1. Debate!
‘The distribution process
benefits all areas of the film
industry.’
Discuss
In order to prepare for the debate, you will be given a hand out of
information on distribution.
Use this as a resource to support your argument. Go through and highlight
key points that may support either side of the debate. This is important and
will help you to see both sides of the argument (which could surface as a
question in the exam).
Develop

2. Debate!
‘The distribution process
benefits all areas of the film
industry.’
Discuss
Take a card.
Think about the implications of the distribution process upon the company
or individual on your card.
Use this view point to direct you in the debate. Does your company or
individual benefit from distribution?
Develop

3. You are an independent film
maker. You have struck a deal
with a major distribution
company.
You are an independent film
maker. You are currently
struggling to find a distributor for
your amazing new film.
You are an independent film
company. You have an amazing
film in pre-production. The
successful distribution company
that you have been liaising with
wants you to change your script
drastically before it will agree to
a deal.
You are a successful production
company, part of a vertically
integrated conglomerate.
You are a successful distribution
company whom is part of a
vertically integrated
conglomerate.
You are planning to distribute a
film for your sister company.
You are a manager for an
independent cinema.
You are an indie film fan. You live
in a small town and your nearest
cinema is an Odeon.
You are a film fan. You enjoy big
block buster, action films. You
live in a small village in the
country and cannot get to the
cinema.
You are a manager of an Odeon
cinema in central London.
You are the star actor in the film.
In your contract you have agreed
to attend world wide premieres
for the film and attend media
interviews on TV, radio and over
the phone to promote the film
You are a large conglomerate.
Your latest block buster film has
been produced, distributed and
exhibited by your subsidiaries.

4. UK distribution
• In the practice of Hollywood, the phases of
production, distribution and exhibition operate
most effectively when 'vertically
integrated', where the three stages are seen as
part of the same larger process, under the
control of one company.
• In the UK, distribution is very much focused on
marketing and sustaining a global product in
local markets.
A reminder
KEY FOR THE EXAM
DISCOVER

5. Independent
In the independent film sector, vertical
Integration does not operate so commonly.
Producers tend not to have long-term
economic links with distributors, who likewise have no
formal connections with exhibitors.
Here, as the pig-in-the-middle, distribution is necessarily
a collaborative process, requiring the materials and rights
of the producer and the cooperation of the exhibitor to
promote and show the film in the best way possible. In
this sector, distribution can be divided into three stages –
licensing, marketing and logistics.
YOU MUST BE ABLE
TO EXPLAIN THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BRITISH
AND AMERICAN
CINEMA AND
INDEPENDENT VS
COMGLOMERATE
DISCOVER

6. • In groups, you are going to read through an
area of distribution.
• You will be responsible
for teaching the rest of
the class!
DISCOVER

7. Logistics of distribution
The distributor will enter into an agreement with the cinema to
screen the film on certain 'play-dates'.
It is the responsibility of the distributor to arrange the
transportation of the film to the cinema, as part of its wider
coordination of print use across the UK.
Logistics represents the phase of distribution at its most basic -
supplying and circulating copies of the film to theatres, of tapes
and DVDs to shops and video rental stores, and managing the
effectiveness of the supply.
Cinemas spend their money publicising film play-dates and
times in local papers or through published programmes. So
there's an imperative for the distributor to deliver the film on
time.
Questions to discuss:
• What factors effect the ‘play dates’?
• If film play dates are being published in local papers – which target audience is more likely to
see this?
• What could go wrong at the logistics stage?

8. Single print logistics
Main print
warehouse
Delivery
van
Cinema
Assembly
Bench
Projector

9. Distributor – Printing the film
The distributor typically handles 35mm film prints. Each print can
cost around £1,000 - or twice that if subtitled - so a degree of
care is required of everyone involved in handling the print.
In the UK, prints are generally broken down for ease of handling
into smaller reels, each lasting around 18-20 mins when run
through a projector at 24 frames per second. So a feature
print, in its physical form, will usually be 5 or 6 reels, stored and
supplied in a single hard case, weighing in at 20-25kgs.
Prints are hired by the exhibitor for the duration of their play-
dates, and therefore each print is made for repeat use.
Questions to discuss:
• What issues do you foresee with the method of printing film reels?
• What are the positives of printing on film reels?
• Can you think of an alternative method of distributing to cinemas
without printing on film?

