Evaluation Question 3

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

Our Thriller film is definitely an independent film striving to be mainstream, this clearly seen in our intertextual references to mainstream films such as The Hunger Games and Inception, both distributed by large conglomerate companies. However, it still remains as more of a Niche film due to aspects such as a lead child protagonist. Our film wouldn't be distributed by such colossal worldwide, vertically and horizontally integrated companies, such as Disney or Universal, instead smaller British companies that specialise in independent films:

FilmFour

FilmFour would most likely be front runner for the distribution of our film, not only would they be able to provide the production for our film due to partnerships with Warp productions, they'd be able to distribute it to a UK audience both through cinema and their own individual television channel. FilmFour has in recent years have distributed films such as award winning, 12 Years a Slave, as well as Niche film Submarine, (who coincidentally also has a young protagonist).

Despite the obvious choice of FilmFour, I believe if we were to try and distribute further afield to both a UK and European audience with a company who specialise in our Thriller genre. This company is New Line Cinema.

Warner Bro's

Warner Bro's is the parent company to production company New Line Cinema. This already establishes a great resource for production and most importantly, Warner Bro's having distributed the immensely popular and very mainstream films Harry Potter, therefore aiding us in our quest to make our independent film appear more mainstream. However, what I believe would be most convenient in distributing our film would be Warner Bro's past record for distributing Thriller films, and Psychological Horror films. Thriller being our main genre, Psychological being our sub-genre. Warner Bro's distributed both Annabelle and The Conjuring, these both attracting a similar audience to us as well as sharing same themes in exploiting child innocence to form fear and suspense.
As previously mentioned, Warner Bro's could distribute our film to an European audience. I don't think we would be able to distribute to America due to the British indie feel to the film, this not being something and American audience could relate to. Warner Bro's distributes to Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Argentina, as well as Canada and Japan if we were to try and market our film as slightly more mainstream.

I think the cinemas that will distribute Out of the Woods will be rather versatile, open to showing both mainstream and Niche films.

Vue

Vue cinema is a UK based multiplex cinema that will be able to distribute our film to more mainstream audiences. Not only does it show Hollywood blockbuster's, but also British indie films and live recordings of theatre and concerts. This allows for a large platform to display our product, the popularity of the cinema throughout the UK only aiding the demographic of people who will be introduced to it. Although I do believe blockbuster's guaranteed to make the cinema more money would be prioritized in the amount of showing times it was given over Out of the Woods, as we not take in so much money at the box office. Vue uses this technique continuously, most recently showing smash hit, Fast and Furious, far more regularly than Independent American film John Wick, perhaps suggesting a cinema that specialises in Niche films would be better suited.

Cinema City

Cinema City is owned by Picture House Cinema's as they specialise in showing Niche and independent films, we well as Hollywood hit's that are critically acclaimed and award winning. Because Cinema City deals predominantly with art-house films, it means we could reach out to a wider audience due to the more 'cultured', (people who enjoy foreign and Niche films for example), viewers and chances of our film being shown more frequently is higher.

Digital Technologies

After theatrical release, online distribution would be used to distribute our film to a larger variety of platforms to make for easier on the go consumption. Not only can Video on Demand be watched on smart phones, tablets and laptops, but now can be streamed onto your television through games consoles, making it practically impossible to not be able to stream your favourite film. Mediums such as LoveFilm would most likely host our film, as this Video on Demand service isn't as mainstream as other services such as Netflix. However, if our film were to be produced by FilmFour, our film could be distributed to their online video platform, Channel 4 OD, (on demand). We could even use social media to market the distribution of our film, again, expanding the demographic of our audience.

Film Festivals

If our film were to have been made in full and to a high enough standard, we most likely would have entered it into local film festivals, as well as more popular European ones such as the Berlin Independent Film Festival, Radiance Film Festival and Cardiff Film Festival. Making and distributing films as a student makes for thorough preparation for possibly studying media at University and pursuing it further after that, giving us prior experience in the film industry.