Global Media Franchises
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| CULT3046 | Cultural, Media and Visual Studies | 3 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- CULT3046
- School
- Cultural, Media and Visual Studies
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
Franchises dominate the mainstream global media industries. Since the 1990s, franchising as a commercial, creative and industrial strategy has become increasingly prevalent across the cultural industries: for example, in 2022, all of the top 10 highest-grossing films worldwide are franchise instalments produced by global media titans such as Disney and Warner Bros. These powerful corporations have wings that spread across various media and cultural sectors, from screen industries such as film, TV and games, to audio industries such as music and podcasts, to tourism industries such as theme parks, and retail industries such as product licensing and merchandising.
The increasing global and mainstream production – and popularity – of franchises means that they are indelible parts of many media consumers’ lives, including our own. But how much do we understand about how franchising works as a commercial strategy, where it originated, and why it is so successful? How are franchises produced, distributed, sustained, marketed and consumed? What kind of textual and generic themes predominate and why?
Offering a detailed look into the contemporary media industries’ most lucrative and influential production strategy, this module will situate the rise of franchising within relevant historical, social, and industrial contexts, using a variety of global franchise case studies to shed light on broader developments that have shaped the media and creative industries we know today.
Target Students
BA International Media and Communications, BA Film and Television, and BA History of Art third-year students.
Classes
- One 3-hour workshop each week for 10 weeks
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
Assessment
- 40% Project: Project-Press kit and 500-word self-reflective piece
- 60% Coursework 1: Academic essay (2500 words)
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
1. To offer a detailed and nuanced understanding of the creative and commercial strategies and imperatives underpinning franchising as a business model.2. To consolidate students’ knowledge of the economies and logics of the contemporary media industries.3. To improve students’ practical skills in producing relevant industry materials such as a press kit.4. To improve students’ critical skills and ability to engage with a range of theoretical frameworks for understanding the history, development, circulation and consumption of media franchises.5. To broaden students’ understanding of franchising within a range of cultural, geographical, local and historical contexts.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding: By the end of the module, students will be able to:
Understand the key historical, cultural and industrial developments leading to the dominance of media franchising within the film and TV sector
Situate franchising within global, national and local contexts
Understand key creative and commercial drivers in the production, distribution and consumption of global media franchises
Intellectual Skills: By the end of the module, students will be able to:
Think critically and creatively about the origins, development and circulation of media franchises
Use primary and secondary materials to research issues across historical and geographical contexts
Evaluate different modes of industrial creativity
Professional Skills: The module will develop students' ability to:
Research, critically analyse and produce materials relevant to the cultural industries
Produce written work to a high standard of language and presentation, both for industry and academic audiences