Marvel Comics and Studios is a media franchise based and owned by American business persons. Its basic line of operations includes the production of a fictional universe shared on a super-hero film basis (Howe 13). The characters of most of the eventual productions are founded on publications by Marvel Comics as a line of production. Over the recent and subsequent years, the Marvel comic has extended its line of production to include short films, television series and comic books (Butler 26). It is important to note and record that the irreducible minimum is the crossing over effect created in similar plots, cast, characters, and settings. For instance, the very inaugural and first film produced and released by the Marvel Cinematic universe was the Iron Man in the year 2008. Subsequent line of productions was centered on it and the eventual culmination of the avengers in the year 2012-which was a hit in all aspects and respects.
Intuitively, by the year of 2005, Marvel Cinematic Universe began to produce independently through one of its subsidiaries the Paramount pictures (Denson 550). It was a depart from its line of production and history. Because it had co-produced many superhero movies and films with other production companies. Such as the New Line cinema, the Columbia Pictures and a development deal on a seven year basis it had signed with 20th-century fox (Howe 21). This move to produce its movies was based on the fact that Marvel Studios was not making as many profits in terms of returns. Thus, the management at that point in time thought it was wise to venture into an independent line of production because it would ensure artistic control better distributorship and thus higher profits in relative terms and aspects. In order for it to venture into independent production, it was imperative that they source finances from other sources because their financial pool and muscle at that point in time was not sufficient to sustain autonomous production. The above was the reason as to why the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the mother or umbrella body secured credit worth $525 from Merrill Lynch a credit company on a seven-year deal (Barchas 123). The above was the guiding principle because as the executive Kevin Feige envisioned that the new found freedom would enable the company to expand the number of productions. From two films in a year to three without changing the methods and models of operations.
In terms of business practice, marvel studios envisioned an idea and notion of a shared universe. Where the setting of specific movies are incorporated into others, for or instance, when the directors of the films, Captain America, the First Avengers and thor were hired to do these productions. It was stressed upon them to set-up scenes from Avengers as the basic and minimum practice. It is completely astonishing because a director or producer of the movie would expect independent space to interpret the roles and plot or script and then eventually adapt it according to his or her understanding. However, the fact that Marvel Cinematic Universe restricts and controls the line of production to some basic irreducible such as incorporating scenes from past movies is a distinguishing feature and character. It is to say that as a historical base of practice the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delved into the practice of building emotional capacity in movies that are eventually traded off in subsequent or next line of productions.
It is important to note that the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a mode of practice gives chance and opportunities to people who have not done so much in terms of big projects. It is to say that for it to hire one as a director or actor, all one needs is a good vision and a prospect of a positive growth. It is to imply that so long as a producer, director or an actor is willing to take chances and grow the other characters, and then that is good enough for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
On a similar breadth and line of thought, the company embarked on a policy where its actors were signed to multiple extensive contracts. That spanned over three years to seven years depending on the quality of the actor or actress (Estren 41). The above was done in the line of action that was adopted by Kevin Feige as the executive on the plan to reduce costs. At this level, it is needless to stress and mention that short term contracts are more expensive than long term contracts due to the negotiation costs and other costs.
Conclusively, it is important to note and mention that the Marvel Cinematic has expanded and grown in its line of productions such as diversifying to other media program and avenues. In order for the company to continue to enjoy, it’s near monopoly status in the industry for this time and period. It has ensured that it has a strong line of distributorship and supply network. For instance, the Universal Pictures has over the years been one of the most trusted and loyal distributors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years.
Works Cited
Barchas, Janine. "Pow!: Marvel Comics Adapts Jane Austen." Eighteenth-Century Life 37.2
(2013): 120-125.
Butler, Kurtis. "Panel 15:" Marvel Comics and DC Comics: The Generational Divide"." (2014).
Denson, Shane. "Marvel Comics' Frankenstein: A Case Study in the Media of Serial Figures."
American Studies/Amerikastudien 56 (2011): 531-553.
Estren, Mark. A history of underground comics. Ronin publishing, 2012.
Howe, Sean. Marvel comics: The untold story. Harper, 2012.
