What is a distributors role?
The distributor may set the release date of the film and the method in which it is to be exhibited or made available for viewing. A limited distributor may deal only with particular products, such as DVDs or Blu-ray or may act in a particular country or market. The primary distributor will often receive credit in the films credits.
Choses which films to distribute
Attends film festivals
Decides on the number of prints
Pays for the cost of each print
Negotiates the release date and site of exhibition
Sends trailers and publicity to cinemas
What's a distribution plan?
A distribution plan is created by the management of manufacturing business that specifies how the firm intends to transfer its products to intermediaries, retailers and end consumers. Larger companies involved in making products will usually also put together a detailed production distribution strategy to guide its entry into its intended market.
What's a P + A budget?
Print and advertising comes into play in film production.
Prints are the actual physical film that are shown in theatres and are quite expensive to make and distribute = costing $2,000 per print. Each cinema need at least one print, possibly more depending on how screens will be showing it.
Advertising is the part of the budget which is spent on advertising; TV, radio, newspapers and magazine, the internet and in-cinema advertisement.
The average P+A budget for a Big Six release is $34.5 million (2006).
What is the average distribution cost for a big six film?
Film distributors spend between $3.5 billion and $4.0 billion a year in the United States alone on direct buys of advertising such as TV commercials, billboards, online banner ads, radio commercials, etc.
What does the distribution budget include?
Press, prints, promotions, publicity and campaign production.
What is a simultaneous release?
Is a key date where the movie is released to cinemas, TV channels, DVD, internet, etc on or around the same date; instead of the usual cinema release first then DVD followed. The advantage is the consumers may choose how and where they will watch the movie.
What are some main distribution companies?
Warner Bros
Walt Disney
Sony Pictures
20th Century Fox
Universal
Paramount Pictures
Lionsgate
What do you think is the link between audiences and distribution?
The distributor will decide who the film target audience is and base their methods around them. They will also base the release date around they believe would be the main time they would watch a screening of a film.
Define target market audience? What's audience positioning?
A target market is defined in the process called market segmentation. A target market/audience is a group of customers a business has decided to aim its marketing efforts and merchandise around.
Why is the release date crucial?
The release date is critical for the idea that the target audience will have a set time in which they will watch most films. This time will include holidays, weekends, etc.
What is self distribution?
Is the idea of people distributing their film themselves, via things like flyers or leaflets.
