Logo design

Logos can be designed in Adobe Photoshop (CS3 on the older PCs, CS6 on the newer ones), Adobe After Effects (CS3 on the older PCs, CS6 on the newer ones), Adobe Indesign (CS6 on the newer PCs), Adobe Fireworks (CS3 on the older PCs, CS6 on the newer ones) and other programs too.  Use youtube tutorials such as the ones below to guide you through the process:

http://www.rocktheshotforum.com/2012/07/20/how-to-design-a-logo-in-adobe-photoshop/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkBVBxs5-hs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQMxy_gT_A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiZcNV4m1lE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JznIqTDEawo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa9WLLV0zp4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne-WI7zhG2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k2Rwftrgzs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMqyshqGxVY

Cinema4D tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipkoDGkLzrM

Templates for planning documents

Some downloadable templates for planning documents can be found here:  http://www.dependentfilms.net/files.html

Example of an animatic - Definitely Maybe

How to write a film script

• The title of the film 
• Edit to start the scene (e.g. fade in)
• Scene number on the left hand side of the page
• INT. or EXT. depending on whether the location is interior or exterior.  Then describe where (e.g. EXT.  OVER MIAMI - DAY)
• Set the scene by describing the location and the action that is taking place.  You can also describe aspects of lighting and camerawork, but don't do this in great detail ( e.g. Stillness.  Long wispy clouds spider across a deep blue sky.  Sunlight glints expectantly off the mirrored high-rises downtown.)
• Character names should be in capitals.
• Dialogue should be placed in the MIDDLE of the page with the character's name (in capitals) on the line above, e.g.

                                                                   HEATHER BURTON

                                                   Ow, Todd!  You almost took my foot off!

• You can explain how a character says something by placing it in brackets before they speak:

                                                                   TODD BURTON

                                                  (under his breath)  Uch, your mother.  Pain in my ass.

• When the scene changes, state the transition on the right hand side of the page (e.g. cut to:)
• Remember to leave a line between each section of your script.  One page of a script is roughly equal to a minute of screen time.

NB  Use courier font for your script.

Here are some examples:

Here is some additional information about how to do it: http://filmschoolonline.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_format.htm

Example of a risk assessment

How to upload a video to blogger - guide

http://www.blogbulk.com/2009/01/add-video-in-blogger-posts.html

'How to' guide to uploading a word file to Blogger

Blogger doesn't allow you to directly upload word files but we can change the file into a JPEG to do it.

Here's how to do it:

'All Programs'
'Adobe Master Collection CS3'
'Adobe Acrobat Professional' click
'Create PDF' click
'Create PDF from a file' click
'Open' - browse to file and click on it
'File' click
'Save as' click
'Save as type' select 'JPEG'
'Save'
Go to blog
'New post'
Click on 'Insert image'
'Choose files' click
Browse for JPEG image and click on it
'Open' click
Click on uploaded file and 'Add selected'
Move image as required and use re-sizing options to make it bigger

WinFF video conversion software

WinFF is a useful conversion tool that allows you to convert video files to a type that your editing program will recognise.  Video files from your phone may need converting and it may also be necessary to convert HD files if your editing program does not support them.

Download WinFF here:
http://winff.org/html_new/downloads.html

When you have the software, if you want to upload your video to Blogger, set convert to "Google" and the preset to "Google WebM Generic Fullscreen".  Choose an 'output folder' for the converted video to go to.  'Add' the video that you want to convert and then click 'convert'.

"Film Riot": Learn new film-making techniques and skills

http://www.youtube.com/show/filmriot/videos?shelf_index=1&view=7&tag_id=&sort=dd

Useful resources for productions

http://www.mediacollege.com/

OCR Media Studies Resource Site

http://ocrmediastudies.weebly.com/index.html

Shot list example

Planning and Filming a TV or Film Production: A Guide

http://www.trillian.tv/articles.php?article=directing&partno=1

Shooting schedule example

Example of an equipment list

This is a real equipment list with lots of technical material.  Yours will be a lot simpler!  You just need to include what is needed, when it is needed, who will be using it and who is responsible for ensuring the equipment is picked up, fully charged etc.  Don't forget to include post-production equipment.

Location scouting sheet template

Example of a Call Sheet

You can create your own table for your call sheet and include actors and crew.  Basically for each scene, you need to know who is needed, what their role is, where they need to be, when they need to be there and what makeup, costume, prop and equpment requirements they might have.

Here is one from a real film:

Institutions and Audiences - 'Get Ahead' site

http://getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.co.uk/

Institutions and Audiences key terms - some useful resources

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-statistical-yearbook-2014.pdf
Overview of the British film industry from the BFI Statistical Yearbook 2014

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/06/uk-box-office-fall
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/despicable-me-2-named-the-topgrossing-film-of-2013-at-the-uk-box-office-9047044.html
2013 box office

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/78460/DCMS_film_policy_review_report-2012_update.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/274265/1316-A_Film_Policy_Doc_ACCESSIBLE.pdf
A government review of the UK film industry.

"The issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice"
How are films funded in the UK? (How is the US different?)
How can funding be obtained?
Why is the National Lottery important?
What role did the UK Film Council have? How has the BFI taken over that role?
Why do UK companies make films with US studios and vice versa?
Why do international co-productions take place?
What benefits might there be for a UK production company to be taken over by a major US studio?
What is an independent film?
What is the difference between the distribution of major US films and independent UK distribution?
How might a UK film benefit from a major US distributor?
How can UK films be more attractive to audiences at home or internationally

Use your institutional notes on The King's Speech (the independent UK production), Skyfall (the franchise company), Harry Potter (the co-production with a major U.S. studio) and Africa United (the international co-production) plus Working Title (the UK production company owned by a major U.S. studio (Universal).
http://ilovethatfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/funding-and-ownership-of-tv-and-film.html

http://stephenfollows.com/are-films-with-public-funding-better-than-those-without/

http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main

The big corporations and their assets

http://www.wired.com/2014/01/most-pirated-films-2013/
Piracy

The 'death' of the UK Film Council
http://www.timeout.com/london/film/the-uk-film-council-is-dead-lets-give-the-british-film-institute-a-chance-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership

Media ownership overview

NB At the bottom of this page is an overview of the U.S. studio system.  You can use this to compare the UK and U.S. film industries.

"The importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing"

http://phase1.nccr-trade.org/images/stories/jenkins_convergence_optional.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcUKjGKiEw
http://www.slideshare.net/mickgoogan/01-general-introduction-to-the-film-industry-convergence
http://www.halycopter.com/uni/synergy.pdf  Movies and video games
http://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/con_043271.pdf  Movies and books/ magazines
http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/synergy-cross-media-convergence-media.html

What is convergence?

