DISTRIBUTING MY FILM

 Slide 1 : Research into a distribution campaign by a Hollywood major 

When I researched how a Hollywood major distributed a film I noticed several strands that I could replicate with my budget:. E.g.  digital posters on social media, social media (Facebook, Instagram and twitter). Facebook reaches a different target audience. Traction on radio/newspapers. Film website. Film post card (social media links, phone image, details, contact details) - can be distributed to 

Slide 2 : How a successful independent low budget film presented itself. 

E.g. Bait. Take it to festivals ideally London film festival - (try to get a screening at the BFI) and apply for potential funding , screenings listed (urging for audiences to ask independent cinemas). Film post card (social media links, phone image, details, contact details) - can be distributed to raise awareness for film.

(insert images of Bait - screenshot of festivals page and digital poster)

Tortoise In Love was picked up by the BFI who created a distribution strategy for it which was enormously successful. They paid for posters, assistance to get it screened in small venues across the country (e.g. village halls, schools), a premier/red carpet in Leister Square. 

3 :  Film website like Sorry We Missed You lists screenings and makes it easy for audiences to find screenings; other strategies like viral marketing. Lists screenings online as opposed to high budget posters - easily accessible to old and not as expensive as a huge marketing campaign. Straightforward distribution method. #sorrywemissedyou - links to social marketing on website all helps. 

 4. By looking at the FDA website I have understood that the process of distribution is all about connecting films and audiences.

I learnt from Mark Batey’s (FDA head until 2019) presentation on distribution strategies that I have to identify what genre my film is and what its unique selling point (USP) is.

I understand the important considerations to take when distributing and targeting audiences, such as:

-          What is the film (are there any comparable films and how have they performed/what factors influenced this – work out a positioning for the film and ‘how it will play’)

-          When is it released (important due to the extremely conjected market place *insert statistic pf how many films released per year* so need a good date)

-          How is it released (distribution strategies e.g. posters, social media – how much can we afford to spend on promotion)

-          Who is the target audience?

5. Kezia Williams outlines how useful it is to make a 'comp list' of comparable films to identify the target audience and what will appeal to them and investigate them to understand the target audience as well as adding a new USP that makes audiences specifically want to see that film, more than those similar. Three films that are comparable to ours are:

YOU: psychological thriller/crime

Greta: psychological thriller/horror

Secret Obsession: psychological thriller

6.   The Distribution Process:

I understand that, in the world of independent film, distribution companies tend to work on a territory by territory basis. Meaning that a UK distributor will by the film for the UK and the right to arrange for distribution in all media (cinemas, DVD, video-on-demand, television, airlines, etc.) in the UK only. A French company will buy the film for France. A German company will buy for Germany. This continues for all the territories around the world. The distributor makes decisions as to when and how it will release the film, what sort of marketing campaign it will create and how much it will pay for marketing expenses, which are known as P&A (for prints and ads) in the case of territory distribution. The distributor is responsible for the financial success of the film in its territory.

7. UK Film Distributers: Verve and Warp

When distributing our film, we will pick a UK film distributor to connect our film with audiences. Ideally, we might like to be distributed by…

1.    8. Audience Research: conducted via a questionnaire

I designed and distributed an audience questionnaire via google forms to further investigate my target audience. My aim was to better understand their preferences, in order to help my production team and I effectively market and distribute our film according to what our target audience needs and enjoys. Through the use of Google Forms, I was able to collect data that I will be able to present in both graphical forms and words, as I asked questions that yielded both quantitative and qualitative data. I also tailored my questionnaire to fit the kind of film my production team are planning on creating, so asked questions unique to the genre we are developing: psychological thriller/horror. When I received my results, I was able to then utilise the insights I had gained to unsure our film was able to meet the needs of our target audience and therefore be as successful as possible.

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