Introduction- what is
distribution?
1. How would you define the exhibition of film?
The exhibition of film is a commonplace, shared
cultural activity highly visible in every city and town in Britain, constantly
feeding the popular memory.
2. What number part of the film supply chain is
distribution?
Third
3. How is it sometimes referred to?
It 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.
4. Why is it argued that it is the most important
part of the film industry?
Distribution is the most important part of
the film industry, where completed films are brought to life and connected with
an audience.
5. What are the three stages of film process?
In the practice of Hollywood and other
forms of industrial cinema, the phases of production, distribution and
exhibition
6. In what way are they most effective?
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.
7. Why is this more difficult for the independent
film sector?
In the independent film sector, vertical
integration does not operate so commonly. 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.
8. What are the three stage of distribution?
Licensing, marketing and logistics.
Licensing
1. Define the licensing process.
The process by which a distributor acquires
the legal right to exploit a film.
2. How many levels are there?
Two
3. How many ‘market territories are there around
the world?
International distribution ensures that
films find their way to the 90+ market 'territories' around the world.
4. Why are smaller independent film companies
unable to handle the licensing for their own films?
Independent production companies are
usually small concerns, sometimes set up for one film and often lacking the necessary
knowledge or contacts of each of the territories around the world.
5. So what do they do?
Instead of doing this themselves, they
might choose to hire a specialist sales agent, whose function is to understand
the value of a film in many different markets. The sales agent will then set up
stall at the film markets that take place throughout the year.
6. What is ‘local’ distribution?
Involves the distributor acquiring the
license to release and exploit the film in a particular country.
7. They purchase the theatrical rights, what does
this consist of?
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.
8. Who do they have to share royalties with?
A local distributor will conventionally
share profits equally with the producer for the theatrical leg, pay back higher
royalties for broadcast rights, and lower for video/DVD.
9. What is the most effective way to create
interest in a new film in the UK?
A theatrical opening is seen as the most
effective way to create interest in a new film. The big screen is still the
optimum setting for a film for both audiences and the filmmakers.
10. What options are available after the theatrical
(cinema) release?
Some months following the theatrical
release, a film will be packaged and released on DVD and VHS video, then on
various forms of pay television and eventually, two years after opening in
cinemas, on free-to-air television.
11. What must a successful distributor do?
Must have an in-depth knowledge of the
marketplace - which cinemas, video outlets and broadcasters can best draw an
audience for its films - and of the variable marketing costs involved in
releasing a film in that territory.
12. Who was the distributor for your case study?
Johnny English Reborn
distributer was Universal Pictures.
13. What techniques did they employ?
Blanketed.
Marketing
1. What are the two questions around the marketing
of a film release?
‘When?’ and ‘How?’
2. What day of the week are new films released in
the UK?
Fridays
3. Who schedules and coordinates forthcoming
releases?
The schedule for forthcoming releases is
coordinated and published by the Film Distributors Association.
4. What is a ‘light’ week?
Only a few films are
scheduled to be released.
5. What three aspects have to be taken into account
for a film to have the greatest potential to reach audiences?
Screen space, adequate
review column and the seasonality of the film.
6. Why is this becoming increasingly difficult?
The release schedule has regularly featured
over 10 new releases in a week.
7. What are P&A?
Prints and Advertising,
they meet the costs of the theatrical distribution.
8. What are the costs of P&A?
£1,000 to over £1 million.
9. Who marketed your film?
Universal Pictures
Marketing:
Printing and Advertising
1. What are the 7 elements of P&A?
The quantity and
production of release prints and trailers
Press materials,
clips reels, images, press previews, screener tapes
The design and
printing of posters and other promotional artwork
Advertising
campaign - locations, ad size and frequency
Press campaign /
contracting a PR agency
Arranging visit
by talent from the film
Other preview
screenings
2. About how many prints might a specialised film have
and how long will the tour be?
10 prints
3. How many prints might a commercial mainstream
have?
200 prints
4. How many did your case study film have?
5. Why is a favorable press response a key factor?
For developing the profile and desirability
of a film.
6. What is the standard format for a cinema poster?
In the UK the standard 30" x 40"
'quad' format is used to create a cinema poster.
7. Why is a poster important?
The poster
design is highly effective in 'packaging' the key attributes of a film for
potential audiences.
