Film Distribution Is the process of launching a film into the market place and sustaining public interest in the film. World-wide distribution is dominated by US Companies such as Paramount, Warner, and Universal. Distributors may be involved in a film in any or all of the following three ways: It may invest in the film’s production. The distributor might buy the rights to the film once it is made. If the distributor is part of a larger organisation that has made the film, then it will automatically distribute films made by the parent company.
Film Distribution Is the process of launching a film into the
market place and sustaining public interest in the film. World-wide
distribution is dominated by US Companies such as Paramount,
Warner, and Universal. Distributors may be involved in a film in
any or all of the following three ways: It may invest in the films
production. The distributor might buy the rights to the film once
it is made. If the distributor is part of a larger organisation
that has made the film, then it will automatically distribute films
made by the parent company.
Film Distribution: Key Elements Positioning: Involves how and
when the film should be released. Elements to be considered are the
time of year, other film releases and the target audience.
Circulation: how many copies of the film should be circulated to
cinemas. Each print costs around 1000. The distributor should
decide whether the film requires a saturation release (700-1000
prints) or an art-house release (around 20 prints)
Film Distribution: Key Elements Release: Timing is crucial.
School holidays are a prime time within the year for the release of
blockbusters. If the film is a potential award winner, then it will
be released during the traditional season of awards competition:
January to March. Competition must also be considered. Marketing:
Can often cost as much as making the film!!! Main aim is to create
a must see feeling about the film. Word-of-mouth is a powerful
marketing aid for a film.
Film Distribution: Marketing: Key Features Several elements can
be used in marketing to generate interest in a film. Posters:
Contain standard elements that are used to sell the idea of a film
to the potential viewer. The main image will often echo a key
moment in the film. Any stars or possible key personnel, will have
their names featured. Posters usually have a Unique Selling Point.
This is the element that offers something special or different
about the film. Some blockbusters use a teaser poster campaign. The
teaser posters offer a few key elements of a film to generate
interest.
Analysing Film Posters: As film themselves do, posters draw on
key elements of genre to communicate through the poster, and
hopefully generate interest in the film. Iconography Narrative
Characters Themes
Loveactually (2002) Dir Richard Curtis) Referring to this
poster, identify the elements used relating to Iconography,
Narrative, Character and Themes. What genre is this film?
War of the Worlds (Spielberg, 2005) Referring to this poster,
identify the elements used relating to Iconography, Narrative,
Character and Themes. What genre is this film?
Film Distribution: Marketing: Key Features Trailers: Need to
present a number of key elements to the audience. The genre through
key scenes, iconography, dialogue, or other sound elements.
Narrative elements have to be introduced, being careful not to ruin
the film though. Is there is a star, then they will likely be
featured. Again a USP will be created this could be: Images of an
actor playing a different role to what the audience expects A
location that differs from that which is conventional within a
particular genre The presentation of a story not told before. As
with posters, there may also be a teaser campaign.
Film Distribution: Marketing: Key Features: Media Advertising:
Using other media texts to promote the film. Posters in magazines
and newspapers, and on billboards and bus stops. Trailers on TV and
radio (depending on the budget) Stars and director appear as guests
to be interviewed about the film. The Internet: A buzz about a film
can be generated in an internet chat room, for example. If positive
word of mouth spreads this is good promotion, however, there is the
other side of the coin too. Individual films have their own
website, which feature clips, images, interviews and so on. This
helps create public awareness. E.G. The Blair Witch Project. The
films website provoked great debate about whether the film was
based on a real incident or not. This created a large amount of
publicity for a low budget film.
Film Distribution: Marketing: Key Elements. Promotions: Big
films often have tie-in promotion campaigns. E.G. toys given away
in fast food outlets, displays in shop windows. Merchandising: A
large potential for profit lies in this area. The distributor will
oversee the sale of licenses to approved companies to allow them to
use film images and logos. Star Wars was perhaps the first film to
profit through merchandising. Premieres: Are a carefully organised
promotion tool. They generate articles in newspapers, magazine
articles about those who attended, and T.V. interviews with stars.
Press Junkets: The endless short interviews given to the members of
the press. It is an official element of the publicity campaign.
Preview Screenings: Free tickets might be given away or won in
competitions. Distributors are careful to attract to the preview
the intended target audience for the film, in order to try and
generate a positive word of mouth. Festivals: Film festivals have a
dual function. They are competitions in which if a film wins an
award or receives critical acclaim, it will provide positive
publicity for the film. Secondly they are a promotional tool where
reviews are created and interviews conducted.
HOMEWORK: Choose a film released this year, and try to track
the marketing campaign for the film. Key ideas to consider: Find
the film poster and analyse it who is it targeting? What key
features define the genre(s)? Was their a teaser campaign? Either
through trailers or posters? Where was the premiere held? Is there
any merchandising attached to the film?