The business film distribution

The process of film distribution is incredibly interesting and somewhat complex. This socalled peripatetic form of distribution ideally suited the infant film business, with its limited number of. Shooting gallery no longer in business shadofax film co. A guide to independent film distribution in the 21st century. Distribution is the highly competitive business of launching and sustaining films in the market place.

This is normally the task of a professional film distributor, 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. This is the distribution sector and its vital to the health of the whole film economy. Starting your own film company and making movies 5 tips. We have dedicated, experienced local teams, a unique consumer data setup providing insights into the behavior, attitudes and beliefs of the nordic consumers, and we have unique digital marketing tools maximizing the effect of the marketing investments we make for our partners. Most filmmakers make their shorts without much thought for distribution. To create the product so that it responds to the customer needs and expectations. Several years ago i was lucky enough to come across a podcast with linda nelson on the film specific site ran by stacy parks. Film distribution strategies to use when financing your movie jun 5, 2017. The film business plan is a stepbystep guide on how to structure your film as a business and projects what your film will cost to develop and operate every film investor wants to see how you are going to spend the money and most of all, what the return on investment will be. Distribution deals are an important part of financing a film. Best film business plan template sample, financials. Identify the key decisions made in the distribution business process, and gain a greater understanding of how the uk film business operates. The film production company will finance its own media content by purchasing scripts and developing films for distribution.

To start a distribution business, contact your local small business administration to help your company get licensed and registered. The buyers negotiate with the distribution company on which movies they wish to lease and the terms of the lease agreement. Our business plan was created by film investors and top industry producers, with the specific goal of helping others find film investors and raise film financing. We are not selling tickets at this time, but we are hopeful that we will show all of our upcoming films in the near future, possibly at other dates than originally announced. A film distributor is responsible for the marketing of a film.

Best film business plan template sample, financials, investors. Once a distributor is interested in a film, the two parties. But, if you want to follow this path, read up on some of the newest minor distributors. How to write a 4part film business plan that gets you funding.

To keep your costs low, rent the smallest location you can, or work from home if your inventory is limited. At the turn of the 20th century, several provinces went beyond this and established cinema offices. And your audience, if youre diying your film, needs to believe theyll be sufficiently entertained andor enlightened before theyll. The business will develop these pictures individually, and will provide all of the necessary capital for the development of these projects. Early practices distribution film, movie, show, producer. The film may be exhibited directly to the public either. We walk you through the nuts and bolts of your project so you present the investment opportunity in the best light possible, without compromising your creativity. This socalled peripatetic form of distribution ideally suited the infant film business, with its limited number of film subjects, equipment, and trained personnel. Monetizing film, tv, and video content in an online world american film market presents jeffrey c. Film distribution is the process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience. Because distribution is business, and distributors dont care if youve made the greatest indie film art film documentary of the past 20 years. The insiders guide to independent film distribution is a must for anyone who hopes to make and sell a film with good results. To date, there are approximately 300,000 distributors in the united states.

There are so many books available for the independent filmmaker and producer. You will also highlight your team, your objectives and importantly, your marketing, sales and distribution strategy. Taking time to write a film business plan allows you to fully understand the business aspects of your project. I worked for a company who was in the film distribution business and this book covers the ins and outs of the industry. The final piece of your short film business plan is your release strategy. Generally, films cannot be produced without any sort of partnership between any. Those distributors acquire distribution rights for films to be released in the. Then, youll need to find a location where you can run your business. Jul 19, 2019 the grant of distribution rights to the distribution company is always of all rights in perpetuity throughout the world, making the distribution company the complete and absolute owner of the film. Entertainment one was founded in 1973 as a music distributor but entered into the film business in 2003 after the acquisitions of alliance films in. Independent filmmakers often use film festivals as an opportunity to get the attention of distributors.

