This document discusses film distribution and marketing synergy. It begins by outlining the key concepts to be covered: distribution, vertical and horizontal integration, and synergy. It then provides definitions of vertical integration, horizontal integration, and distribution. Distribution involves organizing exhibition outlets, arranging prints, and marketing/promoting across holdings through planned synergy. Students are tasked with creating a visual displaying vertical and horizontal integration, and providing examples of synergy for an upcoming Ms. Marvel film by mind mapping promotional potentials across audience groups and existing properties. Homework involves completing the mind map and collecting examples of synergy for a current film release.

1. Film Distribution
Marketing & Synergy
18th
January 2012

2. By the end of today’s lesson you will all:
• Better understand the process of
DISTRIBUTION
• Be able to explain VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL
INTEGRATION and how DISTRIBUTION fits
into the model
• Understand and be able to exemplify
SYNERGY in action

3. This Week’s Reading – Exhibition
What can you extract?

4. Six Hats Questions for you:
• White – What factual information is presented in
the article?
• Red – How do you feel about the debates
presented?
• Yellow – What benefits are presented? Who
benefits (audience/institutions)?
• Black – What disadvantages are presented?
• Green – What are the alternatives?
• Blue – What have you understood about
exhibition? Can you summarise the debates?

5. Let’s recap:
• What is vertical integration? Draw a diagram and
label.
What do you understand by Horizontal Integration?

7. Horizontal Integration
• The consolidation of holdings across multiple
industries. The idea of owning many media
outlets, which run almost the same content
designed to increase the “synergy’ between the
different divisions of the same company. Studios
seek content that can move fluidly across media
channels (music, gaming, film, publishing, TV
broadcasting, merchandising, parks).
Q What are the advantages and disadvantages of
this model for audiences and institutions?

8. Distribution – A definition
‘The Piggy in the Middle’
• Film distribution is the process whereby completed films are brought to life and
connected with an audience. A film distributor is a company responsible for
releasing films to the public either theatrically (at the cinema) or for home
viewing (DVD, Video-On-Demand, online download, TV broadcasting etc.).
Distribution can be divided into 3 main stages - licensing, marketing and logistics
and these form the of the VERTICAL axis.
• Distribution involves
• organising for the film to receive an age certificate by regulation bodies, such as
the BBFC and MPAA
• arranging exhibition outlets globally and DVD/Television rights
• arranging for prints of the film to be distributed
• marketing, publicity and promotion (product placement/tie-ins/merchandise/spin-
offs) of the film which involves planned SYNERGY across HORIZONTAL AXIS
holdings and corporate partnerships.
IN TEAMS USING YOUR VOCABULARY LIST CREATE A VISUAL ‘VERTICAL &
HORIZONALLY INTEGRATED ‘ DISPLAY /POSTER . YOU HAVE TWENTY MINUTES.

10. What have
you learnt
so far
today?
Let’s look at
some examples
of synergy in
action.

11. OVER TO YOU
Your Task:
Marvel Comics and Disney-Buena Vista
(who now own Marvel Comics) have
decided to release a new film on their
character Ms. Marvel (see her profile here:
http://marvel.com/characters/bio/1010338
/ms_marvel).
Look at a range of existing comic book
examples,
http://www.moviemarketingmadness.com/
could be a helpful resources, research the
different inter-linked products they have i.e.
merchandise, spin-offs, cross-promotions,
etc.
Mind map synergy potentials for the film
Ms. Marvel remember to consider the
different potential audiences you could
appeal to and how you could develop pre-
existing property.
LIVE LINKS ON NOODLE :
HTTP://6thformnoodle.blogspot.com

12. HOMEWORK
• 1. Complete your Ms Marvel Mind-map
• 2. Follow a current release film and collect
examples of synergic corporate marketing and
partnerships.
PRIZES FOR THE BEST COLLECTION