8. Please insert a copy of your case study film poster
and analyse how it features to key attributes.
It shows the main character (Rowan Atkinson) who is
a famous actor who many people will recognize. Shows that it is a spy film by
using the gun but shows that it is comedy also by having the flag with the
title of the film coming out the gun.
9. What is the word to express coverage working at the
same time?
‘To work in tandem’
10. What is the key aspect for mainstream film?
Scale and high visibility
11. Why is distribution in the UK seen as riskier than
in other countries?
The cost of print advertising in the UK is comparatively
high, and is seen as making distribution in the UK a riskier business than in
most other countries.
12. How are distributors trying to get around this
problem?
In order to extend the reach of advertising and develop
more effective communication with audiences at low cost, distributors are
looking increasingly to 'viral marketing' - different forms of electronic
word-of-mouth via the internet, email and mobile phones.
13. Who was the press agency for your case study?
SunChaser
14. What is another name for the actors or director?
Talent
15. What sort of coverage did the key players in your
case study have? Did they appear on Jonathon Ross?
No they did not.
16. What is the ultimate aim of marketing?
To promote
the film, and to make people aware.
Logistics Of Distribution
1. Who decides on the 'play date'?
The distributor and cinema.
2. What is the distributor’s
responsibility?
To arrange transportation of the film to the cinema.
3. Why is it imperative that films
are delivered on time?
The showing of
films in cinemas is a time-pressured activity. Cinemas spend their money publicizing
film play-dates and times in local papers or through published programs.
4) About how much does a 35mm print
cost?
£1500-£2500
5) How are prints usually broken
down?
Lasting around
18-20 minutes when run through a projector at 24 frames per second. So a
feature print, in its physical form, will usually be 5 or 6 reels, stored and
supplied in a single hard case, weighing in at 20-25kgs.
6) What are the disadvantages of using
film prints?
They are very expensive
7. How was your case study film
distributed? Digitally or 35 mm or a combination? Can you find out how many
prints were developed?
It was digital.
Bullet Boy
1. Who is the director of Bullet Boy?
Saul Dibb
2. Where was the film first screened in
2004?
Hackney
3. Who handled the release?
Verve
Pictures
4. What is their most recent release?
Breathing
5. What percentage of their releases
are from first time feature directors?
Over 75%
6. Who handled the release of your case
study, provide the link to their website, consider how effective their webpage
is?
7. How did Verve manage to broaden the
theatrical release?
We have a proven track record of working with first time filmmakers
who have previously excelled in other visual fields
8. How many prints did it have in the
UK?
75
9. What did the advertising campaign
consist of?
Advertising in all of the national daily
newspapers that allocate significant space to film reviews, plus two tabloids,
newspapers with a black perspective, a selective London Underground campaign
and extensive use of radio stations with a concentration on R 'n' B and Garage,
the musical forms with which Walters is associated.
10. How does this compare to the ad
campaign for your case study film?
They had a lower budget.
Digital Distribution: A revolution in progress
1. When did the UK distributors and exhibitors start to move towards
digital distribution?
End of 2005
2. What are the advantages of digital distribution compared to film?
Can now
replicate - if not surpass - the image quality of conventional 35mm cinema
presentation.
3. In which countries has it been particularly successful?
China and
Brazil
4. In the UK, which institutions have particularly got to grips with it?
Digital
technology has been embraced by the non-theatrical sector, in film societies
and schools, where the use of DVD and mid-range digital projection has replaced
16mm.
5. What is the national body charged with encouraging digital film in the
UK?
Has led
the UK Film Council to establish a digital distribution and exhibition
programme for the theatrical sector at the end of 2005.
6. How many cinema screens are there in the UK?
3,300
7. How many of these are digital?
211
8. In how many cinemas was your case study shown?
9. Describe briefly the process of digital transfer
The compressed and encrypted files will be sent
directly to cinemas to be downloaded, de-encrypted (unlocked) and opened as
files for screening with digital projection equipment.
10. Which key film institution was disbanded in 2011 and who took over their
work?
11. What are the implications for the future of digital distribution?
more titles, both mainstream
and specialised, will receive wide theatrical openings, and that this
broadening of access at the point of release will dramatically reduce the
overall theatrical period from 3-6 months to perhaps 1-3 months.
12. How might the share of profit change in the light of digital distribution?
13. Was your case study distributed digitally?
Yes
