Film distribution involves making movies available to audiences through various methods. Distributors must consider marketing strategy, exhibition medium, and release date. Films are typically first released in theaters, then on DVD/Blu-ray, streaming/VOD services, and finally broadcast television. Simultaneous releases across mediums have both advantages of wider consumer access and unified marketing but also risks less funding and promotion. Straight-to-video releases bypass theaters and target home video formats. Theatrical windows, once 6 months, have been shrinking to now around 4 months as studios try to recoup losses from other markets more quickly.

1. FILM DISTRIBUTION
BY BETHANY HOLDSWORTH

2. THE BASICS
• Film distribution is the process in which you make a movie for a viewing audience.
• When films are being distributed there are certain things distributors need to
consider: marketing strategy for the film, the media by which a film is to be
exhibited or made available for viewing, and when to set the release date.
• The film may be exhibited directly to the public either through a movie theatre or
television.

3. STANDARD RELEASE
• When a movie is first released, it is firstly promoted through movie theatres
(theatrical window), then after about 16 and a half weeks its released on DvD
(video window). After an additional number of months its released on TV and
VOD services at a charge. Finally around 2 years later its available to air on TV
for free.

4. SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE
• A simultaneous release takes place when a movie is made available on many
media (cinema, DVD, internet) at the same time or with very little difference in
timing.
• The advantages are that both consumers, can chose the medium that most suits
their needs, and production studios only have to run one marketing campaign for
all releases.
• The down side being that many see this type of release as experimental and there
for company's don’t get substantial investments and promotion.
• Cinema owners can be affected seriously in case they have to share their
opportunity window, specially at the beginning of the movie lifecycle, since,
according to Disney, about 95% of all box office tickets for a film are sold within
the first 6 weeks after initial distribution.

5. STRAIGHT TO VIDEO RELEASE
• A straight to video (or straight-to-DVD or straight-to-Blu-ray) release occurs when
a movie is released on home video formats (such as VHS, DVD, etc.) without being
released in theatres first, therefor not taking into consideration the "theatrical
window".
• Releasing straight to video achieves a higher success and has become a profitable
market lately, especially for independent moviemakers and companies.

6. SHRINKING OF THE THEATRICAL WINDOW
• Originally films where played in cinemas for a 6 moths duration, however, now
only 4 months.
• Movie studios have been trying to downsize the duration of the theatrical window
in an attempt to make up for large losses in the DVD market.
• In early 2010, Disney announced it would be putting out the DVD and Blu-ray
versions of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland 14 weeks after the movie's release
date (instead of the usual 17) in order to avoid competition from the 2010 World
Cup. In response to such statements, theatre owners made threats not to show the
movie on their screens, but later reconsidered their position before the movie was
released.
• Makers of smaller-budget movies are putting to the test new release strategies