Convergence is when separate units (e.g. companies or technological products) are formed into one unit (e.g. a corporation or iphone) to accomplish an overall goal (e.g. sell more media products or a device that performs many function).  See Jenkins for the different types of convergence: http://phase1.nccr-trade.org/images/stories/jenkins_convergence_optional.pdf

What is synergy?

Synergy means 'working together' and occurs when two or more things work together to produce a result that would not be possible if they were working independently of one another.

In the film industry, the marketing people aim to create synergy by creating a trailer that works with the poster that works with the website that works with the radio advertisement that works with the TV spot that works with the magazine article that works with the merchandise...and so on.

Synergy helps to establish a brand identity that you, the consumer, immediately recognise. This 'creative' form of synergy might involve a logo (e.g. Batman), a particular typeface (e.g. The Terminator metallic 'font'), certain images or a musical 'motif' (e.g. the James Bond theme).  These stylistic 'idents' can be used across a range of marketing forms (cross media) - e.g. trailer, poster, website etc. - to establish a shared 'look' or 'sound'.

All of these synergistic elements help to raise your awareness of the film and increase the likelihood of you going to see it.

Synergy can also exist between products created by different producers (e.g. film and video game) and between merchandising partners (e.g. James Bond - Sony, Aston Martin, Omega etc.). 

What is cross media?

1. "Transmedia (or cross media) storytelling (also known as transmedia narrative or multiplatform storytelling, cross-media seriality etc.) is the technique of telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats including, but not limited to, games, books, events, cinema and television."

Read Jenkins's examples here http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html  http://henryjenkins.org/2011/08/defining_transmedia_further_re.html

http://www.filmeducation.org/madeindagenham/deborah_sheppard.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_distribution

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/distribution/distribution5.html

Film distribution

http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Criticism-Ideology/Exhibition.html

Film exhibition

"The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_cinema

Digital cinema

Practically since the birth of cinema at the end of the 19th century, films have been produced, circulated and screened on celluloid stock.

More recently, digital soundtracks have enhanced the audio experience, while computer graphics imagery (CGI) is often added in post-production to realise spectacular effects. Today, most films are edited and mastered on digital equipment; a few, such as George Lucas's latest Star Wars episodes, are even shot using high-definition digital cameras, rather than being photographed on film.

Yet across the world, the standard format for presentation remains 35mm celluloid, which delivers superb quality to audiences.

Now the cinema industry stands on the threshold of a great, rolling transition from celluloid to digital, which is expected to gather momentum over the decade ahead. In time, digital technologies are likely to exert as profound an impact on the cinema sector as on the broadcast and other media sectors.

Digital or D-cinema has already been piloted in the UK for ten years. Disney/Pixar's Toy Story was supplied and presented digitally (on a Texas Instruments DLP prototype) at London's Odeon, Leicester Square, in 1995. But only a handful of cinemas have had digital projectors whilst further quality advances were achieved. Now, with D-cinema giving state-of-the-art clarity on screen, audiences may be unaware that they are watching a digital, as opposed to a film, presentation.

A great deal of work has been undertaken around the world, but especially by the studios' Digital Cinema Initiative, to develop global standards for D-cinema. The general aim is to ensure that digital content can be distributed and played anywhere in the world - as is the case, of course, with a 35mm print. The new technologies and components should be based on open, as well as compatible, standards that foster competition among equipment and service providers. The hardware should be capable of easy upgrades as further advances occur.

Who gains from D-cinema

Potentially, there are real benefits both for the industry and, most importantly, for audiences.

Film distributors - the companies that release movies and market them to the public - will benefit if there are substantial reductions in the costs of duplicating film prints and transporting them to cinemas. The UK is one of the most expensive markets in the world in which to release a film. FDA members spend approximately £125m a year on prints, duplicated in high-tech laboratories. A digitally produced or converted film could be delivered quickly and reliably via disc (a much smaller, cheaper physical medium than a 35mm print), fibre optic cable or satellite - triggering a huge systems change for the whole industry.

Cinemas that book and receive a digital copy would store it on a computer/server in the projection box, which would serve it to a particular digital projector for each screening. Importantly, distributors should be able to encode and encrypt their digital files, to ensure that each film is as secure as possible and that access to them throughout the theatrical lifecycle is controlled and traceable. In the digital era, new asset management models will emerge but for the foreseeable future, piracy is expected to continue as a key business issue, undermining the industry's further development.

In due course, it may be possible for distributors to deliver newly cut digital trailers to cinemas at very short notice, capitalising on topical developments such as awards nominations or wins, favourable reviews and box-office success, much as other forms of film advertising already do.

Film archiving could also be transformed by digital progress. Professional storage of 35mm reels can demand considerable space, care and funding.

For cinemas themselves, digital equipment may present diverse programming opportunities, such as concerts, sports events or short films of local interest, and it may help them as venues to attract business conferences. Depending on the catchment area population, perhaps a choice of classic films could be screened at selected times, if and when digital copies are available at low cost.

For cinema audiences, all these opportunities may result in wider choice. In addition, the digital images on screen will be picture-perfect every time. By contrast, the more often celluloid is run through a projector, the more prone it becomes to scratches and fading, wear and tear.

UK digital screen network

FDA welcomes and supports an initiative by the UK Film Council, to invest up to £13 million of National Lottery funds in what will become the world's first digital screen network, placing the UK at the forefront of D-cinema.

It is planned that up to 200 screens in 150 cinemas across the UK - a quarter of the total - will be equipped with digital projectors. In return, cinemas will be asked by the Film Council to show a broader range of specialised (non-blockbuster) films such as documentaries or foreign language titles on a regular basis.

Hopefully, such a substantial investment will help the hardware costs to fall, which in turn could facilitate extra installations. Initially at least, the network will comprise 2K digital projectors (2,048 x 1,080 pixels resolution).

Fast-changing area

D-cinema presents opportunities for the cinema industry to try new ways of working, and of course there is much to learn from experience.

Given lower print/shipping costs, distributors may be able to consider increasing the number of (digital) copies or increasing their advertising investment to promote the film. If they take this risk, it may in turn help to draw a larger audience to 'specialised' films which tend inevitably to have smaller releases than commercial blockbusters. Of course, simply making more copies of a film does not automatically lead to more tickets being sold.

Ultimately, audiences will decide what content they want to pay to view, and accordingly what gets shown, in cinemas; technology itself does not drive admissions. Whatever happens from now on, potentially very exciting changes are coming. The future isn't what it used to be.