To turn the inflection point into an advantage, distributors should have a framework for action. This book is about the business of distribution, around which the international film business revolves. Securing film distribution might be the most challenging part of the entire filmmaking process. We spoke to dozens of independent film distributors. From the team who released films including what we do in the shadows, hunt for the wilderpeople, american animals, the hero, we the animals, the overnight, birds of passage, cartel land, life, animated and the dawn wall. While films were finding a ready place in metropolitan vaudeville houses, distributors also took to the road. Like other forms of entertainment, the film business is productdriven. The updated film business plan template, is professionally formatted and includes all the key business plan sections, with dozens of realworld examples in each. The studio makes a licensing agreement with a distribution company. As the writerdirectorproducer of 10 documentaries and 1 low budget feature film, i have invested a tremendous amount of time into understanding the film distribution business. If you have a great independent film or tv series that youd like us to consider for distribution, submit your film or tv series here indie rights, a subsidiary of nelson madison films, is a full service, global distributor with direct relationships to major distribution outlets. Id love to see more distributors take a chance on innovation. Upon opening the doors of your wholesale distribution business, you will certainly find yourself in good company. Filmmakers need to get a good, rocksolid understanding of how film distribution works.

Fear not were going to break it down in very simple steps and terms. This course is aimed at anyone interested in the world of film and film distribution, but may be of particular interest to students and teachers of media and film studies. Its a nice thought, but not a solid business strategy that you can control. The foundation for the following information comes from the business of media distribution by jeffery c. During the prestudio era before the fall of the edison trust in 1915, movie releases were generally handled in one of two wayseither by states rights or by road show. The distribution company determines how many copies prints of the film to make. Strand releasing marcus hu 6140 west washington boulevard culver city, ca 90232 3108367500 fax. I always say to johnny knoxville, how do you do it. So before you decide on your film distribution strategy, make sure you take time to research your options. Episode 10 of the film industry cover the basics of film distribution.

This book is a great overall guide to media distribution. You sort of do the same thing we did, except you made millions, and i. Jun 05, 2017 in that regard, as part of understanding the entire process of production and distribution, it is important to understand how film distribution and film financing are linked. Generally, films cannot be produced without any sort of partnership between any two or more of these various types of film companies. They set parameters for film content, exhibition and distribution. It makes the process of figuring out how to get movies financed and released more challenging than it. Usually, the distributor pays a flat rate, in the leasing model, or a percentage of the profits, in the profitsharing model. Explore the intriguing world of film production and find out about the complexities of development, distribution and finance. Outtv film distribution outtv is covering the entire range of film and video exploitation. If the distributor and the studio have a profitsharing relationship, on the other hand, the distributor gets a percentage typically anywhere from 10 to 50 percent of the net profits made from the movie. Making a film is a creative exploit, but just like any other business, the aim is also to make money. In the early years of the film industry, the regulation of the film sector in canada was left to the provinces. Many wholesale distributors are looking for insights into distribution disruption and the myriad forces that are shaping the industry. An inside look at the movie distribution business for.

While feature and episodic production are exploding, the world of distribution is in a major state of flux, and this book has been one of the most uptodate resources for me, as a practitioner, and for our entertainment. The middleman of the business, distribution includes that part of the industry that gets the movie from the studio to the theater. In playing a circuit, a new act would typically open in the flagship theater in new york and then move to the other houses in sequence. This makes the indie film business for filmmakers much more complex than ever. This article was excerpted from our wholesale business distribution startup guide, available from entrepreneur bookstore so you want to start a. Gatekeeping in the evolving business of independent film distribution. Variety usually puts out thorough books that are all encompassing, thus i was not surprised at how carefully thought out this one was. Compare the ways in which different types of films are distributed in the uk. Digital has replaced physical and video on demand has become the primary way to sell your films. How to make your script the one hollywood notices watch.

