The Role of the Distributor

The role of a distributor is to identify and deliver the largest possible audience for every film they represent. Research shows that most people that go to the cinema know what film they want to go and see, which is thanks to the distributors that have aroused interest in that particular film. The distributor has to launch and sustain films in the highly competitive market place.
Their challenge is to:

• Identify the films audience
• Consider why they would go and see it
• Estimate the revenue potential across all the formats of the films release
• Develop plans and partnerships to build awareness of and interest in the film
• Aim to convert as much interest as possible into cinema visits
• Persuade exhibitors (cinema operators) to play the film

After the film has left the cinema, it is released in a range of formats such as DVD, Blu-ray, Pay-per-view/subscribers television and free to air television, and the distributor is vital in order to maintain the necessary value of the film in order to be successful in the film industry. The distributors key jobs in the life cycle of a film begin with the development of a release strategy:

• Consideration of a release date and taking a delivery of a master print of the finished film
• Presentation of the film to exhibitors and negotiates bilateral agreements to have it shown in the cinemas
• Developing marketing campaigns aims to create a 'want to see' buzz among the target audience and launches the film 

The distributor closely works with the film maker and producer who are likely to have nurtured the project that is their film for years.