Further information

www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk - includes latest news on the digital screen network
www.digitalcinema-europe.com - European Digital Cinema Forum
www.bksts.com - The Moving Image Society

http://www.filmeducation.org/resources/secondary/topics/focus_on/film_industry.php

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/distribution/distribution7.html

http://www.iofilm.co.uk/io/mit/001/film_distribution_20051115.php

Digital film distribution


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_cinematography
http://screenrant.com/movie-technology-film-vs-digital-mikee-105167/
Digital cinematography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imax

IMAX

http://www.bfi.org.uk/film-industry/lottery-funding-distribution/closed-award-schemes/digital-screen-network
Digital screen network

http://www.reald.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_D_Cinema

RealD 3D cinema

48fps 3D
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/8449819/Peter-Jackson-to-shoot-The-Hobbit-with-new-film-technology.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26291673
Digital special effects

http://film315s.com/epic-winning-how-viral-marketing-is-pwning-the-movie-industry/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/nov/14/2012-roland-emmerich-viral-marketing

http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-best-and-worst-movie-viral-campaigns

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/marketing-the-dark-knight-a-viral-revolution.php

Viral marketing

http://www.techradar.com/news/audio/is-dolby-atmos-the-future-of-cinema-sound-1088428
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/at-the-movies/a555945/the-future-of-movie-sound-how-dolby-atmos-makes-gravity-more-awesome.html#~oCZRcDJz6I2vG6
Cinema Sound (Dolby Atmos)

"The significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences"

"The importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_cinema

Home cinema (also think about Blu-ray and domestic 3D TVs)

Netflix and Amazon Prime are great examples of the the proliferation of content for consumers (the sheer number of films on offer).  They are also examples of technological convergence, because huge numbers of films have been digitised and offered in one place (convergence in distribution - you can get all your films from the same source).  Also there is convergence in exhibition because the idea is that you will watch most of your films on the same device, or a small number of devices.  These will often be mobile and use smaller screens than films were traditionally watched on.  In the case of Amazon, they want you to use their service to watch most of your films on one of their electronic tablets (Kindle Fire).

"The issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_audience

Target audience

"The ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour"
http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/announcements/bfi-stats-yearbook-shows-uk-film-excelled-2012
Look at the trends in media consumption (use) identified by the BFI and consider your own consumption and that of your friends.


Media Ownership - The Major U.S. Studios
A major film studio is a production and distribution company that releases a substantial number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box office revenue in a given market. In the North American, Western, and global markets, the major film studios, often simply known as the majors (Warner Brothers Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures) are commonly regarded as the six diversified media conglomerates whose various film production and distribution subsidiaries command approximately 90 percent of U.S. and Canadian box office revenue. The term may also be applied more specifically to the primary motion picture business subsidiary of each respective conglomerate.

Today, Disney is the only member of the Big Six whose parent entity is still located near Los Angeles (actually, on Disney's studio lot). The five others report to conglomerates headquartered in New York City, Philadelphia, andTokyo. Of the Big Six, Paramount is the only one still based in Hollywood, and Paramount and Fox are the only ones still located within the Los Angeles city limits.

Most of today's Big Six control subsidiaries with their own distribution networks that concentrate on arthouse pictures (e.g. Fox Searchlight) or genre films (e.g.Sony's Screen Gems); several of these specialty units were shut down or sold off between 2008 and 2010. The six major studios are contrasted with smaller production and/or distribution companies, which are known as independents or "indies". The leading independent producer/distributors—Lionsgate Films, The Weinstein Company, and former major studio MGM—are sometimes referred to as "mini-majors". From 1998 through 2005, DreamWorks SKG commanded a large enough market share to arguably qualify it as a seventh major, despite its relatively small output. In 2006, DreamWorks was acquired by Viacom, Paramount's corporate parent. In late 2008, DreamWorks once again became an independent production company; its films are distributed by Disney'sTouchstone Pictures.

The Big Six major studios are today primarily backers and distributors of films whose actual production is largely handled by independent companies—either long-running entities or ones created for and dedicated to the making of a specific film. The specialty divisions often simply acquire distribution rights to pictures in which the studio has had no prior involvement. While the majors still do a modicum of true production, their activities are focused more in the areas of development, financing, marketing, and merchandising. Those business functions are still usually performed in or near Los Angeles, even though therunaway production phenomenon means that most films are now mostly or completely shot on location at places outside Los Angeles. (From Wikipedia)

How is the UK different?

• No major studios.  All of the UK production companies are small and cannot fund their own films.  If they are successful, they can be bought by an American major; Working Title was bought by Universal.
• Normally though, companies like Heyday Films are not part of big corporations.  However, they may benefit from U.S. funding and distribution deals, e.g. Heyday Films made the Harry Potter films with backing from Warner Brothers and their distribution arm.
• U.K. films are often co-productions.  These co-productions may be with foreign companies.
• U.K. films often depend on lottery funding.
• There are no British 'high concept' films e.g. 'Avatar'. However, there are successful franchises such as James Bond and Harry Potter that are UK backed.
• British films may be more character and narrative driven and rely less on special effects (which are expensive).
• UK distributors are independent and have less marketing power than the big U.S. distributors.

UK Exhibition

http://www.cinemauk.org.uk/about-the-industry/

See the link above for the article that follows with videos.

About cinema exhibition

The core objective of the industry has remained unchanged for almost a century - to provide audiences with a consistently excellent ‘big screen’ experience. That said, the cinema business has had to constantly reinvent itself to ensure it has continued to offer the best possible experience to customers at an affordable price. In addition to bringing a diverse range of content to screens, cinemas have to consider their food and drink offers as well as the comfort of their cinemas, ticket prices and promotions and providing for a range of customer needs. All this falls within the overall aim of making a trip to the cinema an enjoyable outing that will make customers want to return again and again.

The most recent change to the industry - the transition to digital cinema technology - is one of the most fundamental shifts seen in all that time, with the traditional cinema offer now expanding to give audiences much greater choice in what they see.

The following sections explain some of the core functions of cinema exhibition, including interviews with key colleagues who give their individual perspectives on working in the industry and how they see the cinema business changing. (The interviews here were recorded in late Spring 2012 so some of the detail of what is said may have moved on since then).

circuits, multiplexes and smaller sites

The UK cinema sector is made up of a wide range of multiplex and smaller cinema sites. These are operated either by key ‘circuit’ companies, who own a large number of sites across the country, or by smaller operators who may have a handful of sites, or sometimes just one. The three largest cinema circuits cover around 70 per cent of total UK screens, with the largest six circuits collectively accounting for 85 per cent.

