The Actual Definition of Film Distribution

Film distribution is the process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience. 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. The film may be exhibited directly to the public either through a movie theatre or television, or personal home viewing (including DVD-Video or Blu-ray Disc, video-on-demand, download, television programs through broadcast syndication etc.). For commercial projects, film distribution is usually accompanied by film promotion.

Distribution CompaniesMost countries will have their own distribution companies in the film industry. The most popular ones however are from the UK and the USA. The most well known companies would be the large ones that are also the big companies in production. For example, 20th Century Fox Film Co. Ltd., Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing, Fox Film Corporation, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Warner Bros.

Types of DistributionThere are 3 main types of distribution:• Global (theatrical) distribution (this is when a distribution

company will send their film off all over the globe and it will be shown in every country)

• Direct distribution (this is when a distribution company, or the production company either cannot afford a distribution deal/cinema release or doesn’t think that a cinema release would have any benefit to the image of the film, so they release it via a streaming site, like Netflix, Amazon or YouTube)

• Non-theatrical distribution (this is very similar to direct distribution, except that the film is not put up on a public platform, the film is made into DVD and is sold unlike direct distribution)

The Destruction of the Film Distribution Industry

Since it became a lot easier for people to get editing software and to create their own films, and to find films online, the film industry is losing more and more money. Distribution companies are losing money because now companies can just put their films on sites like Netflix and Amazon. This means that the production company would save money, but they would be cutting out the distribution companies.