Case studies in Film distribution

1. Case studies in Film
Distribution
By Lucy Brownnutt

2. Technical Convergence
How technology allows media texts to be
produced and distributed on multiple media
devices. The move from film to digital means
phones/ipads etc. can be used to show and
market film, specifically because film takes up
too much space but digital storage can be tiny.

3. Media Convergence
How media production companies use a variety
of media to display their product. A magazine
company has a print version, a website and a
Facebook page. Cross media convergence is
usually possible because of technological
convergence.

4. What is a film distributor?
A film distributor is a company or individual 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, directly to the public either theatrically or for
home viewing (dvd, video on demand, download,
television programs through broadcast syndication etc.)
A distributor may do directly, if the distributor owns the
theatres or film distribution networks, or through
theatrical exhibitors and other sub-distributors. A
limited distributor may deal only with particular
products, such as DVDs or Blu-ray, or may act in a
particular country or market.

5. What is film distribution?
Film distributor is the process of making a movie available for
viewing by an audience. This is normally the task of a professional
film distributor who would determine the marketing strategy for
the film, the media by which a film is to be exhibited or made
available for viewing, and who may set the release date and other
matters as I said in the last slide. The film may be exhibited directly
to the public either through a movie theatre or television or
personal home viewing (including dvd - video or blu ray dvd, video-on-
demand, download, television programs through broadcast
syndication etc.). For commercial projects, film distribution is
usually accompanied by film promotion.
When a film is initially produced, a feature film is often shown to
audiences in a movie theatre. Typically, one film is the featured
presentation (or feature film). Before the 1970s, there were
"double features"; typically, a high quality "A picture" rented by an
independent theater for a lump sum, and a "B picture" of lower
quality rented for a percentage of the gross receipts. Today, the
bulk of the material shown before the feature film consists of
previews for upcoming movies (also known as trailers) and paid
advertisements.

6. What is Synergy?
Two or more companies working together. For
example Working titles worked with Universal
on more than one film.
‘Synergy, an abstract concept, is the
combination of multiple ingredients producing a
result greater than the simple arithmetic
summation of the individual components.’