Cinema companies operate very differently depending on how many sites they have.  One of the largest cinema chains might typically have over 750 screens, employing several thousand staff, over 90 per cent of those at individual cinemas sites. These companies might have whole departments which deal with film booking, customer services, retail services, operations, marketing and HR for example. In contrast, a smaller operator with just one site may have just one manager who would deal with all of the above as well as a general site manager and maybe a dozen or so box office/concessions staff.

distribution and exhibition

It is important to explain how a film reaches the big screen and the relationship between film distributors and exhibitors. A film distribution company has the job of getting a film in front of audiences in whichever countries they have been given the ‘rights’ to sell it. Distributors not only manage the ‘theatrical’ release of their films to cinemas, but often also distribute films on other platforms including DVD, Blu-Ray, Video on Demand, Online, Pay and Free TV, amongst others. For more information on how film distribution works see the website of the Film Distributors' Association.

Exhibitors and distributors work together to encourage audiences to see films at the cinema. As explained below, both parties wants to maximise their income, distributors on the films they sell, and exhibitors across all the films they show at their cinema. So getting the right programme of film screenings on at every cinema often involved a complex process of analysis and negotiation.

Exhibitors and distributors also negotiate how much each cinema will pay the distributor in ‘rental’ for the films it shows. This is usually a percentage of the box office takings on the film. The percentage paid to distributors will depend on a number of factors, including the size of the film and whether the cinema is showing it on the release date, as well as the location of the cinema and its penetration with audiences. While most large cinemas will receive major films as soon as they are released, a number of smaller cinema sites may not receive these films until a few weeks later.

The share of income from cinema tickets which goes to the film distributor ensures that money can be returned to film-makers to repay the costs of making and marketing the film and to invest in producing new work.  While vital to the future of the wider film industry, this does mean that there is less money than one might think available to the exhibitor to cover all of the other costs associated with running a cinema operation.

A further explanation on the economics of cinema follows below.

the economics of cinema

As well as the core purpose of showing films to audiences, each cinema is also a significant hospitality and retail business. Customer service is therefore of paramount importance, as is getting the food and drink offer right. Cinemas work hard to ensure they offer a quality experience to customers, this need extended much further than just what's seen on the big screen.

Cinemas need to earn enough to cover staff costs and other overheads such as energy, water and waste bills as well as to pay for the cleaning and maintenance of the cinema. There are also other business costs such as local rates and music licenses to be taken care of. This is all in addition to the huge sums involved in upgrades to seating and technologies to ensure that customers are getting the best experience possible.

In the last five years alone, the six largest UK cinema operators – representing some 85 per cent of UK market share by screens - estimate that they have invested over £400 million in sustaining and growing the country’s cinema infrastructure. This same period has seen over 40 new cinemas open across the country. Cinemas need to anticipate and keep up with public expectation of their services, constantly improving their offer to ensure happy customers.

As explained above, the cinema operator only retains a proportion of the cinema ticket price.  For that reason, cinemas rely significantly on other sources of income, including on screen advertising and concessions (popcorn, sweets etc), in order to cover their costs and, hopefully, make a profit.

The cinema sector is occasionally challenged on the price of its food and drink offer. The reality is that this is an incredibly important income stream for cinemas. Cinemas, in a similar way to other catering businesses such as cafes and public houses, have to factor into their prices the cost of using the building and paying for staff and energy to make, serve and clear away the food and drinks. Of course, buying cinema food is optional, but it is available for those who want it and research suggests that many see it as a key part of the cinema-going tradition. 

Some cinemas - in particular smaller sites - make very marginal profits, and income from concessions and advertising etc can mean the difference between financial viability and closure.  Profit also enables investment into providing a ‘gold standard’ cinema experience for customers and allows operators to invest in the latest technology. 

Cinema companies carefully analyse concession prices, ticket price and ticket promotions to make sure that the business has the right balance between earning enough income to provide a top quality experience whilst also providing customers with a good value night out. Compared to other leisure activities, the sector continues to provide a very good value night out, as evidenced by the stable level of cinema admissions in recent years in spite of the economic downturn.

The summaries below give a broad indication of the different functions that exist in many cinema companies.

film programming

Film programming in simple terms is the process by which decisions are made on which films to show in the cinema each week. Programmers also often negotiate the agreement of ‘rental’ with the distributor of each film. Film programmers might book films for just one cinema or several or across an entire circuit if they work for a major operator.

A film programmer needs to know and understand each cinema's audience in order to be confident that they will book films that people want to see. At the same time, they may need to try to book as wide a range of films as possible to attract a broad audience and encourage people to watch films they might not ordinarily choose. Programming also needs to take account of what audiences respond to at different times of day, days of the week and even times of the year, with school holidays for example being particularly popular periods for younger and family audiences. The fewer screens there are to programme at a particular site, the more challenging all of this can be.   

The role of film programming often requires the understanding of a good deal of data and statistics. Programmers look at the admissions numbers from the previous week to see which films they want to ‘hold over’, and which films to take off their screens in order to make room for new releases. They might also decide on the times of the film screenings, which screens they are shown in and which screenings will be subtitled or included in ‘family friendly’ shows for example.

Film schedules are typically confirmed on a Monday, so over the weekend or very soon afterwards, film programmers will look at the weekend box office figures to judge which films are proving popular with audiences, and then decide on their schedule for the forthcoming week (starting on Friday). Once a plan is in place, then calls and emails will begin with film distributors to negotiate the booking of their films.

Understandably, each film distributor wants their film(s) to be kept on as many screens as possible to maximise their box office takings. Given these differing needs, film progamming is often a complex process of negotiation which includes not just agreeing which films to book but also the ‘terms’ – which includes the split of box office revenues between exhibition and distribution.

operations

The person in charge of the operations function in a cinema is normally responsible for almost everything concerned with keeping the cinema up and running, from staff, opening times, health and safety, on-site customer service, heating and lighting to cleaning and maintenance.

Operations teams must be aware of everything going on across their organisation to ensure that new procedures and promotions etc are implemented on site. A larger multiplex chain would normally have a national operations manager and regional, or area, operations managers who work together with the general managers on site to oversee the running of their cinemas, cascade information from Head Office and feed back information from individual sites about their performance and any specific issues.  

In a smaller company, these functions might be shared between a general manager and the owner.  In all cases, whoever is in charge of operations will need to ensure that each cinema is ready for business, that the environment is comfortable and safe, that the building is clean and well-maintained, that there is enough concessions stock, that ticket machines are working and that there are well trained staff to keep the cinema running.

