Change in Distribution Models

What is film distribution? 

Film distribution is the commercial process that makes a feature film available to the general public. It usually also includes determining a marketing strategy.

• In the older days, major film distributing companies put a movie in theaters, it ran there for about a year, and then it was gone. However, now they stay in theaters for shorter amounts of time but get put on streaming devices so people can watch them at home on their mobile devices
  
  

Simultaneous Releases: 

• Movies are now doing simultaneous releases, as data shows people are more likely to watch films at home that are under 'recently released in theaters' categories, boosting the on-demand sales by people at home

VOD: 

• Allows for distribution to bypass theater releases altogether
• Included in simultaneous releases
• Immediately accessible

Netflix: 

• Now is taking over cinematic distribution by exclusively premiering movies released on the same day the film debuts in select IMAX theaters
• Recently announce a deal with Adam Sandler, having the comedian star in four new feature films, confirming that Netflix aims not only to distribute certain films exclusively to members, but to actually make those movies as well, and consequently becoming a one-stop shop for production and exhibition

Big Buys: 

• After 2009 financial crisis, some companies went bankrupt, while others were purchased. A few also merged to increase market share
• This resulted in fewer bug media companies, but the ones that remained were larger than ever before
• E.g. Comcast owns NBCUniversal, Viacom owns Paramount, AT&T owns Warner Brothers, Disney owns Fox

Algorithms/Audience Trends: 

• These big tech and media companies, shifted from the 'four quadrant theatrical blockbusters' mindset (appealing to the 4 key areas of the moviegoing audience: women under 25, men under 25, women over 25, and men over 25), and focused on learning what audiences liked to watch
• This allows them to make informed decisions about which movies/shows to greenlight, and market to their subscribers more efficiently

Part of a Greater Whole: 

• When movie studios were singularly owned, they had to make money with their yearly release schedule
• Now that they've become subsumed by giant media conglomerates, this has changed
• Movies no longer need to make money to be considered valuable assets
• Movies now can get audiences to subscribe to streaming services. E.g., if you want to watch a certain movie that's available on Amazon prime, they can now make money from you long-term

Concerns from Indie filmmakers: 

• "Power is concentrated with those who hold distribution right, where it was a studio system but now large platforms"
• One growing concern in the documentary world is that some distributors, especially major platforms, are so commercially driven that their contracts might be prohibitive for a film's impact campaign and therefore its eventual social change 
• The industry needs to consider greater access to such content as well as audiences who don't subscribe to Netflix or have high-speed internet access