Lionsgate would be the best institution to distribute the document author's paranormal horror film "Vanity". Lionsgate has had success distributing similar films like "Sinister" through its subsidiary Summit Entertainment. Lionsgate uses social media extensively to market its films to large audiences. It also self-distributes its films, keeping costs low and profits high. The document examines other potential distributors but concludes Lionsgate is the best choice due to its track record of distributing horror films and ability to achieve wide theatrical releases for low-budget films like "The Last Exorcism".

1. What kind of media
institution might
distribute your
media product and
why?

2. What institution?
There are many different institutions to consider when
choosing which would distribute my own paranormal
horror, first we must take a look at a few…

3. Independent Distributor
Film 4 is an independent company who work to produce new and
upcoming movies.
Due to Film4 showcasing new and upcoming talent, my own
paranormal horror could fit with Film4. It is a British company and
therefor doesn’t distribute beyond UK, unlike other companies
such as Lionsgate. This could be one that distributes my product as
I could be seen as an upcoming director and film maker.
However one of the main reasons I may not chose Film4 as my
distributor, because my own paranormal horror product may have
the potential to be more mainstream than some movies that Film4
have produced/distributed/backed
FILM 4

4. THE BIG
DISTRIBUTORSWITH FILM EXAMPLES

5. PARAMOUNT
WARNER BROTHERS
FILM DISTRICT
SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
LIONSGATE
LIONSGATE
DREAM WORKS PICTURES

6. PARAMOUNT
Paranormal films similar to ours released & distributed by Paramount
Pictures in the last 5 years are;
-Paranormal Activity The Marked Ones (January 2014)
-Paranormal Activity 4 (October 2012)
-The Devil Inside (January 2012)
-Paranormal Activity 3 (October 2011)
-Paranormal Activity 2 (October 2010)
As we can see from the films above that are similar to ours which lay in the
paranormal sub genre category. Paramount Picture on average distribute
one paranormal horror film per year, not only do they do that but they
release and distribute them in specific times in order for them to reach the
full market, for example (October time) this moth is a typical Hollywood
horror release date as it is in Halloween and people dress in spooky
costumes and therefor would be a suitable release date as it would relate to
the movie. Paramount Pictures would be a good company to distribute our
movie.

7. WARNER BROTHERS
Paranormal films similar to ours released & distributed by Warner Brothers in the
last 5 years are;
-Annabelle (October 2014)
-The Conjuring (July 2013)
-The Apparition (August 2012)
As we can see from the films above that are similar to ours which lay in the
paranormal sub genre category. Warner Brothers rarely released and distributed
paranormal horror over the past 5 years compared to Paramount Pictures, therefor I
will not be approaching Warner Brothers to distribute my paranormal movie
“Vanity” due to them having a lack of experience in distributing into this sub genre
(paranormal) and I would think other big institution would be more suited. However
the release date for “The conjuring” and “The Apparition” is an abnormal date due
to them being released and distributed in July and August when you normally
expect a horror movie to be released on October time as it is near Halloween, which
is a typical Hollywood horror release, but they don’t have enough sub genre
paranormal horror distributed and released therefor will be eliminated

8. FILM DISTRICT
Paranormal films similar to ours released & distributed by Film
District in the last 5 years are;
-insidious II (September 2013)
-Insidious (March 2011)
As we can see from the films above that are similar to ours
which lay in the paranormal sub genre category. Film District
rarely released any paranormal movies similar to ours, with only
2 films released in the past 5 years. Although the two movies
which they distributed were successful however Film District
won’t be distributing our movie as they do not have enough
movies for them to distribute our movie in order for it to be
successful

9. SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT
Paranormal films similar to ours released & distributed by
Summit Entertainment in the last 5 years are;
-Sinister (October 2012)
Even though Summit Entertainment distributed only 1
paranormal horror film in the past 5 years, we must
acknowledge that Summit Entertainment is a subsidiary
company of Lionsgate, which may suggest that Lionsgate
may have distributed other Paranormal movies instead of
Summit Entertainment. This would be in contention with
Paramount because of how successful Sinister was and
because they are a subsidiary company of Lionsgate.

10. TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
Paranormal films similar to ours released & distributed by
Tribeca Film Festival in the last 5 years are;
-Grave Encounters (June 2011)
The film above is similar to ours which lays in the paranormal
sub genre category. Tribeca Film Festival only released one
paranormal horror film in recent years. Grave Encounters was
successful as it made $3million profit however there are bigger
institutions such as Paramount and/or Lionsgate which I think
would bring more success to the movie because of their history
and distribution of recent Paranormal films.

11. LIONSGATE
Paranormal films similar to ours released & distributed by Lionsgate in
the last 5 years are;
-The Quite ones (April 2014)
-The Possession (August 2013)
-The Last Exorcism (August 2010)
-The Haunting (March 2009)
As we can see from the films above that are similar to ours which lay
in the paranormal sub genre category. Lionsgate distribute many
horror movies and paranormal horror, all in which of these were fairly
successful. This will give us an indication that Lionsgate are a reliable
institution for us to go to and for them to distribute our movie to gain
success and target a wide audience.

12. DREAMWORKS PICTURES
Unfortunately DreamWorks do not have any recent paranormal
sub genre horror movies distributed in recent years (Past 5
years) therefor it would be very convenient for them to
distribute and market our movie as other institutions would be
better at doing that, such as Lionsgate and/or Paramount
Pictures.
There last Paranormal horror that DreamWorks Distributed was
“The Ring” back in 2002 a long time ago.
DreamWorks usually distribute more of an animated movies
such as Kung Fu Panda and Cars so it would not be suitable for us
and for them to distribute a paranormal horror movie.

13. VANITY
Our movie “Vanity” fits into the paranormal horror
sub genre and is mainly aimed at the psychographic
mainstreamers, it is also mainly aimed at the
female gender due to paranormal horror having
jump scares, whereas the male gender prefer more
gore and violence which paranormal horror doesn’t
show much of. It would be a typical Hollywood
horror film and therefor would have a Halloween
release date. In order for “Vanity” to target its
market audience it would need to be distributed by
a big company that usually releases horror movies
and paranormal horror. An independent institution
such as Film4 usually have a niche target audience,
whereas my product is for mainstreamers.
Therefore the will not distribute my product

14. PARAMOUNT PICTURES & LIONSGATE
Paramount Pictures who are a film studio,
television production company and motion
company distributor.
Paramount Pictures is ranked as one of the
big six film studios in Hollywood.
Paramount Pictures have had many success
and generally distribute blockbusters, so my
media project “Vanity” could be distributed
by Paramount Pictures.
However, they mainly distribute action
adventure films that mainly target the male
gender (opposite to our project) such as
World War Z, although this action
adventure film leads slightly towards horror
even though Paramount Pictures do not
distribute a wide range of horror films. I
would prefer a distributor who does that.
Lionsgate has many subsidiary companies, one
of which is “Summit Entertainment” which
they have distributed a film similar to my own
(Sinister) and has succeed. Summit was also
responsible for the Twilight Saga. Therefor a
vertical integrated company such as Lionsgate
already have an expectation of quality and
success, this may be associated with the
audience.
Lionsgate tend to use social media platforms to
inform and market to their audience of the
new films to be released, this allows the film
to be distributed to a large scale. This means
Lionsgate do not have to work with another
big institution, meaning its low costing and
money making, which is what we want for our
film. Lionsgate & Summit Entertainment
distribute different types of films, ranging in
genre although they have a high success rate in
horror films

15. THE CONJURING & THE LAST EXORCIST
Budget: $20million Budget:$3million
Gross: $320million Gross:$80million
(PARAMOUNT PICTURES) & (LIONSGATE)

16. My Distributor & Why
After digging out research about well known media
institutions, I found a particular institution that I would
like to distribute my media product “Vanity”. Lionsgate.
Lets have a look at The Last Exorcism, released on August 27,
2010 (similar type of month we want to release and distribute
our media product “Vanity”) and its distributed by Lionsgate
production budget was only $1.8million and grossed over
$67million worldwide. Really good figures considering its low
budget.
I think one of the major factors that contributed to the
success of this film is how Lionsgate distributed it. In its
opening weekend it grossed over $20million, the reason
behind this is that Lionsgate distributed this movie to 2,874
theatres. This is the type of release I am looking for, for my
own media product “Vanity” and hoping the same outcome
will happen