The operations function will also normally be closely involved in the development of new sites and ensuring that issues such as accessibility and relevant health and safety and fire regulations are met. Operations managers are normally responsible for acquiring the entertainments licences required by cinemas to operate. These specify a number of matters, including opening hours and permit the sale of alcohol and late night refreshments.

marketing and promotions

Marketing and promotion involves ensuring that each cinema engages with the widest possible range of customers. Cinemas need to understand what customers want now, and what they might want in the future, and respond to that. Marketing teams have a fundamental role in communicating clear messages about why people should choose to spend their time and money at the cinema and why the big screen experience remains the best place to watch a film.

Marketing in cinemas will include film, brand and retail marketing. As well as internal communications there is also a wide range of external communication which needs to be managed via consumer and trade PR, local area marketing – particularly for site openings, and directly to customers through a variety of channels including social networking and mobile technology. There are lots of reasons why someone may go to a particular cinema, from convenience factors such as transport links and parking, accessibility, safety of a locality to more subjective reasons such as pricing, offers, customer service, comfort and quality of the facilities. Marketing teams work hard to ensure their overall offer is clear to customers and the best it can be.

Cinema as a business is changing. Digital technology brings huge opportunities for cinemas to broaden their offer to customers, making it much easier to show a wider range of films and, with the ease of moving films around screens, making it easier to respond to audience demand.

Delivery of content via satellite has also enabled cinemas to show a range of so-called ‘alternative content’ such as opera, ballet, theatre, music and sporting events. These can be broadcast live to cinema screens, making national events much more accessible to audiences across the UK.

An increasing number of cinemas are now also offering VIP or ‘gold class’ tickets in an attempt to attract customers willing to pay more for arm-chair style seating or recliners, with more leg room and space for wine and nibbles, providing an altogether more premium experience. At the other end of the spectrum, customers seeking value for money can still avail themselves of the long-running Orange Wednesdays 2 for 1 ticket promotion, or a range of company-specific loyalty card or discount schemes.

Many cinemas also run special screenings for the elderly, mothers and babies, and for schools or disabled groups, for example through autism-friendly screenings. Cinemas will adapt their traditional screening experience to cater for these groups. Some sites also work with local partners to promote film festivals or events with the surrounding community.

It is the role of cinema marketers to ensure that customers know about the increasing range of benefits that cinema has to offer. Cinemas companies need to stay in touch with all their existing customers whilst constantly reaching out to potential new audiences. With the huge range of communication channels available in a digital world, cinemas need to have an understanding not only of what audiences want, but also how they access information. The aim is to equip people with all the knowledge they need to make an informed choice about going to the cinema.
Copyright © 2015 The Cinema Exhibitors' Association

See here for a list of the cinemas operating in the UK:  http://www.ukcinemas.org.uk/

Film Distribution in the UK

http://www.launchingfilms.info/step-step-guide/
Above is a complete explanation of how a film goes on its journey to reach audiences.

http://stephenfollows.com/who-dominates-uk-film-distribution/

It is becoming ever easier to make a feature film, thanks in large part to new technology which is cheaper and more accessible. We are currently in a boom for feature film production, with more films made in the UK last year than ever before. However, the size of movie audiences and the rate at which we watch films is not growing at the same speed.  This means the ‘pressure point’ in the filmmaking process has shifted from “Will I get it made?” to “Will anyone see it?”

I’m going to spend some time over the next few months looking at the situation UK filmmakers face when trying to get their film sold and seen by audiences.  First up, let’s take a look at who is actually distributing feature films in the UK.  In summary…

• There were 698 films released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland in 2013
• The number of  film and video distributors has increased by 32% since 1996
• In 2013, there were 470 companies focused on film and video distribution in the UK, only 127 of whom actually released a film in UK cinemas that year
• The top 10 distributors account for 97% of the box office revenue
• Just three companies (StudioCanal, eOne and Entertainment) control half of all box office income made on UK independent films.

The number of films being released in the UK and Ireland has doubled in the past 15 years.  Last year, there were almost 700 films shown in cinemas in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Between 1996 and 2013, the number of companies engaged in ‘film and video distribution’ increased by 32%.

These figures come from the Office for National Statistics and so they are calculated using a slightly different method to the other data in this article.  It mixes film and video distributors, whereas the other charts relate only to cinema distribution. Also, some of these companies will be ‘active’ as far as the Office of National Statistics is concerned but may not have distributed a film in the past year.

This means that the ONS 2013 figure of 470 film and video distributors is a lot larger than the BFI’s figure of 127 companies who actually distributed a film in cinemas in 2013.

Nope. In 2013, the top 10 distributors controlled 96.5% of all the box office revenue.  And despite the increase in the number of films on offer in cinemas, this has barely changed in the past 16 years.

Unsurprisingly, the major Hollywood studios dominate the distribution business.

However, under the surface we can see that who’s on top changes most years.

Interestingly, the spike in 2012 for Sony is almost exclusively due to the most recent instalment of the Bond franchise. ‘Skyfall’ is the highest grossing film at the UK box office between 1989 and 2013, grossing £103 million.

When we strip away the studio-backed films we see a very different scene. Together eOne, Entertainment and StudioCanal account for half of the box office generated by UK independent films.

These figures include distributors releasing two or more UK independent films in 2013. Artificial Eye Film Releasing was re-branded as Curzon Film World in April 2013.

The complete guide to UK film distribution for indie filmmakers

by Chris on JUNE 29, 2012 in DISTRIBUTION

I asked my pal Amir who has worked as a film maker AND in UK distribution, to offer  some notes for film makers entering the market. I didn’t realise he would pen an epic and essential guide to film distribution… Blimey! Over to Amir…

Film distribution is pretty much the final frontier that the independent filmmaker of today has to tackle. The intimate dealings are a mystery to most – but if you can understand and embrace the process, you’ve just bettered your chances of having a sustainable career in this strange old industry of ours.

Before I launch into the nuts and bolts of getting a film out into the market, I’d just like to explain that before working in distribution, I was greener than a Granny Smith when it came to the process. I’d been making films for 5 years and didn’t have a clue. Since then and during the last 3 years, I have received a substantial education, packed with highs and lows, and I hope that some of my experience benefits you and your projects.

Starting Off
So, you’ve finished your film. You’re bloody knackered but uber proud, and so you should be! But now you’ve posted a screener DVD off along with that lovely poster you designed to a variety of distributors – what happens?

The film is screened, of course. The decision, however, isn’t always made on how ‘good’ the film is. A film can be perfectly enjoyable but not have a commercial edge. So, be prepared for knock backs – but remember that a distributor knows what they are comfortable selling – this will differ from distributor to distributor, as they all have their own niches that they know how to sell better than anything else. Although, this doesn’t guarantee results – it’s a bit more complex than that, as you will read shortly…

But, they like your film – yay! So you enter into negotiations with them. Percentages of sales and minimum guarantees will no doubt be mentioned. Sometimes, it can be less beneficial to take an MG up front, as opposed to a chunk of sales revenue. This is because an MG is an advance of sales that has to be recouped, along with various expenses (such as manufacturing, BBFC, etc). Marketing spend can also be recouped, so it is wise to set a limit in the contract or your DVD sales could be paying those off and leaving you empty handed.

