Film DistributionBy Rebecca Osborne

Meaning of Distribution

When distributing a media product, two things need to put into consideration, firstly how your media product is going to reach your target audience and how you are going to make your audience aware of your media product. The target audiences lifestyle and needs/wants need to be taken into consideration so that the media product is able to reach the correct target audience.

Making the audience awareSocial Media Advertising:Social media is seen as a recent development to advertising, it is now a popular among mostly

teenagers and young adults and because of this is one of the methods I would most likely choose for my distribution method.

Pros:• You are able to reach customers that the traditional way of advertising doesn’t.• You are able to improve your film as you are able to receive ‘comments’ and feedback straight

away.• It is able to be shared faster.• You can learn more about your target audience.• It is cost-efficient, no expense needs to used in putting your film onto a social networking site.• Still have full creative control.• Able to reach the audience of teenagers/young adults.

Cons:• Your production may not be taken seriously as there is a lot of young people that use it.• You may lose some control as people are able to criticise your production easily.• It may take time for your production to get noticed.• May not reach people that do not use social media sites.

Overall this is an effective way to advertise your media production as it can be free in some circumstances and can reach various audiences and may become popular although it may take time to get popular or it might not at all. This is a effective way to help reach my target audience as its not costly and its probably the best method for me to use.

Making the audience awareTV advertising:

Pros:• It can reach local and national audiences in a short period of time.• Can reach various age groups.• Repeatedly shown so the audience is more persuaded to watch the

film.• Can choose where and when to advertise so the target audience can

be reached.Cons:• High costs.• The advertisement needs to be created for you and this costs money.• No mistakes can be made.• Need to choose accurately what parts to show or it could be costly.

Overall TV advertising is effective as it reaches mass audiences and can get your media product recognised quickly but it does cost a lot of money. This wouldn’t be a very good option for my media production as I would not have the money to air my film.

Making the audience awarePrint Media Advertising:

Pros:• Effective to promote in local communities.• Can direct their target audience more by putting it in newspaper that

relates to the target affiance.• It is a lot less expensive than advertising on the TV.

Cons:• Its not going to be seen by a lot of people.• It will be of poor quality.• Won’t be able to properly show your film as its print.• Advertising in magazines and higher end newspapers can be expensive. • Not a lot of people buy print media anymore.

Overall this is a cheap and effective way to advertise my production mainly at the community but it doesn’t allow me to show it to a vast audience. It also means that I can show my project off to its best ability as its print so this is most probably the least effective way to make my audience aware.

Getting the film to the audienceYouTube:

Pros:• It’s free.• It’s globally recognised meaning it can reach a big audience.• Can put your entire film on there.• You can receive critiques quick and easy.• It’s simple.• Mostly for younger audiences.

Cons:• You don’t have a lot of control once its out there.• May not become popular.• May become negative from the use of the ‘thumbs down’ option.• May not reach your target audience.

Overall YouTube is an easy way to show my film and could become popular and reach a mass audience and it is also free. Although there is a chance that no one will view it, but this is probably the best way to reach my audience.

Getting the film to the audienceDVDS:

Pros:• Easy to get hold of.• Can reach the audience quickly.• Good quality. • Profit returning.

Cons:• Costs a lot of manufacture and then get it stocked within stores.• Not a guarantee it will sell.• May not make a profit.• Companies may not want to stock your product.

Overall this is a good way to distribute and get your film to your audience as it is simple although it does cost a lot and there is no guarantee that you will make a profit from the sales, so is probably not best idea for my film.