Many people in the industry have no idea how it works, but if youre a filmmaker you w. Nordisk film distribution is the best film and series marketeer in the nordics. A library of 4000 titles with films that have amassed. The distribution company shows the movie screening to prospective buyers representing the theaters. With the rise of the online video market, arrangements between sales agents, distributors, content aggregators and digital providers are. Successful filmmakers and by that i mean filmmakers who successfully recoup their budget and repay investors, are the ones who develop a distribution strategy before they embark on the filmmaking process, and sometimes before they write the script. Ulins book will not focus on independent films, and film is only part of the broad videobased media spectrum he covers. In the domestic space, via our momentum pictures label, we acquire anywhere from 1525 movies a year on average.

The distributor should decide which is more financially advantageous and work this out with the studio or producer. There are several important stages before distribution of the movie. Distribution agreements in order to sell the right to distribute a film, a production company must enter into one or more acquisition and distribution agreements with a. The minimalist guide to writing a film business plan. Agree on a distribution deal with the films producer or studio. The ins and outs of hollywood film distribution premiumbeat. The insiders guide to independent film distribution, second. The early film business film production and distribution. Jun 22, 2016 the process of film distribution is incredibly interesting and somewhat complex.

It is the distributors responsibility to create a strategy for reaching the largest paying audience possible, at the lowest cost. Typically, a strategic business unit operates as a separate unit, but it is also an important part of the company. Apr 23, 2020 to start a distribution business, contact your local small business administration to help your company get licensed and registered. This twoevening workshop is a thorough instructional overview of the modern independent film industry, touching on the last 10 years of how the business has evolved for context as well as what the future of film distribution could look like given current trends. Indie film distribution submit your film today indie. The final session is on distribution on april 9 from 5. This paper draws on a casespecific analysis of dutch distributors in the film industry. When it comes to writing your film business plan, relying on a distributor to pick up your film and pay you a gazillion dollars is like waiting for the tooth fairy. Staceys book was the one i kept, carried, and continue to use as my primary resource to this day.

The business of film distribution liaison of independent. The distribution company is usually different from the production company. Business plan tools for film film business plan investor. Annapurna pictures wikipedia legendary entertainment wikipedia focus. The film and media studies department is hosting a series of workshops to help guide prospective film makers. The course explores the impact of emerging platforms on film distribution and marketing, and the differing opportunities these can offer. How will you bring your film to the attention of your target market. A strategic business unit, popularly known as sbu, is a fullyfunctional unit of a business that has its own vision and direction. Film distribution strategies to use when financing your movie. Entertainment one was founded in 1973 as a music distributor but entered into the film business in 2003 after the acquisitions of alliance films in canada. You will outline your budget and show how the money will be spent to make your film.

A presale is a limited distribution agreement for a particular country entered into prior to completion, and often even prior to commencement of production, of the film. Nov 18, 2018 4 types of distribution channels in marketing manufacturers originally bear the responsibility to create the perfect marketing mix for their production. The wholesale distribution industry is experiencing rapid change, where new business fundamentals are key to capitalizing on evolving challenges. Distribution businesses for sale find a great selection of distribution business for sale listings on. The wholesale distribution industry is at an inflection point of rapidly changing business fundamentals. Due to ongoing covid19 concerns, film forum is temporarily closed. In the leasing model, the distributor agrees to pay a fixed amount for the rights to distribute the film. The branch including the theaters in which films are shown. The insiders guide to independent film distribution.

The distributor may set the release date of a film and the method by which a film is to be exhibited or made available for viewing. The wholesale distribution industry is experiencing rapid change, where new business fundamentals are key to capitalizing on evolving challenges and opportunities. The business of media distribution has been an invaluable part of our entertainment law program since its first publication. In any film business, if youre trying to get your next film made, you would never say, oh, my last film was a cult film. The film business plan template is a stepbystep guide enabling you to understand your film as a business proposition to film investors. This chapter reveals the importance of the video market to processes of change and growth in the film distribution business. Please note that the distribution process well be covering is the standard. Becoming a film distributor is one way to influence the movie industry and helping great movies reach an appreciative public. What they care about is if it will make them money.