However, if you can negotiate something called a corridor, this allows you to get paid a certain percentage of sales while other expenses are being paid off. As Chris mentioned in his recent blog on negotiation (http://www.chrisjonesblog.com/2012/06/top-ten-reasons-why-film-makers-screw-up-in-high-level-negotiations.html), be prepared and research as best you can. Also, don’t forget about ancillary outlets for your film; will they be working on selling TV rights, hotel and airline rights – the splits on these can be different from the DVD or theatrical splits, so it is useful to remember that and use it to your benefit.

Ok, you have got the deal you want. Well done – but the hard work hasn’t even begun yet. Let’s talk about the different type of release:

Theatrical
You are having a theatrical release. Seriously? Be honest now, is it because your film actually warrants it, or is it for your ego’s sake? You need to have your business hat on here because theatrical releases are EXPENSIVE. Even small ones can rack up the expenses bill. Plus, unless you make an absolute killing at the box office, its unlikely you’ll make cash. Of course, some releases are used as loss-leaders, to maximise on exposure and to ‘legitimise’ the film in the eyes of the audience, but beware, this is a double edged sword. Sure you can get some high level coverage, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to £££ in your pocket.

In my experience, the hardest thing for a filmmaker to do, once finishing a film, is to detach themselves from it – which is understandable – it is their baby. But failure to do this can lead to unhealthy hopes and expectations and an overspend on marketing which will leave your project in the red.

However, if a theatrical release is the way to go for your film, what has to happen?

Theatrical – Nuts and Bolts

BBFC – Unless your film is a documentary (which are exempt from classification) you’ll need to get your film classified by the BBFC.  It is expensive – how much exactly? That depends on the length of your film and a couple of other details. Check out the fee calculator here:http://www.bbfc.co.uk/customers/fees/fee-calculator/. But as a ball park, for a 90min film for theatrical release, it costs £730+VAT (£615+VAT) for DVD/BD

Advertising/marketing – The quality of this, just as much as, if not more than, the film itself will go a long way determining the financial success of your film. I’m not going to go into too much detail here, but always be wary of spending and make sure you have a drip campaign that informs your audience of the film on a regular (but not too regular) basis, so you build anticipation, as opposed to irritating folk.

Bookings – You/the distributor needs to speak to the cinema bookers. For the chains (Cineworld/Odeon/Vue etc.) they will have a central department that books films across their screens. You need to get your film to them and keep following up. They get STACKS of films to watch and your film will be fighting for screens against blockbusters that will turn a profit, as well as other indies.

For the arthouse/indie cinemas – they tend to have more autonomy, so it is possible to speak to the cinema booker at a given theatre. However, many use City Screen (http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/city_screen.aspx) or the Independent Cinema Office (http://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/) to book for them, or at least a portion of their screens – so it is wise to approach both.

Whoever you speak to it is imperative, that you keep them updated on the marketing plans and coverage that the film is getting. They’ll probably want to know what the marketing spend per screen is. Remember, booking films, especially a low budget indie film with no one famous in it is a massive risk. You have to show them why people will see your film as best as possible. Also, useful to remember; even if your film has done wonderfully in festivals and you have bunches of laurels – this doesn’t necessarily mean that the cinema bookers will want it. They are experienced and know that certain films play well at festivals, yet don’t have that commercial edge that will mean an audience will want to part with their cash to watch it.

Its also worth noting that in terms of percentages, normally, the cinema will take the lion’s share of the takings. Expect something along the lines of 25% to 35% (obviously, this changes from cinema to cinema).

Prints – The DCP is the present and future in terms of projection. There are facilities that will create these on a large scale if the release warrants it. But as Danny Lacey demonstrated in his excellent video blog (http://dannylaceyfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/getting-to-grips-with-making-digital.html) you can create these for free. Great! So, it can cost next to nothing to get your print screened then, right? Wrong, and here is why…

Virtual Print Fee (VPFs) – The VPF has been something of a bone of contention in the industry for a while. In short, it is a mechanism of getting the distributor to pay for the shiny new projection kit that has been installed in cinemas that permits the screening of a DCP. As far as I am aware, all cinemas charge the VPF now. It will cost approx. £650+VAT per print shown. One man band self distributors pay the same rate as the Hollywood big boys – ouch.

Tracking the Box Office – Want box office reports sent to you as soon as the cinema closes its doors after its screened your film? Check out Rentrack Edi (http://www.rentrak.com/section/media/box_office/iboe.html) they will email you a sales report detailing exactly how much each cinema has taken on your film. You will need to register your film and the precise sites it is showing. This is quite inexpensive (less than £3 per screen, if my memory serves me correctly).

OK, so your film has been in the cinema – great! Hopefully you broke even – the last thing you want are theatrical expenses to pay off as you tackle the next hurdle…

The DVD/Digital Release
This window is the best place to turn a profit. But if it is mismanaged, all chances of making cash disappear into smoke. Here is what is likely to go down…

BBFC – No, I’ve not forgotten that classifying your film was mentioned above. You really do have to do it twice. Really. Yes, I know that not a frame of your film has changed and that it is in every way the precise same film they charged you for classifying prior to the theatrical release. But they need to do it again and there is no way around it. Think of it as one of life’s great mysteries, such as Stonehenge, or why Bobby Robson thought that England had a chance of winning Euro 2012…

Blu Ray or not to Blu Ray – You shot the film in glorious HD. You have a lovely master just ready to be burnt onto a Blu Ray. But consider this: in 2011 200m DVD units were sold in the UK. Blu Ray sales for the same period? 15m units. They are more expensive to make than DVDs and folk, in general, aren’t that bothered. Do you really want to go to the extra expense now? Again, think about what is best for the project as a whole, be as removed as you can and consider the cost, compared to the benefits.

