HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
Film distribution and marketing
1. Film Distribution and Marketing
The distribution of a film is the process through which a movie is made
available to watch for an audience by a film distributor. A film distributor is a
company or individual responsible for the marketing of a film. It is the task of
the distributor to identify and deliver the largest possible audience for a film.
This task may be accomplished in a variety of ways; for example, with a
theatrical release, a home entertainment release or a television program for
broadcast syndication and may include digital distribution.
2. The reach of a film is in relation to the way it reaches its audience. For example
Hollywood films such as ‘Avatar’ (2009) had a large worldwide reach and were
released all over the world. It has since become the most successful film of all
time, and this could be down to its reach. However, films with a smaller reach,
such as the niche film 'Colin' (2008); it won't have quite an impact. Colin was
made using only £60, and ended up with a profit of almost £800, this just
shows how even with Niche films, if you market them well enough even they
can become popular.
The marketing plan is to create visibility, raise awareness and to engage
interest, cutting through the blizzard of competing messages. Distributors use
3. various methods to market a film. Word of mouth: a personal
recommendation from a friend. Posters: the main image or artwork distilling
the appeal and position of the film, also tell people who stars in it, who it’s
directed by and what genre. Trailers: film clips to entice people to go see the
film. Online and mobile: make a fan base website and social network accounts
for a film, also online advertising on popular websites. Publicity: magazine or
newspaper articles about the film or interviews with a cast member. These are
the main ways distributors market a film.
They also work with a 'Distribution plan'. This is where the distributors decide
who their target audience are, and research them to find out how best to
reach them and when to release the film. For example, they might do private
test screenings of a film several times before hand to see how it reaches the
audience best. They also might wait to release the film until a certain time
which helps promote the film best. For example, if it's a Christmas film it will
be more popular at Christmas rather than mid-summer. Or a romantic comedy
4. film around Valentine’s Day. Distributors
must also take into account current
events and the context of the film, as if
something is quite large in the media at
one point, it may be either perfect timing
to release the film, or it could end in
disaster as it is disrespectful to whatever
happened. For example, movies,
documentaries and TV programs about
9/11 were not released until several years after as it is a very sensitive subject.
Although very similar, advertising, publicity and promotion each mean
something different. They are all about making people aware of the film, but
publicity is where the actors of the film, or directors etc. are seen everywhere
around the time the film is released, for example interviews in every magazine
and on TV. This adds subtle hints to the audience who then want to see the
5. film. Advertising is literally just advertising the film, through posters and
trailers etc. Promotion is where other companies work with the distributors to
promote the film or the film sponsoring something popular on TV, meaning it'll
get a large viewing.
6. film. Advertising is literally just advertising the film, through posters and
trailers etc. Promotion is where other companies work with the distributors to
promote the film or the film sponsoring something popular on TV, meaning it'll
get a large viewing.