Further film distribution notes

Film Distribution:

The audience has the greatest power within the business. For example: if the audience likes a certain star then Hollywood are forced to use this star. This then makes the star extremely powerful. This statement is from Tony Angellotti from Hollywood. 
In another statement made by Toby Miller said that the industry that doesn't rely on waiting, licensing and responding to what the audience wants, then delivering them that. This industry relies on knowing which parts of the world and the media needs its products and will pay for them.

It is critical not to see Film distribution as a helpful stage in the life of film. The big companies that control much of the industry, control distribution in their own products. Films are loaned out to cinemas for a certain period of time and release deals are done. Within these deals it secures assess to a certain number of screens at a time. In the UK film marketing and increase in the quantity of screens showing films has not made an increase in the number of films that are shown.

There are five major distributions that dominate the UK film industry. These are: 

• United International Pictures
• Warner Brothers
• Buena Vista
• Twentieth Century Fox
• Sony

Nine of every ten films seen in the UK are viewed as a result of these distributors. In most cases these distributors are linked to Hollywood production companies.

Prints:

producing physical copies of a film for cinema and home release and also finding exhibitors/retailers to see the film.

Marketing:

Raising audience awareness and anticipation of a new release.

A distributor may:

• Be a part of the same parent company as the producers company.
• Have a long term arrangement with a production company and provide financial assistance for many of their productions.
• Provide financial assistance for a single film by a production company.
• Acquire a film after it has completed production.

A film is likely to have different distributors for:

• Releases in different countries
• Cinema releases
• Home video release.

360-degree branding:

Film promotion seeks to surround us with their brand, multi platform, media forms. This kind of marketing is never intrusive and very inexpensive.