Physical Product/Distribution – So, your DVDs have been pressed and they look fab – now what? Well, they need to be made available to the paying public via a variety of outlets. The main ones being Amazon, Play, HMV and perhaps the supermarkets. Amazon and Play ordering models are low risk, so expect them to take only a few at a time. Once, HMV would take large orders (in the 1000’s) of a variety of titles, but due to their issues, they have employed a safer buying approach. Again, only buying a few at a time. The biggest bricks and mortar sellers of DVDs are the supermarkets. They have massive foot flow, loads of outlets and thus lots of buying power. But it can be expensive to get your film stocked by them. In some cases you have to pay a ‘co-op’ fee for them to take it, along with giving them a discounted price. It sounds crazy but it’s the reality. They have so much power and potential that they can cut these deals all of the time. They could order 15k units week one and if it flies, then they will keep ordering more. But, if it doesn’t sell to their expectations, they send the stock back to the distributor – the word distributors fear more than most: RETURNS! Stock that you’ve paid to manufacture, collecting dust – large returns kill releases. So while supermarkets can offer potential big sales, be wary that dealing with them can be a double edged sword.

But how do the physical products get into the above outlets? Well, normally, a distributor will work with a sales agent. Some one who specialises in dealing with retailers and has existing relationships with them. They will take a commission (from my experience between 15 to 20% – but that will vary). They will meet with and present your titles to the buyers at said retailers. It is very unlikely that you will get your DVD into the likes of ASDA by calling their buyer – mostly, they will want several titles, all of which have the commercial appeal that is essential to them. Remember, it isn’t how ‘good’ your film is in this case – it is ‘will it sell’?

Manufacturing is mostly done by the likes of Sony DADC/Technicolor. They will press the DVD, print the artwork, pack them in the amaray cases, wrap them and ship them to whoever places the orders. The sales agents will work closely with the manufacturers and often you have to deal with the sales agents in order to speak to the manufacturers. Because they deal with big orders (again, thousands of discs) they are unlikely to deal with one off filmmakers who are self distributing. But do bare in mind that you can get your film onto the likes of Amazon etc without a sales agent.

Digital/VOD – We all know that digital distribution is growing rapidly. There aren’t the overheads of physical, so profit margins are better, plus the reach is growing. Also, people are becoming more and more used to watching content online now. Among the big ones are FilmFlex, BT Vision, Netflix, iTunes – something to consider at negotiation stages is how are they embracing digital; is it a key part of their strategy or an after thought?  Also, many platforms do not deal direct with indie distributors, but go through an agent who will deal with sales, accounting and quality control. Again, like the sales agents for physical product, they have pre-existing contacts and take a similar commission.

Distrify – I’m sure the vast majority of readers who frequent Chris’ blog knows about Distrify (http://distrify.com/) so I won’t go into detail. But I do think that it should be a key part of a release strategy as it ties in seamlessly with social media and other online outlets. It is certainly worth your while looking into using this set of tools as you have total control and visibility. Something that isn’t always there when dealing with a distributor.

Marketing – This was very briefly mentioned in the context of a theatrical release above and there are many people more qualified than I to give advice here. What I would say though is that it is imperative that you know your audience – if you don’t know who your film is for, then you end up talking to nobody via your marketing materials. Just as crucially, don’t fool yourself- you need to be honest; you cant take a drama and try to make it look like an action/thriller via the trailer/poster etc. just because you think that kind of film has more appeal and will thus sell more. Know your audience, embrace them, connect with them.

A Myth – When I worked in distribution, over time, I found that there was something of a myth that an indie distributor is able to pick up the phone and just books a film into a given cinema or retail outlet. Or that they decide how many units the likes of Amazon or HMV take. Sadly, it simply doesn’t work like that because there isn’t really the clout to give them the kind of traction that the big Hollywood players have. So many people have to believe that your film will work commercially and if one link in that chain doesn’t, the film wont be as profitable.

Firstly, the distributor has to believe that they can package and sell it. Then, their sales agents have to believe in it and be excited by its commercial potential. Once they are on board, they must convey this belief to the retailer, which takes time and compromise (for example, a supermarket may want changes made to the DVD packaging). If the retailers are on board, then you need the public onside and compelled. This is done by the quality of marketing and promotion. Remember, your no-budget film will be on shelves next to Harry Potter etc. The competition is startlingly tough.

Fundamentally, it is all about the film; it’s USPs in particular, to borrow a business term. This is what the distributor, sales agent, retailers and public will want to know – why should they choose your film over the myriad of others being produced.

Now that I am working back in production, I have found this knowledge to be an enormous help in that I can approach my films with a strong dose of reality and I understand what really is key in the grand scheme of things.

I hope that for the self distributors out there, that there are some transferable points above. I’ve always considered a filmmaker an entrepreneur of sorts – nowadays, with the way production and distribution are evolving, it holds more truth than ever.

Thanks for reading and wishing you the very best with your projects.

Amir

——

WOW! Thank YOU Amir!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/filmmaking/guide/distribution/distribution  Article (without links) below:

Distribution

A distributor can help market and generate sales for your film.

What is a Distributor?

In terms of shorts, a distributor is an individual or organisation who will represent your film at festivals and markets around the world and who will attempt to sell it to television (including terrestrial, cable and satellite), airlines and other companies that show short films. The major short film distributors in the UK are (in alphabetical order): Dazzle, Futureshorts, Network Ireland TV and Shorts International. See the distributor section of ourRelated Links: Exhibition & Distribution – Shorts for information and links to these distributors and others.

In terms of features, a distributor is generally an organisation who handles the theatrical release of a film in a particular country as well as the marketing and circulation of films for home viewing (DVD, Video-On-Demand, Download, Television etc). Often feature films have different distributors representing them in different territories and different distributors handling the home-viewing circulation. Independent film distribution in the UK is generally managed by indie distributors such as Metrodome, Optimum Releasing and Momentum. See the distributor section of ourRelated Links: Exhibition & Distribution – Features for information and links to these distributors and others.

Distributors will source new films to represent in their distribution catalogue at film festivals and markets around the world such as Cannes, Rotterdam, Berlinale, AFM and Sundance festivals (features) and Clermont-Ferrand, Tampere, Encounters and Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival (shorts). See our Related Links: Festivals section to find out more about major festivals worldwide.

Although they may be interested in unsolicited submissions or work in progress, the majority of films that distributors acquire, are completed films sourced at film festivals and related markets. Having said that if your film hasn't been picked up on the festival circuit it is worth making contact with distribution companies and forwarding a DVD copy of your short film or emailing a link to your film online to see if they are interested and if so what they offer you in terms of a deal.

For a film to be distributable, you will need to make sure you have all the right assets in place. See our Filmmaking Guide: Press & Publicity Materials for a list of all the assets that you'll need to compile during and after production.

As well as assets, distributors will require a clear paper chain - clear contracts and license deals so that they know that you are legally allowed to sell all the different elements of your film on to a third party (for information about what clearances they'll require see our Legal Guide: Rights & Clearances Checklist.

