Research into the Film Industry- Distribution

Distribution

Distribution is where a film, having completed its production and post-production, is released to audiences by a film distributor. Examples of distribution companies are 20^thCentury Fox, The Walt Disney Company Ltd. and Warner Bros pictures. They have released films like X-Men, Alice in Wonderlandand The Lord of the Rings retrospectively.

Distributed 'The Lord of the Rings'

Distributed 'Alice in Wonerland'

Distributed 'X-Men'

There are many ways in which a film can be released to the public and as technology has modernised, so have the methods for film release.

Theatre Release

Films are distributed to cinemas after distribution companies secure contracts with theatres. They are also responsible for providing the various theatres with enough marketing material prior to release of a film to make sure maxim promotion is achieved.

Home Release

Films are can be distributed in a ‘physical format’ on to DVD and now more recently BluRay DVD. The DVDs are sold in shops for purchase but can also be rented in video rental shops. Another new way that films are being distributed is through satellite and cable TV. For example Sky has their ‘Sky Box Office’ where recently released films can be rented directly through the sky box.

The window for release is usually about 12 weeks after theatre release. There have recently been disputes due to the fact that distribution companies want to lessen this window to speed up the home release of films, where as production companies want to keep their films in the box office for as long as possible to make as much money they can.

Internet

The distribution companies also want to lessen this window so films can be released on to the internet quicker. This is the newest form of distribution and is where people can rent films to watch online via companies like Netflix; this company has now also made links with Virgin Media so customers can watch films on Netflix via their TV box and is something that many other companies are looking into.

Netflix mobile website where films can be rented and watched

Examples of distribution companies we could use:

Universal – This Company has released many films of various genres and is a well known and established company that distributes worldwide. It has also released films of the ‘coming of age’ genre such as ‘Cherrybomb’ (2009) starring young actors such as Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan and Kimberly Nixon.

Studio Canal (Formerly Optimum Releasing) – Has been responsible for the distribution of many independent British, Irish and American films in the UK and sometimes Ireland. It has been distributed films such as ‘This Is England’ (2006) and ‘Submarine’ (2010). The themes of these films, along with some others it has distributed, fits with the style we are trying to achieve so the company would know the correct audiences to distribute and aim our film at.

We will be looking more closely at distribution companies and which method of distribution would be right for us in the evaluation stage.