3 DISTRIBUTION

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Distribution is the process in which a film reaches the hands of a theatre chain, broadcasters, video stores and video on demand (VoD) operators. The companies that do this are called distributors. In general a producer uses a sales agent to license a film to distributors outside the producer’s own country. As I am making a film opening, I would look to a distributor to distribute my film (but because it is a student film, I will have to use social media) I looked at the FDA website as well as the Business of Film course to learn about distribution, and from these websites I learned that the film business is very heavily product driven. The FDA website laid out the main points of distributors challenge like this:

- identifying its audience

- considering why they'd go and see it

- estimating the revenue potential across all the formats of its release

- persuading exhibitors to play the film

- developing plans and partnerships to build awareness of and interest in the film

- aiming to convert as much interest as possible into cinema visits

 

Essentially, distributors have to make sure that a film reaches its desired audience, which it does by way of digital and conventional screenings,  managing cinema exhibition and DVD sales, releasing teaser trailers and posters, as well as utilising Social Media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for a film that help to spread awareness of a film to its Target Audience. In order to gain a better understanding of Distribution's role in the Film Industry, I watched an interview given by Stuart Williams, the Deputy Managing Director & Marketing Director of Sony Pictures

 

CASE STUDIES

From my research into the Hollywood Big 6 and other big studios, I learned that big budget films have a wide range of distribution strategies at their disposal. Examples of this include TV spots, theatrical trailers, billboards and prints. I had already noticed from my own interest in film how distributors drew my attention to films, such as London Has Fallen, as I had seen billboards and a trailer. However, low budget films like mine can struggle to find any distributor at all.

TORTOISE IN LOVE

 did a case study on the distribution of Tortoise In Love, having discovered that the BFI's P & A fund stepped in to help them distribute their film, rather than using one of the Big 6/s distribution companies (as the film was not involved with the Big 6, rather being a microbudget film relying heavily on word of mouth) The film was simultaneously viewed in small village halls all around the country which helped to make the film a small profit, as shown below where the film was screened.

JURASSIC WORLD (2015)

Jurassic World (2015) Gareth Lowrie of NBC Universal explained the campaign to his audience at the FDA. He taught us that he had worked on the marketing campaign of Jurassic World, which was extremely successful as it turned out to be one of the top 10 highest grossing films of 2015. He explained to us that the importance of Viral Marketing was key to the success that Jurassic World had at the Box Office, as well as through event marketing such as when Waterloo train station in London was filled with props from the film and was decorated like the theme park depicted in the film in order to reach a large amount of people and fill them with wonder at the scope of the film, thus leading them to go and see it.

After researching many aspects of film distribution, I decided that for my film opening, I would choose Vertigo to distribute my low budget film, as Vertigo's ethos is to "create and distribute commercially driven independent cinema" as well as to nurture new talent, thus making it perfect for my independent character driven film opening.

At my trip to the BFI on the 9th of November, lead by Rob Miller. We were given 3 definition of multiplex arthouse and crossover. By far the larger audiences are the "Multiplex" audiences that are in large centres like shopping malls or places like odeon. These audiences like blockbusters and mainstream entrainment. matt hall also suggested the idea of a "Crossover" audience, that is audiences who are persuade to see a film because of prestige because of oscar or Bafta nomination. These films may be non serious genre films, or follow a big actor who has decided to do a big film because of their interest. "Arthouse" audience are indie small, low budget films. Our film would be one of these as it has a small budget and would probably only be distributed online. I believe that our film will appeal to audience that enjoy films like Good Will Hunting or A Beautiful Mind. 

Another key decision is when the film is distributed because the market is very busy where 700 or more movies are released a year. For example a lot of movies are competing for awards as they want to be remembered for February Awards season. Horror movies are mainly targeted at Halloween time and romance around Valentine's day. Children's films are targeted at around summer time when children are not at school.  

Distributors create a distribution strategy depending on the audience. For example P&A which is very expansive, social media, teaser trailer to attract audiences, events, interviews, appearances etc. For our film we have made an Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr page to attract audiences. we realise that it is very important for our younger audiences to be interactive. Mainstream films may well be teamed up with media partners by the distributors.