YOUTH: Film Distribution

Film distribution is the process of making a movie available for the viewing of an audience.
This is normally the task of a professional film distributor, who would determine the marketing strategy for the film, the media by which the film will be viewed on and may also set the release date.

As a group, we need to do all the legwork that a distributor would normally do by reaching out to people and self-promoting the film.
We would love for our short film to hit websites such as Short Of The Week and FilmShortage. Both these websites have an incredible launch pad for short films and help elevate us.

We will be distributing Youth entirely online maybe have a trailer with its release date? - The ease of online distribution has also made it exponentially more difficult for individual films to be discovered by audiences. A filmmaker has to compete with literally hundreds of thousands of hours of video uploaded every single day to every corner of the internet.
Distribute on multiple platforms, not just youtube - vimeo facebook and maybe snapchat and instagram for the release date.

Firstly, I looked at Paramount which is the fifth oldest surviving studio in the world, being founded 104 years ago. Paramount was one of my options because of how established it is especially as it is a sole member of the "Big Six" film studios. But after further consideration, realistically Paramount wouldn't pick up a short film like ours soI decided to look for distributors closer to home.

I also looked at Film4 as they distribute a wide range of shorts in different genres. As our film is a Sci-fi we hope that a distributor like Film4 would pick our film up especially as Film4 is such a well-known studio that is known for backing a large number of films made in the UK.


Eclipse Pictures is a Dublin-based distributor which has a long-standing relationship with Icon Film Distribution, releasing shorts such as "Looking for Eric", "The Passion of the Christ"

and “La Vie en Rose.” Eclipse Pictures also releases films of Irish interest such as “Fifty Dead Men Walking” for Metrodome.
Eclipse Pictures is Ireland's longest established independent film distributor with a reputation at both domestic & international level as the go-to company for bespoke personal service. They release and acquire rights to local and titles of Irish interest and offer a sub-distribution service to leading independent UK distributes including Icon Film Distribution.

Lastly, I looked at Element Pictures Distribution which like Eclipse have offices in Dublin as well as London. Element Pictures Distribution also handles StudioCanal’s slate and the Royal Opera House live cinema season in Ireland as well as direct acquisitions.  Additionally, Element Pictures operates an online video on demand platform, Volta.ie and also runs and operates the Light House Cinema in Dublin and Pálás in Galway.      

             

After researching all of these film distribution companies I have decided to choose Network Ireland Television, due to its affiliation with short, local films usually catered to a niche market. The NIT distributed the Oscar Nominated short film The Silent Child recently, which was based on a deaf 4-year-old which I found profoundly moving after watching it.