Doc Martin

Task 10

What is film distribution?

Distribution is key. Film distribution is the process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience and is the third part of the supply chain. Distribution is the most important part of the film industry, without it films would not make any profits or been seen by audiences.

What is the role of a film distributor?

A professional who would determine the marketing strategy for the film, the media by which a film is to be exhibited or made available for viewing, and who may set the release date and other matters.

What's a distribution plan?

Usually, a distribution strategy is put together to ensure that the product reaches the intended target audience. This includes how the film is marketed, its merchandise, prices and other such things.

What's a P + A budget?

The P+A budget is the prints and advertising budget for a film. These budgets tend to be 50% of the films full budget, but can sometimes amount to over 125%.

What is the average distribution cost for a big six film?

Budgets for big six films have been growing year on year, as in 2006 the average budget was around $65.8 and reaching the highest of $150 million marketing budget for Avatar.

What does the distribution budget include?

Any  advertisement that requires technology such as printed posters, movie trailers, billboards, websites also including viral videos and merchandising.
Securing actors, slots on TV, advertising in magazines, interviews online, premieres and stories on the news.
Release date: getting the film to cinemas and maintaining its popularity - opening weekend must be a hit - film less likely to do well with a bad opening weekend.

What is a simultaneous release?

Traditionally, movies are released first in cinemas. A DVD release follows some months later along with TV and other streaming services. However simultaneous releasing of a movie removes these windows: the movie is released to cinemas and other channels such as DVD, internet and television, on or around the same date.

What are some main distribution companies?
Top 10 distributors:
1 Warner Bros.
2 Walt Disney
3 Sony Pictures
4 20th Century Fox
5 Paramount Pictures
6 Universal
7 Lionsgate
8 New Line
9 Dreamworks SKG
10 Miramax

What do you think is the link between audiences and distribution?

Distribution is linked with the audiences because without distribution, consumers would not develop a demand to go watch the film. This demand is created through advertising and marketing the films. Moreover if the demand for the film was there but there was no distribution people wouldn't even be able to watch the film. 

Define target market audience?

A target audience is the intended audience or readership of a publication, advertisement, or other message. In marketing and advertising, it is a specific group of people within the target market at which a product or the marketing message of a product is aimed.

What's audience positioning?

Created by Stuart Hall who was a cultural theorist, it has 3 objectives:

1. To understand the relationship between the audience and the media text

2. To understand the position that the audience will take dependent on certain factors

3. To understand how audience are constructed by media producers

Why is the release date crucial?

"This is one of the biggest issues facing Hollywood today," said Rothman, adding that it's just as crucial to pick the right release dates as it is to select the right script and hire the right stars and film makers. "When you're trying to cram too many movies into a finite number of release dates, it's inevitable some will suffer." For example, Spectre came on the Friday before the October half term last year, this strategy is commonly used which gives the film-makers a better advantage for people to go watch their film.

What is self distribution?

You promote your film yourself without a distribution company.

Task 9

Mainstream – mainstream films are the big blockbuster films that the majority of the public will watch or at least know about. These are often high budget and is produced by the big six – often used by ordinary people for escapism.

Independent – contrasting with the mainstream, independent films are more intellectual and often focuses on social issues. They are less known, low budget and targeted at niche audiences. These are often produced by small independent companies although not always.

Production (stages) – there are three stages of production – pre production which is deciding the genre of the film, casting, writing the script, setting the budget etc. Actual production would be filming the scenes. Post production would be editing.

Distribution – launching and sustaining films in the market place.

Marketing – advertising the film to the public to attract the intended or a wide target audience – usually through the use of billboards, social media, posters, trailers

Exchange – how a product has reached the consumer.

Multinational Conglomerate - a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate group.

Monopoly – when one company dominates the market.

Oligopoly – the control of a market for a particular product by a small group of companies in which no one is dominant.

Name the Big Six (90% of box office takings) – Paramount Pictures, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros Pictures, Walt Disney, Columbia Pictures

Horizontal Integration - this is where an organisation develops by buying another company within the same section of the market at the same stage of production (also known as cross media ownership).

Vertical Integration – when two firms in the same industry come together but at different stages so for example, a television studio may buy a production company to produce some of its television programmes.

Synergy – the interaction of two or more forces working together to create a larger effect in comparison to working independently. For example, an artist may sing the theme song of a movie and the song is repeatedly featured in the film – they are both promoting each other.

Merchandising – selling a variety of products that is related or is focused on a specific film to maintain the popularity of the film as well as adding to the profit made e.g. clothing, household items

Ultra Violet – allows consumers to have a proof-of-purchase so that they are able to view the content in a variety of different devices – also allows users to share their library with up to 5 people.

Above the Line - All the objects you pay for in marketing/the budget

Below the Line - Below the line- Free adverting- word of mouth/Peoples tweets about the film

Technological Convergence/Cross media convergence – when different types of technology come together to create a new technology

Consumption – how much people buy at the cinema – e.g. tickets, food, drinks

Exhibition – showing films in cinemas or on DVD – making the film available on different platforms.

Piracy – the act of stealing, copying, distributing movies.

Hollywood Franchise 4S Model – synergy, spectacle, sequelisation, story

Tie-In – the creation of marketing synergy between two products so for example a book and a film - a book that inspired or was inspired by a motion picture.

Task 8

Task 7

When do audiences go to the cinema?

• Most people go to the cinema during the weekend because they have these days free from their working weeks or school weeks. There is also incentive to visit the cinema during the week when there are certain deals and subsidies, such as Orange 2 for 1 Wednesdays.

What are the most popular genres?

• The most popular genres are generally used by blockbuster films and these tend to be Action, Comedy and Animated films. These seem to be the most mainstream movies.

What was the top film in each of these genres?

• Action - Fast And Furious 7: An extremely popular series, and this installment was in the memory of the late Paul Walker and so any Fast and Furious, or Paul Walker fans would've watched the film.
• Comedy - Minions: Very popular for younger children, based on the success of the previous films 'Despicable Me' 1 & 2. Released in children school holidays which means that it can be viewed by a larger volume of people.
• Animated - Inside out: Appeals to families and younger children, meaning a larger audience went to see the film. Once again it was released in children school holidays which means that it can be viewed by a larger volume of people.

How do audiences hear about films?

• Most poeple now hear about movies online, via social media, such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. This is because most people nowadays use social media everyday and it provides companies with below the line advertisement.
• Another way however, is trailers before watching the film itself in the cinema

Do audiences prefer US, UK or other nationality films?

• The biggest film production and distribution industries are in the UK and the US, so popularity varies between the two.
• But since 90% of cinema viewings are The Big Six films, these companies are American, which may increase the territories film popularity.

Do audiences like 3D films?

• Most cinema goers prefer the 2D experience rather than three dimensional due to wearing the glasses which may cause annoyance when watching a film in the cinema. 

What other ways do audiences watch film aside from the cinema?

• The way in which the audience watch films alternatively involve monthly subscription to Netflix or buying films at home through Sky Store or Amazon Prime. 
• However, the majority of audiences can watch movies through illegal sites such as Putlocker which means the cinema industry are losing money. 

Who do audiences go to the cinema with?

• The cinema is very socially orientated which means that audiences tend to visit the cinema with friends as an outing. It is relatively cheap and is suitable for everybody.
• Depending on the target audience of the film, parents can take their families to see more family orientated films or a group of friends could go and see a horror film etc. 

When and where are most audiences likely to go to the cinema?

• Many audience members tend to visit a local mainstream cinema. This would include for instance "The Odeon" for Chelmsford. This is due to the amount of available screenings they can have at one time and the wide range of films they can show.