10. Distribution – further Costing
35mm theatrical prints invariably suffer cumulative
damage as they pass through different projectors, and
the hands of various projectionists.
There are also overheads incurred by the distributor for
the storage of prints at the UK's central print
warehouse in West London.
Each theatrical print has a finite lifespan. Distributor
will invest in sufficient prints to provide optimum
coverage through the first period of theatrical release,
usually lasting up to 6 months.
Questions to discuss:
• What issues do you foresee with the method of printing film reels?
• What are the positives of printing on film reels?
• Can you think of an alternative method of distributing to cinemas without printing
on film?

11. Digital distribution
In distribution terms, the advantages of digital technology
are even clearer, though perhaps longer term. Digital
technology is seen to offer a more cost effective and
logistics-light alternative to the tried and trusted, but
unwieldy model of 35mm print distribution described
above.
It will, eventually, be cheaper and much less stressful to
send films as computer files to cinemas across the UK, than
to transport 20-25kg tins of film in the back of a van.
Questions to discuss:
• How does this impact on independent and conglomerates?
• How might this benefit the audience?

12. Positives and negatives
Traditional film
print distribution
• Who benefits?
• Costing implications?
• Negatives?
• Affect on audience?
• Affect on exhibitors?
• Affect on Producers?
Digital distribution
DEVELOP

13. Case study - Distribution
• What information can you find about the distribution stage
of ‘A field in England’ and ‘Pacific Rim’?
A field in England Pacific Rim
General info
Finance
Production
Distribution
Exhibition
Recommended
layout for case
study to enable
you to
compare and
contrast.

14. How many
different
methods can
you think of to
market a film?
DISCOVER

15. Marketing methods
Traditional methods
Posters
(teaser campaigns)
Trailer (TV, youtube,
cinema)
Merchandise
Interview
Radio ads
New methods
Twitter
Word of mouth
Online ads (banners,
you tube – teaser
ads)
website
DEVELOP

16. Viral Marketing Defined
• Viral marketing describes any strategy that
encourages individuals to pass on a
marketing message to others, creating the
potential for exponential growth in the
message's exposure and influence. Like
viruses, such strategies take advantage of
rapid multiplication to explode the message to
thousands, to millions.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/nov/14/2
012-roland-emmerich-viral-marketing
DEVELOP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDiZOnzajNU

17. Look at the list of people on the next slide.
• Provide an example of a film or film genre that
you feel would be marketed at them.
• What marketing methods would be most
effective for this target audience?
• How would they consume a film? (would they
visit a cinema or watch via another method?)
DEVELOP

18. A single man in his 20’s.
Works as an estate agent
and drives a company car.
A retired couple in their
60’s.
A 15 year old girl studying
for her GCSE’s. She likes to
talk to her friends on
facebook and often meets
up with friends in town to
go shopping at the
weekend.
A 19 year old male student
studying Film studies and
living away from home.
A 40 year old female. She
watches TV in the evening
to relax and is a big fan of
Brad Pitt
A married couple whom
want to take their 6 year
old daughter to watch a
film.
A tourist looking for
something to do of an
evening whilst visiting
London.
A young professional
couple that work long
hours.
A female film fan whom is
interested in subtitled
films.

19. USEFUL LINKS FOR REVISION
• http://www.launchingfilms.tv/marketing.php
• http://www.empireonline.com/features/best-movie-viral-
marketing-right-now/8.asp
• http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/06/07/super-8-best-viral-
marketing-movies/
• http://www.purple-consultancy.com/blog/the-top-5-viral-film-
marketing-campaigns-blog-22828858282
• http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/06/who-
actually-falls-for-hollywoods-viral-marketing-well-for-starters-
me/258255/

20. A field in England Pacific Rim
General info:
• Synopsis
• Release date
• Main stars
• Director
• Producer
• Nationality
• Production co
• Distributor
• Target audience
Finance
Production
Distribution
Marketing
Exhibition