Distribution is the process of getting films noticed by audiences through identifying the target demographic, estimating revenue potential, and convincing exhibitors to show the film. The UK has six main distribution companies linked to Hollywood studios, such as Entertainment One and Metrodome. The film Exile is a British independent thriller/crime/romance hybrid that would appeal most to a UK audience given its low-budget, British actors and setting. Metrodome may be a good fit as they have distributed similar British "indie" films in the past like Shifty.

1. Media Task 3
What kind of media
institution might distribute
your media product and
why?

2. What is
Distribution?
Distribution is a competitive business of launching and sustaining
films in the market place. Distribution gets films noticed. Their
challenge is to get each film into a certain market that suits the
films genre and demographic. They do this by...
Identify its audience
Consider why they would go and see it
Estimate the revenue potential of the films release
Convincing film exhibitors to play the movie
Developing plans to build up awareness and gain some interest

3. Distribution
companies
The UK has six main Distribution Companies that are linked to
Studios in Hollywood. These include ...
 Entertainment one
 Entertainment film distributors
 Icon movies
 Arrow films
 Metrodome
 Vertigo Films

4. Comparing EXile to films
previous distributors have
released
The film I have created is a hybrid between a Thriller, crime and
romance. I feel that our film is an independent British film. This is
because the plot is slightly more average in comparison to Hollywood
movies, and we feel that our chosen demographic would prefer low
budget films with edge.
We looked at films such as Shifty and Bonded by blood, both British
‘Indie’ films, both linked to one or more of our chosen genres. Shifty,
being mainly about crime, works well with the genre we have chosen
as our film revolves around a murder. I feel that an audience that
enjoys watching films like shifty, would enjoy our films just as much.
Shifty was distributed by company Metrodome, and I feel that they
would be a good company to work with and help our film get noticed
by the right people.

5. Is your film going to appeal
to UK audiences only?
I feel that Exile would only be suitable for a British Audience. We have British
actors, and our film is set in Britain. Because of our movie being that of a
low budget film, we could only use the people that were available. Our
actors are new found talent also meaning that perhaps audiences
internationally would not be as interested.
Our props and equipment would be low budget along with the film, meaning
not so many elaborate effects etc.
Although many American films become popular in the UK this doesn’t always
work with British films being popular in the USA.

6. marketing strategies,
release strategies and
exhibition options.
We have thought of some possible ideas for marketing and release strategies
such as social networking like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
We wanted to use Social Media because it gets information round to people
all over the internet, and we feel that this will get our film noticed in no
time. If someone sees something that interests them on a social media
account, they are more likely to share it, reblog and repost it to their
friends and family. This will be done over and over again to create a cycle.
We would create a “hash tag” for twitter and facebook to get our film noticed
and to help promote our film as much as possible.
There is also the idea of showing our films at different Film Festivals around
the country.
Somerset House in London holds annual Film Festivals showing a large range
of movies for people to watch during the summer outside on the BIG
screen. Tourists and locals would be able to view our film, and it would
help us get EXile noticed.

7. Self
Distribution
Self Distribution is another way of getting our film noticed. Using the world of
the internet and well known websites such as YouTube our film could get
large numbers of people wanting to see our film. Showing snippets and
trailers and then eventually the whole movie, to gain suspense and letting
the audiences see more and more until the final cut.
Showing our film at smaller and more local cinemas closer to small towns could
get some acknowledgement. Putting adverts in the towns’ local papers and
handing out leaflets to let people know when the viewing times were would
help more and more people see our film.
Advantages...
 Any profits that we did make would not have to be split with a distribution
company
 We would keep hold of full control and rights to the film
Disadvantages...
 Looking for buyers and filling out paper work could be very time consuming
 Need to be aware of legal rights. Mistakes like signing away rights to your
film can happen, preventing it from being shown at other places