Jay Franks

Distribution - What is it?

Distribution

What Is Distribution? Distribution is about releasing and sustaining films in the market place. In the practice of Hollywood and other forms of industrial cinema, the phases of production, distribution and exhibition operate most effectively when 'vertically integrated', where the three stages are seen as part of the same larger process, under the control of one company. In the UK, distribution is very much focused on marketing and sustaining a global product in local markets.

What part of the supply chain is distribution? The third part of the film supply chain

What is distribution often referred to as? Is often referred to as 'the invisible art', a process known only to those within the industry, barely written about and almost imperceptible to everyone else.

What does 'vertical integration' mean when discussing distribution? 'Vertically integrated', where the three stages are seen as part of the same larger process, under the control of one company.

Why isn't 'vertical integration' so common in the independent sector? Producers tend not to have long-term economic links with distributors, who likewise have no formal connections with exhibitors. Here, as the pig-in-the-middle, distribution is necessarily a collaborative process, requiring the materials and rights of the producer and the cooperation of the exhibitor to promote and show the film in the best way possible

What three stages are involved in the independent sector? In this sector, distribution can be divided into three stages - licensing, marketing and logistics.

Licencing

What is licencing? Licensing is the process by which a distributor acquires the legal right to exploit a film

What are the two levels of licencing? International distribution and 'local' distribution are the two levels.

What is the advantage of being a major US studio? The major US studios generally have their own distribution offices in all the major territories. By contrast, independent producers have to sell their films to different distributors in each territory.

What three different types of rights can you acquire on a local level? Theatrical rights, for showing the film in cinemas; video rights, for video and DVD exploitation; and TV rights, if the distributor is able to sell the film to a broadcaster.

What are royalties? Payments, royalties are designed to compensate the owner for the asset's use, and are legally binding.

What is the most effective way to increase interest in a film? A theatrical opening is seen as the most effective way to create interest in a new film.

How long does it take for a film to reach 'free to air' TV? Some months following the theatrical release

Marketing

What are the two key questions surrounding the marketing of a film? The marketing of a film release revolves around two key questions: 'When?' and 'How?

What day are films typically released on? In the UK, new films are released theatrically on Fridays

Jay Franks

What will a distributor look at before releasing a film on a Friday? A distributor will assess this schedule to identify a Friday release date where there are only a few films scheduled for release.

What is a 'light' week in terms of distribution? Finding a 'light' week will ensure that there will be both screen space and adequate review column inches in the press allocated to any potential release

What does it mean to 'position' a film distinctively? The distributor will try to position the film distinctively and avoid a release date occupied by other films with similar traits (story, subject, country of origin).

Why has this become increasingly difficult in the UK? In recent years in the UK, these two aspects of release planning have become increasingly difficult, as the release schedule has regularly featured over 10 new releases in a week. After setting a release date, the distributor works towards the theatrical release, investing in the materials and the marketing campaign to support it.

What are P&A? The costs of theatrical distribution, met by local distributors, are often referred to as 'P&A', or Prints and Advertising.

How much can P&A cost? P&A also represent the bulk of the distributor's investment, after paying the initial fee for rights, and can range from less than £1,000 to over £1 million for the release of a film in the UK.

Marketing - Prints and Adverts

Typically how many prints will a 'specialised' film have? Specialised films will often be released with fewer than 10 prints into key independent cinemas, with these prints subsequently 'toured' over a 6-month period to all parts of the UK.

How many will mainstream films have? Commercial mainstream films will often open on over 200 prints

What is a key factor in developing the profile of a film? Favourable press response is a key factor in developing the profile and desirability of a film.

How else can awareness of a film be raised? Advertising in magazines, national and local newspapers works in tandem with press editorial coverage to raise awareness of a release.

Why is distribution in the UK seen as risky? Because not many films in the UK achieve a good substantial amount of success because most of the UK market look for blockbusters in America

Why are companies looking towards viral marketing? Viral Marketing is a marketing technique whereby information about a company's goods or services is passed electronically from one Internet user to another. Therefore companies are looking forward because their products can be transferred quicker around the world.

What are the benefits of a 'talent visit' - It wins significant editorial coverage to support a release.

Logistics

In the pre digital film age what was a distributor responsible for? It is the responsibility of the distributor to arrange the transportation of the film to the cinema, as part of its wider coordination of print use across the UK.

How much does a 35mm print typically cost? Each print can cost around £1,000

How many reals is a typical feature print? 5 or 6 reels

Jay Franks

Why do 35mm prints get damaged? 35mm theatrical prints invariably suffer cumulative damage as they pass through different projectors, and the hands of various projectionists

Where are prints stored? UK's central print warehouse in West London

How long did a theatrical release used to last? 6 months

Digital Distribution

When did digital distribution begin in the UK? 2005

Name two advantages of digital distribution - For exhibitors, digital projection, especially when married to the increasing use digital formats in production, can now replicate - if not surpass - the image quality of conventional 35mm cinema presentation. In distribution terms, the advantages of digital technology are even clearer, though perhaps longer term. Digital technology is seen to offer a more cost effective and logistics-light alternative to the tried and trusted, but unwieldy model of 35mm print distribution described above. It will, eventually, be cheaper and much less stressful to send films as computer files to cinemas across the UK, than to transport 20-25kg tins of film in the back of a van.

Which countries adopted digital distribution early and why? China and Brazil, efficiently bring together supply and demand

How many screens were digital in 2005 and how many are now (you'll need to Google this) 3,300 screens

Why has digital distribution radically altered the operating model of distributors? The comparatively low cost of film copies and additional logistical effectiveness of digital distribution provide the distributor with greater flexibility.

What has happened to the typical release period for a film? It dramatically reduce the overall theatrical period from 3-6 months to perhaps 1-3 months.

What is a loss leader (Google it) and why are companies using the Cinema as a potential loss leader? Loss leader is a product sold at a loss to attract customers. Companies use the cinema for this, because in the long run they would get more money.