This document discusses potential film distributors for a motorsports documentary. It analyzes Film 4, BBC Films, Studio Canal, and Fox Searchlight as options. BBC Films is selected as the best choice because it specializes in niche audiences through its existing BBC viewer base. Though smaller than a Hollywood distributor, BBC Films' connection to the larger BBC network allows for marketing across BBC platforms and possible additional funding from the organization.

1. EVALUATION: Q3
WHAT KIND OF MEDIA INSTITUTION MIGHT
DISTRIBUTE YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT AND
WHY?

2. • In my opinion the institutions that I would
chose to distribute my film would be one
of the following four distributors:
• Film 4
• BBC films
• Studio Canal
• Fox searchlights
• I thought of these four institutions as I
know that there aren't many motorsport
films that are globally successful; this
made me think of the smaller distributors
for the more niche markets. Also each of
these institutions has a different element
that would be useful for the distribution of
the film.

3. DISTRIBUTORS:
• In film, the distributors are the
organisations and institutions that handle
the theatrical releases of films in a
particular country. They also handle the
marketing for films to their specified
audience as well as the marketing post
distribution for home viewing.
• The distributors will source new films for
their film festivals throughout the year,
they will market these films depending on
which type of market they think the film
has the potential of reaching.
• These pictures are of the film festivals that
are used by the distributors to showcase
the new up and coming films.

4. AUDIENCES AND MARKETS:
• There are two main types of audiences that industries tend to
target their films at, the audience that is targeted often relies on
the budget for the film and the potential it has to reach a larger
audience.
• Mass audience (tent pole):
• Larger audiences, global markets, these are usually more
accessible for a film that has been funded by one of the big six
Hollywood conglomerates as they have already created a name
for themselves and therefore have a strong fan base. This
means that the films will have a guaranteed audience.
• Niche audience:
• The Niche markets are usually targeted at by the smaller
individual distributors, the more ‘indie’ films will be targeted at
the niche markets. The distribution companies that will reach the
niche markets will be institutions such as, Film 4, BBC films ect.
These institutions will reach the niche target audience as they
will already have created a small audience that they know will be
interested in the films.
• As our film is of the motorsport sub-
genre it will mean that the majority of
our audience will be male. We have
decided that our film is aimed at a
more local independent film
audience due to the genre. This is
the main reason as to why we have
decided to distribute with an
independent distributor rather than a
large Hollywood conglomerate.

5. FILM 4:
• Film 4 are the distributors of
more independent films like
the inbetweeners movies.
They are a subsidiary of
channel 4, this allows them to
have a larger budget when it
comes to the marketing of the
film. As a distributor they
target niche markets as their
films may not appeal to the
wider audiences.

6. BBC FILMS:
• BBC films distribute original
films to a niche market. They are
a subsidiary of the larger
conglomerate BBC. They have
distributed films such as Billy
Elliot. As they are a subsidiary
of BBC it allows them to market
these films on their channels
which will mean they can reach
their viewers that share an
interest in this genre of film.

7. STUDIO CANAL:
• They also distribute individual
films, they have distributed
films such as paddington
bear. They are a subsidiary
of Canal + pay TV, this has
allowed them to access wider
audiences through
advertising, and also have a
larger budget for the
advertising and distribution.

8. FOX SEARCHLIGHTS:
• Fox searchlight pictures are a
subsidiary of the 20th Century
Fox conglomerate, they distribute
the small more independent films
on behalf of the larger institution;
this allows them to use a larger
budget to distribute these films
and that will allow them to
generate a larger profit. They
have distributed films such as
127 hours, Juno and Black Swan.

9. FUNDING:
• After thinking about it for a while
we thought that we would go
through the BFI for funding as
they work with the national lottery
to fund the smaller budget films.
• Also we would use a company like
BBC films to distribute our film as
it will also mean that we could get
extra funding from the larger side
of the organisation.

10. WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO
DO:
• We have decided that the smaller distributor of BBC
films would be the best option possible for our film. We
have thought of this because our film will be targeted at
a niche audience and this means that it may not be
popular with the more global tent pole audiences, so
there is no need to go through a large conglomerate to
fund and distribute our film. By using the BBC films
distributor it will also have the benefit of having a TV
programme that is based on the film as it will build up
the ‘hype’ before the film is distributed.