Film Distributors’ Association Notes

1) Release of a film –

· Marketability- who the movie is going to appeal to- Audience?
· Developing a campaign for that audience
· How the film would do in the box office
· How much money should be spent on marketing
· Set an appropriate budget
· Promotion – 3rd Party
- Media partners (radio, newspaper)
- Premier ( publicity)
· Advertising Costs- (Outdoor posters, television, radio, newspapers, online)
· ‘Who the audience is and the best route to reach them’


2) Target Audience –

· Identify and focus on them
· Look at previous research and results
· Research who they are, how to reach them and where(for example teenagers are more likely to see adverts on the internet)
· Different ages react differently


3) P&A Budget–

· All costs of prints of the film
· Also includes technical elements (e.g. Shipping)
· Advertising costs – designing posters, press ads, TV spots, cinema trailers- where to advertise?
· Consider how best to use the money
· Target market- where will they see the advert- (TV, Online, radio)



4) Marketing Plan–
· Main Method of publicity is through
-Advertising (more expensive- (magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, internet)
- Press- support of the director and cast-
-place features (stories about the film) in newspapers and magazines
-Interviews with directors (TV shows and radio)
· Outdoor advertising (also expensive)- billboards, busses and bus shelters
· Word of mouth- set up screening programmes and show film for free
-It can make or break a film- Key strategy especially when you do not have enough money for huge advertising (e.g. specialised films)

· Internet- email, viral campaigns(e.g. funny film clip provoking interest)


5) Link between-

· Step 1- convince exhibitors (cinemas) to take films
- this is especially difficult with more independent films


6) Test screening-

· Screenings done in advance with target audience
· They can fill in questionnaires about the film in the end
· Some people held back after (focus group)- talk more in depth about the what they liked and disliked.
· Based on this, Studios may change the movie slightly (e.g. the ending)


7) Opening weekend-

· Three day figure (opening Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
· Monday morning (make or break?)- the film has to have made more money than any other in that cinema as a rotation
· Lowest- film is taken off
· Holdover- how much money you made in that weekend determines whether or not you get another play date


8) Positioning Audience-

· Define audience
· Does the film have a specific genre- Thriller, horror, comedy?
· Specific age group?
· Specific directors and actors your audience might know (cine-literate audience)


9) Competition-

· Enormous amount of films- how will yours stand out? What makes your adverts more exciting
· Specific times are busy (e.g. autumn half term- good for children’s movies who are on holiday, and its cold to go out anywhere)
· Consider holidays, weather (more outdoor advertising in the summer for example)


10) Word of Mouth-
· When it happens, depends on the movie
· If you know the response will be good and you have the movie early:
- Work with media partners (newspaper, radio, TV, even cinema chains to run advance screeening programmes for free (e.g. have tickets in the heat magazine which you cn ring up to get)
· They will tell their friends
· Research shows that what friends tell their friends (word of mouth) is an important part of making the descision to go and see a film
· When you get the movie late, reply on the opening weekend- it is then upto the public
· Their views of the film are reflected in hoe long the movie plays for

11) Film Trailers-
· Key to selling the film
· It is the publics first and genrally only exposure in cinema to what they're actually going to buy into in the actul environment
· It should have the right impact and message
-the way in which graphics, sound, overall concept of film is portrayed

12) Digital Marketing-
· Viral marketing- creating something which you send to someone and is passed on
· Most effective is Word of mouth

13) Persuading Cinemas
· Convincing exhibitors (actual cinemas) to take the film

14) Piracy-
· escalated in the UK over the last 5 years
· 2006- piracy counts for 20% of all DVD sales in UK
· Bargain or ripped off by inferior quality?
· Money may be going to criminal elements that people are not always aware of