Multiplex and Arthouse Cinemas

Multiplex
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically more than one screen within a single complex. The largest of these complexes can sit thousands of people and are sometimes referred to as a megaplex.

Definitions of the differences between multiplex versus a megaplex is related to the number of screens. For example, 2 to 20 screens create a multiplex, whereas theaters above 20 screens may be branded a megaplex.

Multiplex cinemas were introduced to the United Kingdom with the opening of a ten-screen cinema by AMC Cinemas at The Point in Milton Keynes in 1985. This was both AMC's first multiplex outside of the United States, but also the first for the UK and was largely responsible for the turnaround in the decline of the UK cinema industry. The success of the cinema at Milton Keynes led to further expansion by AMC in the UK to Newcastle, Dudley, Telford, Warrington and by royal appointment to London, before it eventually sold its UK division to UCI Cinemas in 1989.

Below are some Multiplex cinemas in the UK:

Odeon - Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company is one of the largest cinema chains in Europe. It retains the brand name of the Odeon cinema circuit first used in Britain in 1930. However it is today owned by and operated by Odeon UCI Cinemas Group and hardly resembles the past Odeon chain. It is now the largest cinema chain in Europe. There are 114 Odeon Cinemas in the UK.

Cineworld - Cineworld Group plc is a cinema chain operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Jersey and continental Europe as Cinema City International. The UK chain consists of 82 cinemas, 80 of which are located in the UK, with one each in Ireland and Jersey. It is the second-largest cinema operator in the UK with over 800 screens, and the owner of the single largest multiplex by screens and customer base in Ireland.

Vue - Vue Entertainment (stylised as vue), formerly SBC International Cinemas, is a cinema company operating in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. As of 2013 the company has 80 cinemas in the UK, making it the third largest cinema chain in the country, with 755 screens.

Empire - Empire Cinemas Limited is a multiplex cinema chain in the UK. There are 17 Empire Cinemas (although one in Ealing lies abandoned) with 164 screens in total. 

Arthouse
Arthouse is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. An art film is "intended to be a serious artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal". Arthouse cinemas are therefore most likely to show films that have smaller budgets and an infamous cast.The would have been created by unknown new directors and producers.

Arthouse Cinemas are a lot smaller than Mulitplex cinemas in both number of screens and size of the franchise. The films that are shown would probably have been viewed first at some sort of film festival for example Sundance. These films are first viewed by other directors and producers who respect their film making and would perhaps like to buy the film or invest in them to make bigger better movies.

Below are some examples of Arthouse cinemas in the UK:

The Rex - The cinema is a fully operational independent cinema, screening films 362 days of the year. The programme ranges from vintage classic films to modern blockbusters which often attract large box office queues. The Rex consists of only 1 screen.

The Electric -  It opened in Station Street in 1909, showing its first silent film on 27 December of that year, and is now the oldest working cinema in the country. 

Prince Charles - The Prince Charles Cinema (PCC)  shows a rotating programme of cult, arthouse, and classic films alongside recent Hollywood releases – typically more than ten different films a week on 2 screens (285 seats downstairs and 104 seats upstairs). The cinema has achieved a cult status amongst fans, sticking out as the only independent cinema in the West End.

The Phoenix - The Phoenix was the Winner of the 2010 UK independent cinema of the year. The Phoenix has only 5 screens.

Production Companies

DNA Films

DNA films is an independent British film production company set up in 1997 and founded by chairman Duncan Kenworthy. It is run by co-chairman Andrew Macdonald and his producing partner Allon Reich.  

DNA has produced a series of hit films along with Working Title films such as Love Actually and 28 days later which was successful enough to create a franchise and sequel 28 weeks later. 

Productions also include Dredd 3D, Notes on a Scandal, The Beach, Trainspotting and Shallow Grave.

Dna films achievement of The Last King Of Scotland, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go was a critical success due to DNA's partnership with Fox Searchlight Pictures (owned by Rupert Murdoch), which assisted DNA to get the interest of their target audience.

Dna's most notable film is most likely The Last King Of Scotland. With a budget of $6,000,000 it managed to gross more than eight times it's budget with $48,362,207. The film won over 36 awards with over 24 nominations from various awards ceremonies.

They first made more films and television series that were family friendly such as Jimmy Neutron but they diversified to predominantly making films for ages between 16-30. For example The Last King Of Scotland featured graphic scenes, strong violence and sexual content so it is practical to increase the age market to avoid complaints. This helped them to appeal to a wider audience. 

Vertigo Films

Vertigo Films is a British film production company and was created in 2002 by producers Allan Niblo, James Richardson, director Nick Love, distributor Rupert Preston, and entrepreneur Rob Morgan. The company was formed for the express purpose of distributing and producing two films, The Football Factory and It's All Gone Pete Tong; its current stated goal is to produce and distribute four films per year. Vertigo Films's film releases were distributed on home video by Entertainment One. They are vertically integrated because they produce and distribute films. 

The majority of their films tend to be focused on Crime, mystery or horror genre such as The Football Factory that had a budget of only £500. The seem to aim their films more at the British public rather than American by starring a lot of British actors in their films e.g. Danny Dyer. London to Brighton was also an incredibly low budget with again £500. 

Faint Heart was made with a collaboration with MySpace. They asked people to send in ideas, scripts and trailers to MySpace in order to win and their film will be produced. It was a play on the film Brave Heart. This enabled Vertigo films to get an audience from MySpace and also allowed people to hear of Vertigo films. 

In Streetdance 3D they also featured Diversity who are a dance group made famous by a British competition. They do not make many U/PG films and their movies are generally targeted at a male demographic aged between 18-35 years old. Diversity were signed up for the film before they won Britain's Got Talent, with the millions of people who watch Britain's Got Talent, Diversity already had a fan base creating a wider audience for Street Dance 3D when it came to cinema. They went on to make Pudsey The Dog: The Movie which was a also based on a contestant from Britain's Got Talent. 

Vertigo films have produced films such as Monsters, The firm, Doghouse, Sweeney, night in the woods, wake wood and pusher. 
Their most successful films were Monsters and It's All Gone Pete Tong which both won awards. It's All Gone Pete Tong won 8 awards and Monsters won 10 awards.

Working Title Films

Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London owned by Universal Studios The company was founded by Tim Bevanand and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. In 1992 it was co chaired by Tim Bevanand and Eric Felner. It produces feature films and several television productions. The company gained mainstream traction after the unexpected global box office success of Four weddings and a Funeral. 

Working title have previously made films from all different genres including comedy and family and the age ratings have ranged from U to 18.  The have made over 100 films and have made over $6B worldwide. 

They have made films such as Atonement, Wild Child, Hot Fuzz, Nanny McPhee and Shaun of the dead. 

Working Titles is mainly run by Universal Studios. However, Universal have given them a $35million budget. Meaning that Working Title can produce what every they like within $35millon.

Probably Working Titles best seller of all time. Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grants is a fairy tale romcom that was released on Friday 21st May 1999 and cost $47millon, the distributor was Universal Pictures. It was released towards the end of May, which is in the summer season, and the start of half term holidays for UK school children and teenagers. This release was perfect as this film was aimed at teenagers, so this date maximised attraction.