Evaluation: Question 3

Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

For a film to have access it is important that the distribution process is done correctly as film distributors make the film available for viewing to the target audience. Distribution is also the process of marketing, advertising as well as the movement of the products to certain retailers where the consumers can have access to them. There are different types of institutions who distribute into markets such as conglomerates which is a media group who strive on producing across the globe as well as independents in which films are produced outside big media studios and tend to be distributed national or local. There are different target audiences within the industry. A global tent-pole is a large audience, in which the film would most likely be distributed by one of the ‘Big 6’ conglomerates: Warner Bros, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Columbia, Universal and Walt Disney Studios.

On the other hand, there are films that target a smaller audience which may be local or national. These films would aim to get distributed by an independent film company such as BBC, Film4, Lionsgate, Microwave Pathe or Studio Canal.

Films will have different target audiences for many reasons. For example the film producers may only want to focus on being niche and domestic. In this case they would most likely wish to approach a British Independent film company as they are not able to take the film global. Also the film budget will also affect their target market as if the amount of money a film as is not enough, the film will not be able to get distributed globally. On a small budget it is most likely the film is distributed by an independent company, nationally.

Film 4 is a British digital television channel available for people within the United Kingdom. It is owned by Channel Four Television Corporation and produces films. The company started in 1982 as a film production company, who distributed films that were made in the UK. They helped distribute the films Amy, A Most Wanted Man, A Field in England and Shaun of the Dead. The films made by Film 4 all have small budgets for example the film Amy had a budget of 3.4 million USD.  

BBC Films is the film-making aspect within the BBC where they are always trying to find and develop new talents, where they collaborate with writers and directors within the industry to then distribute the production to the public. This company was founded in 1990 and has co-produced many well-known films in the UK. Some examples of films produced by BBC films would be Billy Elliot, Revolutionary Road, Pride and Fish Tank. As a company they produce films that have a smaller budget as their target market is national, an example would be Fish Tank with a budget of 3 million USD. BBC Films can differ from working with major international companies to smaller UK distributors.

Lionsgate Films is an American/Canadian film production or distribution studio. It was founded at first in 1962 however it was called ‘as Cinepix Film Properties’ and was located in Montreal. However in 1998 in Vancouver, British Columbia as Lionsgate Films. This company focuses mainly on foreign, independent films however it has also distributed many successful film series such as The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga, The Expendables and The Divergent Series. Most films they distribute are at a global scale. There film budgets can vary for example LOL the film had a budget of 11 million USD which is a huge comparison to The Hunger Games budget of 493 million USD.

Pathe is a multimedia platform that produces and distributes films. It owns a large number of cinema chains across Europe (more in France) and is also the 2nd oldest film company that is still operating as it was founded in 1896. Pathe has created films such as Selma, Pride, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 hours. An example of their film budget would be Selma at 20 million, which means that the films they distribute are not really of a small budget.