Film distributors obtain the rights to release films to cinemas and market them internationally. They organize a film's marketing, decide the release date, and negotiate with cinemas. As part of this, distributors develop a marketing plan to promote the film through various advertising channels like posters, trailers, social media, and partnerships. They also create a distribution plan by determining the target audience and estimating earnings to budget the film's release. Advertising directly promotes the film, while publicity generates interest through media coverage of premieres and interviews, and promotion encourages viewers through endorsements.

1. Film
Distribution
By Alison Hoar

2. What is meant by the term film
distribution?
The distributors obtain the rights to a film to
release to the general public through
cinemas. Companies distributing the film will
market the film at festivals and markets
internationally to companies who are
interested in showing the film.

3. What does a film distributor
do?
Before distributing a film, the distributor needs to think of many factors that
are important to a box office success. These can range from identifying and
attracting the audience to see to film as well as estimating revenue and box
office success through to persuading with advertising and
marketing, although their main job is to organise the marketing of the
product, decide on the release date and exhibit the film to negotiate with
cinemas that want to show the film. The distributors can gain the film through
many different ways including;
 Third parties companies who often work on behalf of someone else
 Films from a parent studio
 A studio/production company who have negotiated a deal to obtain
the rights
 A single title through obtaining the rights before or after production

4. How does reach relate to film
distribution?
The film distributors need to reach their audience so they can
target them specifically which will lead to the film being more
successful. Although the most important area to attract
audiences to is the cinema, they need to used advertising in
both print and digital mediums as well as targeting
mainstream media such as interviews on TV/radio shows and
interviews in newspapers as well as photos from premieres.
After the cinematic release, they also need to release the
film through digital home entertainment (DVD’s, Blu-ray,
on-demand etc..), subscription/pay to view television
(Companies like Sky)and then free to view television.

5. What is meant by the
marketing plan?
Through marketing on a number of different platforms, distributors are able to
market their film effectively to fit with their target audience. By having key
objectives to raise awareness and promote.
 Word of mouth
 Posters
 Trailers
 Online and mobile –
 Social networks
 Ambient and print media
 Publicity
 Premieres
 Promotional partnerships
 Merchandising
An opinion from the film distributor is usually formed before the film goes into
production as the distributors need to be sure it can hit the right audiences and
will be commercially viable and a plan is usually produced just before the start of
principle photography. Some areas with are focused on when marketing a film is
a new known cast or director, an interesting script or being filmed in the country it
is being released.

6. What is meant by the
distribution plan?
Distribution plans are tailor made to the film when the film
distributor is in consultation with the producer or main studio of
the film. The distributors have to agree how and when the film
is going to being released with the associated parties as well
as estimate the earnings so they can plan a budget. One of
the key elements of a distribution plan is to find the target
audience and understand who they are which can impact
on how the film is marketed and where it is released.
Distributors tend to avoid assuming too much of a film release
as film goers are very unpredictable and can lead distributors
to not come up with a plan until there is a finished film that
can be seen. Questions such as if there is any competition
with similar films or if there is any stars that expected to gain
fame with this release are usually discussed when making the
distribution plan.

7. What is the difference
between advertising, publicity
and promotion?
Although advertising, publicity and promotion all come
under marketing a product, they all are quite different.
While advertising, such as posters and trailers advertise
the film so people can look at it, things such as
interviews from the cast/director where they are talking
about it and advising you to watch it is promotion. Film
premieres and festivals are publicity as they are trying
to generate interest by using important tools such as
the press and the media to act as a promotional tool.
Publicity Promotion
Advertising