exact problem is looking back at the movie “what we do in the shadows” a New Zealand film directed by Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement. They were unable to reach the amount of $400 000 on their own so what they did was go out and try and fundraise some more money pushing their film to meet the targets, they had managed to do this process through the crowdfunding which then ended up getting the green light for the film to be published worldwide. This film then became a huge success with a grossing of exactly $6.9 million dollars worldwide. 

The directors for this film had used the internet to advertise their film, with the marketing team generating all the hype and excitement for the film, the film became a huge hit and became very successful 

Smaller companies such as the Indi films will make a lot more money and be successful if they partner up with the larger conglomerates I.e Disney- this will just make everything much easier for both companies to succeed.