FILM DISTRIBUTION

BY JOE FOVARGUE

WHAT IS FILM DISTRIBUTION?

FILM DISTRIBUTION IS THE BUSINESS OF GETTING FILMS DISTRIBUTED TO AUDIENCES WHICH COULD INCLUDE GETTING THEM BOOKED TO PLAY IN CINEMAS OR DELIVERING THE EITHER BY VAN OR DIGITAL DOWNLOADS. FILM DISTRIBUTION ALSO INCLUDES PROMOTING AND MARKETING CAMPAIGNS. THIS WOULD INCLUDE MAKING THINGS SUCH AS POSTERS, TRAILERS AND WEBSITES.

EXAMPLES OF FILM DISTRIBUTORSSOME EXAMPLES OF FILM DISTRIBUTORS INCLUDE:

• PATHE

• FILM 4

• VERTIGO FILMS

• UNIVERSAL

FILM INSTITUTIONS

SOME INSTITUTIONS HAVE TO TEAM UP WITH OTHERS WHICH DISTRIBUTE FILMS. SOME COMPANIES ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE THEIR OWN FILMS FOR EXAMPLE VERTIGO FILMS AND WORKING TITLE. CHANNEL 4 DISTRIBUTED “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE” THROUGH PATHE. HAVING THIS KIND OF PARTERSHIP IS BENEFICIAL FOR EXAMPLE BBC AND CHANNEL 4 ARE ABLE TO SHOW THEIR FILMS EARLIER THAN OTHER INSTITUTIONS.

MARKETING

• DISTRIBUTORS CAN USE SOFTWARE TO CREATE HIGH QUALITY POSTERS. CINEMAS CAN DOWNLOAD THESE AND THERE WOULD BE NO DELIVERING INVOLVED. TECHNOLOGY HAS HELPED THE FILM INDUSTRY IN A HUGE WAY, FROM PRODUCING FILMS TO DISTRIBUTING THEM.

• FILM DISTRIBUTORS CAN ALSO BOOK PRESS CONFERENCES AND INTERVIEWS FOR THE “STARS” OF THE FILMS. THEY CAN ALSO ORGANISE FREE PREVIEWS AND PRESS RELATED EVENTS.

OTHER KEY POINTS• A DISTRIBUTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKINSG SURE THERE IS A FULL LINE

OF FILM ADVERTISING MATERIAL IS AVAILABLE ON THE FILM AND THAT IT WILL ATTRACT THE GREATEST AUDIENCE POSSIBLE

• THE KEY JOB OF A DISTRIBUTOR IS TO CONVINCE THE EXHIBITOR TO PLAY OR BOOK THEIR FILM.

• THEY NEED TO USE MARKETING TECHNIQUES TO CONVINCE EXHIBITORS THAT THEY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE FILM FINANCIALLY.