This document discusses potential media institutions that could distribute an independent media product and why. It analyzes several distribution companies/labels including Film 4, Vertigo Films, DNA Films, and creating your own label called Pyramid Productions. While Film 4 may be too large, Vertigo Films and DNA Films are presented as more realistic options for small independent films. Creating your own label could allow for receiving all profits if successful but would be difficult to promote.

1. W H A T K I N D O F
M E D I A I N S T I T U T I O N
M I G H T D I S T R I B U T E
Y O U R M E D I A
P R O D U C T A N D
W H Y ?

2. D I S T R I B U T I O N C O M P A N I E S /
L A B E L S
• A film distribution company is a company responsible
for the marketing of a film. The distributor may set the
release date of a film and the method by which a film is
to be exhibited or made available for viewing, for
example a cinema release or the production of
DVD’s/Blu-rays. A distributor may do this directly, if the
distributor owns the theaters or film distribution
networks, for example Film 4. A limited distributor may
deal only with particular products, such as DVDs or
Blu-ray, or may act in a particular country or market.

3. F I L M 4
• Film 4 is a distribution company that promotes relatively low
budget British films partly through the use of its own TV
Channel. Some of the films it markets have gone onto become
massive blockbuster hits, the best example of this being
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ that became a global hit. Our film is a low
budget, independent film that would need smaller, indie
companies to market it. Film 4 is not the sort of company that
would market us, simply because of reasons such as a lesser
quality camera. The fact that it is just our first film means we are
extreme novices, which again means the quality of our piece
would be much lower than something they would be interested
in.

4. Film 4 Credit

5. V E R T I G O F I L M S
• Vertigo Films is a smaller company and therefore a
more realistic target for small time film makers like us,
had we decided to create a full film and not just the
opening. Like Film 4 there have been some films by
Vertigo Films that have gone on to be much bigger
successes than expected, such as Monsters.

6. Vertigo Films Credit

7. D N A F I L M S
• DNA Films is another option for a small independent
film like ours. It is one of the more successful British
production companies. Unlike Film 4 it does not have
its own channel through which it can promote it’s films,
meaning it is limited to having to market them other
ways and have smaller releases of just DVD or Blu-ray.

8. DNA Films Credit

9. P Y R A M I D P R O D U C T I O N S
• This is the final option for small time film makers like us,
creating your own label. For our media piece we came up with
the name ‘Pyramid Productions’ and like the companies I have
spoken about before, we came up with our own credit. Although
promoting your own film on an indie label can be a hard way of
marketing, it can have massive benefits. For example, should
the film be a success (compared to other films of the scale) you
would receive 100% of the profits as there isn't a ‘middle man’
that will get a percentage for its promotion. This style of
distribution is rare in the film industry but isn't uncommon in
other forms of media, such as the music industry where Foo
Fighters have their own label of ‘Roswell Records’.

10. Pyramid Productions