Production Notes: Film Distribution

What Is Film Distribution?

Film distribution is the last stage of filmmaking after development, pre-production, production, and post-production. It is the process of marketing a film and making it available for people to watch.

Film distributors are responsible for coming up with strategies to help promote a film by acquiring appropriate rights to a film, selecting an optimal release date, developing a public relations plan, cultivating other advertising partnerships, organizing advertising materials (like trailers and posters), and negotiating with exhibitors (such as movie theaters).

When selecting a film distributor, it is important to partner with a company that is right for your film. Some film distributors may have long-standing established relationships with exhibitors and platforms that provide them with greater flexibility in garnering viewership while other film distributors may be able to dedicate bigger teams to promote your film.

The film distribution industry has also changed in recent years as Video On Demand (VOD) platforms like Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, Vimeo, and many others have provided new self-distribution avenues for independent filmmakers to market their movies to even wider audiences without hiring a traditional film distribution company. However, creating a hybrid distribution plan that involves both traditional film distribution and self-distribution may be the best route to take for many filmmakers to help optimize their film’s reach.

If you are interested in learning more about how a hybrid plan could work for you, check out this article on filmmakermagazine.com.

If you are a film distributor in Nevada or offer related film distribution services and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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