Research Independent

CinemaLaura Monument

Definitions

Production:The action of making or manufacturing from components or raw materials, or the process of being so manufactured.

Distribution:The action of sharing something out among a number of recipients.

Exhibition:A public display of works of art or items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair.

Production.

The five major stages of film production are: Development – ideas for the film are

developed, rights to books/plays are bought, and the screenplay is written. Funding for the projects has to be found.

Pre-production – cast and crew are hired, sets are created and locations are selected.

Production – the raw elements of the film are recorded.

Post-production – The images, sound, and visual effects of the recorded film are edited.

Distribution – Now the film is finished, it is distributed and screened in cinemas and/or released on home video.

DistributionFilm Distribution allows an audience to view a film by either placing it in a Cinema or releasing it on home video.

The two main ways a film may be distributed to an audience are by:

1. Exhibited directly to the audience through a movie theatre or on television

2. Through home viewing, which regards DVD-Video, Blu-ray Disc, Video on demand, Download, Television programs.

Examples of Distributions.

Netflix

BBC I-player (Streaming)

Pay television

ITunes (Online Distribution)

DVD’s

Airlines (Theoretical Distribution)

Exhibition

The Exhibition of a film regards how the film can be presented to an audience.

There are 4 main ways in which films can be presented, these are

Cinemas

Home videos(DVD/Blue-ray)

Internet

TV(Approximately two years after the film was released)

Film festivals(many films are displayed at one location)

Trailers and Posters are ways of showing people the film. Movie distributors spend a lot of money to produce adverts. These include Newspaper adverts, and 30 second TV advertisements.

Independent Cinema

If a movie that was funded with less then 50% of money came from the “big six” which are Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios.

Independent film is on a low budget, get to stick to the script that was orginally wrote and not everyone gets a say, they are easy to recognise.

Don’t have big releases, many little cinemas will show them.

Independent films are often screened at local, national, or international film festivals before distribution.

Mainstream Cinema

Films that are made by the “big six” which are which are Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios.

Mainstream films are on a large budget, everyone gets a say.

Big releases

Advertisements on billboards

Cinema’s play and show them.

Production-producers of

independent films. Island Pictures

First Born Films

Film4 Productions

Lions Gate Films

Summit Entertainment

Hannover House

Entertainment One

Palm Pictures.

Production-producers of mainstream films.

Some of the largest film production companies are:

DreamWorks Animation, 20th

Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Universal Studios,

Paramount Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel

Studios, Warner Bros. Studios and Touchstone Pictures to list a few.

FundingIndependent Production Companies fund their projects in many ways, these include donors and investors. As independent films are usually on a low budget finding the money they need to produce a film is hard, below there are four ways in which companies could gain money to fund their projects:

Crowd funding

Local Councils

Charities

Help with festivals

Donors would voluntarily give their money to the filmmaker’s without expecting a gift back. They usually have a deep connection to the story of the film.

Investors are more interested in the profit they can make from the film rather then the entertainment purpose. If the film is a success they can gain a 500% profit from the films total gross.

Distribution Film festivals are very important as they have a large part in

making the film successful, film festivals are not all about the funding of the film however are used to spread the word about their film and get it more known.

The advantages of self distribution is that the film company would make double the money per unit sold, they get to build a relationship with their customers directly as they can decide how to treat them, as well as they can sell their other products not just the film.

An example of online distribution is ITunes, online distribution is selling and showing people your products online.

Film screenings is the way the film is displayed, it generally referrers to a special showing as part of a film's production and release cycle.

Examples of companies that distribute independent films in the UK

-Arrow Film Distributors

-Goldwyn Ltd

-OMG Media

Exhibition.

Independent films and Mainstream films have very different exhibition.

The best way to exhibit independent films are through film festivals. Advertising online and in stores is one of the best ways to promote independent films, this is because usually they are low budget.

To exhibit a mainstream film is through Cinemas over a widespread area.

A film that is selected for these festivals will be seen by the world’s distributors and they will bid against each other for the right to distribute the film.

In any major film festival showing 200 or more feature films, at least 40% of these will never get distribution in the UK and will not be seen again on a cinema screen in that country.

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the following

mainstream films produced, distributed and exhibited?

Kill Bill

Produced by: Miramax Films, A Band Apart, Super Cool ManChu.

Distributed by: Miramax Films (USA), Buena Vista International(UK).

Exhibited by: Miramax Home Entertainment (DVD and Blu-ray)

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the following

mainstream films produced, distributed and exhibited?

Bourne Identity

Produced by: Universal Pictures, Kennedy/Marshall Company, The Hypnotic.

Distributed by: Universal Pictures (USA).

Exhibited by: Universal Studios Home Entertainment (DVD and Blu-ray).

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the following

mainstream films produced, distributed and exhibited?

Casino Royale

Produced by: Columbia Pictures, Eon Productions, Casino Royale Productions.

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Entertainment (World Wide).

Exhibited by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (DVD and Blu-ray).

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the following

mainstream films produced, distributed and exhibited?

Memento

Produced by: Newmarket Capital Group, Team Todd, I Remember Productions, Summit Entertainment.

Distributed by: Newmarket Films (USA), Pathé Distribution (UK).

Exhibited by: Columbia TriStar Home Video (DVD), Pathé Distribution (DVD).

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the following

mainstream films produced, distributed and exhibited?

Reservoir Dogs

Produced: Live Entertainment, Dog Eat Dog Productions Inc.

Distributed: Miramax Films (USA), Rank Film Organisation (UK).

Exhibited: Artisan Entertainment (DVD), Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (DVD).

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the following

mainstream films produced, distributed and exhibited?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Produced: StudioCanal, Karla Films, Paradis Films.

Distributed: StudioCanal (UK), Focus Features (USA).

Exhibited: StudioCanal (DVD), Universal Studios Home Entertainment (DVD and Blu-ray).

Mainstream films. In list form, how were the

following mainstream films produced,

distributed and exhibited?

Breaking and Entering

Produced: Miramax Films, Mirage Enterprises.

Distributed: The Weinstein Company (USA), Miramax Films (UK).

Exhibited: Buena Vista International (DVD).

Having conducted this research, who will

produce, distribute and exhibit your

independent production?

As we are on a low budget we do not need a distributor. To distribute the film we will do this by word of mouth which is the most cost effective way to distribute the film as no money is spent in the process. The film will be distributed on YouTube and blogger.com.