The Role of the Film Distributor

In 1895, The Lumière Brothers invented the cinématographe and more than a century later it has become a phenomal part of our lives and hertiage. Now that we are in the 'digital age' there is soo much choice in the films that we watch and how we experience them. Now films can contain special effects like explosions etc and be viewed on television as well as the cinema and on DVD.

It is the distributors who have to create the trailers and artwork; selling the film to the audience. They have to consider several things. Who are the target audience? Why would they want to see this film? The potential of its release? Developing plans and patnerships inorder to build awareness and interest of the film. Interest people to visit the cinema more. Persuading exhibitors/cinemas to play the film.

There are 6 major film studios which are all based in Hollywood, Calafornia. They are Warner Bros, Paramont, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures/Touchstone Pictures, Columbia Pictures and Universal Pictures. Each studio has its own distributor, a sector to promote the film.

The Weinstein Company, and BBC Films produced My Week With Marilyn (2011). It was Entertainment Film Distributors job for the distribution in the UK. below is the trailer and the poster to the movie.

There is a giant desire for great stories on the big screen, but the audience calls the shots. If the trailer and poster attracts them to see the film the distributors have done a good job. It is the audience who decides for themselves what information or 'content' they wish to recieve.

This sector of the film industry is small, but it has large on the industry. If they promote a film well enough it will be sucessful. Fewer than 500 people work in the distribution sector in the UK. Like everything else this sector has a distributior's managing director who supervises staff with specialist roles; marketing and promoting, publicity and media relations, sales.technical, acquisitions, legal and business affairs, finance and accounting & administration. These departments function to the demand-side counterparts of any industry., working sustainably and efficiently as possible. This sector is very creative, thrilling, emotionally charged, technologically advanced and hotly anticipated. Here are some examples of posters designed for 'big' films.

Like any sector, the distributors have to plan for the promotion. First they have to analyse the film; what they can do to promote it, does a certain name have to come first etc. Then they have to compare and contrast it to other products targeting the same target audience to get some inspiration. Thridly, they have to decide and discuss how the going to promote the film by listening to everybodys ideas. Next, they have to implement and next they have to monitor & report back the final product.

Through their knowledge of the market, commerical experience, stastical research and professional judgement they can produce a piece of  'artwork' they will sell the film to its intended audience. They have to set clear targets; "Who can be convinced to buy a cinema ticket to see it and why should they do so? Can the film be positioned within a popular, recognisable genre? What sort of audiences have similar films attracted recently? When were they released?" They have to estimate the income of the film before they can set a budget on the promotion campaign.

Publicity and marketing is essential. Films have a trailer and a poster to go along side the film; selling it to the target audience. The example of My Week With Marilyn (2001), which I mentioned earlier on is good, but the company is not of the big six. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) is a movie made by Disney. It is a series of films. Here is the trailer and poster for its release. In this particular trailer there is a comical introduction by Captain Jack Sparrow played by Johnny Depp. This technique really sells this film, showing off its conventions of the genre and story narrative.

The poster's main image/artwork distills the appeal and positioning of the film; the stars, genre, credits and tagline feed the audience's appetiates making them inticipate the relaese of the film.

Months before the film the teaser trailer & poster come out to tell the audience that the film is coming out soon. The example is The Smurfs (2011).

For the trailers the distributors have lots of audio-visual material to work with and be creative with; clips that have been approved by the producersbehind the scenes footage. Normally there is one or two trailers produced. Below is the trailer to Twilight (2008) with is approved footage of the film.



This trailer for New Moon (2009) contains behind the scenes footage, introducing the character Jacob Black, played by Taylor Lautner.

The difference between theaterical and teaser trailers is the length. Teasers are generaly 1 minute long and don't give away as much as the theaterical does.



Advertising a movie is selling it to audience through posters and trailers (both teaser and official). Publicity is when a movie gets positive reaction e.g. a interview with a star from a movie on a big chatshow. Advertisers and Studios use this to their advantages when promoting a film.