A film distributor is an independent company that markets and secures placement of a producer's film in cinemas and for home viewing, with the goal of finding the largest possible audience. The distributor aims to convince exhibitors like cinemas to play the film for a certain period of time by arranging screenings and using marketing techniques. There are many challenges for distributors due to competition from other entertainment and over 500 blockbuster films released yearly in the UK. The distribution process involves acquiring rights, production, post-production, the distributor setting a release date and marketing campaign, and eventually releasing the film in cinemas and on DVD.

1. Film Distribution in the UK
By Ellton Clow

2. What is a film distributor?
• A film distributor is an independent company which secures the
placement of a producers film; e.g. Film 4, Universal and Columbia
Pictures.
The term ‘distribution’ refers to the marketing of films, in both cinemas
and home viewing. This also includes finding the largest possible
audience for a film.

3. Aims
• The distributor aims to convince the exhibitor (e.g. a cinema) to paly a
film for a certain amount of time.
In order to achieve this the distributor arranges screenings of the
films and sometimes uses other marketing techniques to convince
them.
Disadvantages
• Many other types of entertainment options exist.
Over 500 blockbuster films are released each year in the UK alone,
this also creates difficulty.

4. Step by Step Distribution Process
Producer/Company acquires rights to film story or treatment
Screenplay is developed by one or more writers
Production finance and cast crew are confirmed
Principal filming takes place in agreed locations/ months of post production and editing occurs
Distributor considers release date and possesses a master copy of the finished film
Distributor presents the film to exhibiters and negotiates to have it shown in cinemas.
Distributor creates a marketing campaign, attempts to appeal to target audience and releases the film
The finished product (prints/disks/British film classification certificate) are delivered to cinemas before release
Film run extends a certain number of weeks subject to personality
The film then becomes a catalogue title and is subsequently released on DVD