Distribution notes

• The audience has the greatest power within the film industry as they choose what they want to see and then Hollywood will force what the audience want to see into action. 
• More than often 50% of a films budget will be spent on promotion rather than the creation of the film. 
• Contrasting the first view i noted, others believe the audience aren't in charge and that the distributors are just aware of what parts of the world and media are in need of its product, and also whom are willing to pay for them. 
• There are 2 views when it comes to film marketing, are consumers passive or active? 
• Production: the making of a film. 
• Exhibition: people watching the film.
• Film distribution explains everything that happens between production and exhibition. 
• Promotion concerns advertising such as billboards, posters, trailers, spin offs. This type of advertising is known as 'above the line' as it is paid for. 
• Unpaid for promotion is known as 'below to line' publicity, it uses newspaper and magazine reviews. 
• Big production companies control much of the film industry and therefore the distribution of their own products. These companies loan their film out to the cinema for a certain amount of time and secure certain screens in a cinema for a certain amount of time. 
• Hollywood films are prioritised over any other film. 
• Smaller companies dont have as much money to get their prints into loads of cinemas as opposed to Hollywood films who have a lot more money to put their prints in more cinemas. 
• The UK film council are addressing the problem noted above via the Digital Screen Network as they receive financial support.
• Prints: producing physical copies of a film for cinema/ home release and finding the exhibitors /retailers to sell the film. 
• Marketing: raising audience awareness and anticipation of a new release.
• A distributor can have a long term arrangement with a certain production company and may provide them with financial support. 
• A film is likely to have different distributors for releases in different countries, cinema releases and home-video releases. 
• 360-degree branding is when a film promotion surrounds all around us with their brand, converged media forms and multi levels. Their aim is to 'trigger engagement' in audiences. 
• Guerilla marketing run classified or small ads offering their brochure and people direction to their website via awareness on the radio, cable tv, business magazines. They also participate in forums, chatrooms and email.