Distribution Deals

It is up to you to negotiate the rights a distributor will acquire in your film i.e. you may want to hold back distribution rights in certain territories. If you conclude a deal it should be formalised in a written distribution agreement. Some clauses to look out for are:

Territory: this specifies the countries in which the film can be distributed by the distributor.

Term: this sets out the period of time the distributor will hold distribution rights in the film.

Rights granted: the agreement should distinguish between the media rights granted to the distributor (theatrical, video and DVD, television rights etc.) and those media rights which are reserved to the producer e.g. radio rights. You should determine whether the rights granted are exclusive or non-exclusive. If you agree to exclusive rights, it will stop you allowing others to show your film within the specified media/territory/term.

Producer's warranties and representations: the producer will be asked to provide assurances that there is no infringement of copyright.

Gross receipts: this means all monies actually received by the distributor from the exploitation of the film before any deductions have been made.

Net proceeds: this is the amount payable to the producer from the proceeds derived from the exploitation of the film after costs incurred by the distributor have been deducted. Costs can include distributor fees, commission and expenses.

Expense caps: there should be expense caps in order to prevent the distributor claiming unreasonable amounts, which would reduce the amount left for the producer to recoup.

Distributor's obligations: Distributors should use their best efforts to realise gross receipts from marketing and exploitation of the film.

Accounting: The distributor should be under obligations to maintain accurate and true records of sales and expenditure and the producer should have the right to receive regular accounting statements on the film.

Termination: You should pay special attention to the circumstances in which you can terminate the relationship with the distributor. If your distribution agreement is for a long period of time and a better deal comes along during that period, the wording of such a clause will often determine as to whether you can end the existing agreement.

One of the best ways to be clear on what is a good deal is to talk to other short filmmakers about their experiences. If you are still not sure, you can get advice from your regional screen agency. To find your regional screen agency see the screen agency section in our Related Links: Funding - UK Screen Agencies

The best policy is not to sign any agreement that you don't fully understand until you are clear about all of the terms. There are plenty of people who can offer advice to help you along the way towards the successful distribution of your short film.

Distributors generally offer a percentage royalties on any sales made, which should be net after any marketing, production and promotional costs the distributor incurs from the film's release. They almost always want exclusive rights to sell the film in the selected territories, so that they effectively manage the film's commercial life within that territory. One film may have several distributors, specific to each territory, so that a local marketing campaign and versioning is ensured. The deal also could include an advance fee on any sales the distributor makes, which is then recouped later on future sales.

Filmmaker question:"I've fallen out with the distributor of my film. My contract with them is for another five years. Is there anything I can do to get out of my contract?"

Answer: See our Legal Guide: Filmmaker FAQ section

Sales Agents

More rarely, both short and feature films can benefit from the skills of a Sales Agent, who works on selling a smaller range of films on behalf of the film's rights holder / producer. Agents are responsible for setting up the deals, but do not necessarily deal with all the contracts paperwork, taking a percentage fee from any sales that arise from their work. They tend to take slightly lower fees than distributors as they do not have such large overheads and provide no guarantees of sales. However you may need to pay them a retainer until they achieve a sale. They can also be responsible for setting up deals with film distributors per territory. Talent Agents can also act as Sales Agents (see Related Links: Exhibition & Distribution Shorts - Talent Agents as well as our Filmmaking Guide: Getting a Talent Agent).

In the case of short films, sales agents often do the same role as distributors.

Sales & Income

It is very rare to make a profit on selling a short film. It is not a good idea to overspend on budget with the hope that you will get it back afterwards from selling the film. You probably won't. Short film distributors tend to sell films in packages to make their profit margins sustainable, with a slant on high production values, romance /comedy / drama genres and avoidance of overly ‘adult' themes. However, if you are interested in getting your short on TV across the world, on seatback airplane TVs, and on iTunes, distributors have the right contacts and will do the heavy, complicated paperwork it takes to achieve this.

TV license fees tend to pay per minute, ranging from 50EURO to 250EURO per minute. Clearly, this means longer films make more money, but most broadcasters will not license a film that is over 15 minutes long. More active buyers will attend film festivals in order to source new films for their channel, so it is possible, if bureaucratic, to sell shorts directly to TV channels.

Withholding Tax on Licensed Films

It is worth noting that countries outside of the UK, including the EU member states and the USA, can legally withhold up to 40% of the due license fee as withholding tax, until you are able to provide the Licensee with a Certificate of Residency from your local tax office, where your company is registered. If you do not have a registered company, you will not be able to avoid the tax. The certificate changes annually and is needed in order to prove that your main business takes place in the UK, not from an overseas office. If you have a distributor, they will be able to deal with this for you, as they will have submitted annual Certificates of Residency to each international Licensee / Broadcaster.

In the USA you will also need to register for an UIN (Unique Identification Number) and fill out the W1/BEN form from the Inland Revenue in the USA to avoid additional taxation.

Self-Distribution

It may be the case that you and/or your producer decide to distribute your short yourself/yourselves. Below we've outlined just a few of the advantages and disadvantages of self-distribution:

Advantages to self-distribution

You can retain full control and rights over your film, giving you the choice over where your film is shown.

You don't have to give a cut of the money made from any sales of your film to a distributor.

Disadvantages to self-distribution

It can be a full-time job in itself as it can be very time consuming chasing buyers and sales and filling in paperwork.

It may limit your options for sales as distributors have established relationships with buyers and many buyers may only be interested in packages of films.

You need to be very legally savvy and make sure you're not signing away rights to your film that'll prevent you from showing it elsewhere.

Online distributors

As well as the specific short film websites listed in ourRecommended Watching page, there are now some companies who claim to make profits from distirbuting films online in a similar way to traditional distribution.

Below are two examples, plus you can also check out this blog post by Chris Jones about online distributors.

Distrify

Changing the way we share, discover, buy and sell movies, Distrify turns the web into a movie sales platform.

distrify.com

Dynamo

Reach a global audience, publish programs on any site, and get paid for every purchase.

site.dynamoplayer.com

See also our section on online distribution here.

Other Resources

Lux, the national agency that exhibits and distributes artists' moving image work, has produced a handy distribution guide with some excellent tips and advice on getting a distributor. Lux Distribution Guide: distributors

Related Guides

To check what rights and clearances you'll need to show your film in public, see our Legal Guide: Rights & Clearances Checklist

For more information on how to market your short, see ourFilmmaking Guide: Marketing Your Short

For information on how a talent agent could help you, see ourFilmmaking Guide: Getting a Talent Agent

To find out more about other means of exhibiting your short, see our filmmaking guides on Screenings, Festivals & Awards,Television and Online

Audience
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/78460/DCMS_film_policy_review_report-2012_update.pdf