1. Yr 12 Media
Audiences and Institutions:
Production, Distribution and
Exhibition

2. In the 1990s the British film industry received a
boost in funding and this in turn meant that film
production increased and things began to look bright
for the industry.
Where did that money come from?
However, many of the films that were funded did not
get distribution, and therefore did not get exhibited.

3. Distribution problems
It became apparent that Britain’s lack of a distribution
network, controlled by British film companies, has been a
major obstacle to a flourishing industry
Criticism of the Lottery-funded films focused on the lack
of time spent in development: ideas were rushed
through, without sufficient attention to the quality of the
script.
Can you think of another period in the history British
cinema where poor quality films were produced?

4. What is film distribution?
A film distributor is the link between film producers
and exhibitors (the cinema chains); their aim is to
get as many people as possible to see the film on as
many cinema screens as possible.

5. Producer:
Working Title
Exhibitors:
Distributor:
Universal Cineworld
UCI
Odeon
Vue

6. Film distribution
The distributor markets the film and develops an
appropriate advertising campaign
To market successfully, the distributor has to target
the appropriate audience
The distributor needs to create interest in a film; this
can be easy if there is a clear ‘selling point’ such as a
star, but harder in the case of low-budget
independent films

7. Film distribution
Distributors employ researchers to track the
recognition of the film with the target audience
during the campaign
The UK has major distributors (affiliated to the
Hollywood studios) and independent (unaffiliated)
distributors who tend to handle films made outside
the major studios
In Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s exhibition was
the most financially important part of the
filmmaking process; now distribution dominates

8. Your task
You need to take on the role of a film distributor and
create a promotional campaign for your new film
First you will have to plan when and where will be the
best place for the trailer for your film to appear (On TV,
Cinema & Internet) in order to hit your target audience
(You will need to define this if you haven’t already)
You will then have to produce a promotional poster for
your film, making sure that you follow all the correct
codes andconventions
More on that next time…