The role of the Distribution Company, the Distribution Plan and the Marketing Plan

The role of the Distibution Company:
It is the task of the distributors to identify and deliver the largest possible audience for every film. this is no small task, particularly when so many other entertainment options are available both inside and outside the home; and that's addition to the 500 or more titles released in the UK cinemas every year. But reasearch confirms that most cinemagoers know in advance what film they want to see- and that' principally a result of competng distributor's efforts to promote interest in the title(s) they are handling.
Tailor- made, audience- focused distribution is,and will remain, vital to the prospects of individual films and to the industry as a whole, whatever the medium or format in question. Every aspect of the communications and entertainment industry is undergoing rapid change. Inevitably, as digital technologies open new oppotunities for audiences, and the businesses that serve them, traditional aproaches melt.
But through it all a few fundamentals remain rock-solid. Sharing great stories has always benn part of human nature and stories told on film look and sound their very best in modern cinemas. Duringthis decade of almost continual changes and challenges UK cinema- going has been remarkably resilient, in fact when compared to many sectors, positively buoyant, thanks in no small measure to the inability of any other medium to match the immersive experience to cinema offers.

The Distibution Plan:
Through the combination of the market knowledge, commercial experience, statistical research and professional judgement, distibutors gauge the audience for each film. Only when distibutors have considered what a film may earn (with low/medium/high estimates) can they prepare a budget to release it, bearing in mind all the related costs. As with every business plan, the goal is to recoup all the costs and turn a profit. But launching films is expensive and risky- audiences have so many other leisure choices in and out of the home. In reality, most films do not make a profit from their theatrical runs alone.
When planning a new release, relying solely on conventional wisdom is never an option. Early information can be gleaned from discussions with the filmakers and by reading the script, but every project is a one- off. Each release is individually planned given current circumstances. The Distibution plans are often confirmed only when the finished product is available to view. The Distributors do the following for their Distribution Plan:

• They focus on the Audience- a detailed undertsnading of gender, age group, lifestyles, social networks and media consumtion patterns is need in order to make subsequent decisions on where and how a particular film is promoted to reach the target audience. Most frequent cinemagoers tend to be ranging form teenagers to young adults, including students as well. More than half of 15-24 year olds in the UK visit the cinema at least once a month.
• Competition and market research is always done and taken into account with the distribuots asking themselves many questions realting to their audience and what they would like to see.