CCR Distribution Question - Answer

Grace Watson

3 June 2020

Media Studies

CCR Distribution Question - Answer

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The thriller genre is a popular and throughly enjoyed genre which, according to my survey, placed in the top 4 of most loved genres. Because of this, I would aim to both fund and distribute my short film through crowd-funding on sites such as IndieGoGo and Kickstarter, with the hope and conclusion that because audiences enjoy thrillers (and my film is one), they may be very interested in funding it, in anticipation for watching it soon. This way I can show those in higher positions in the industry that I am able to work hard, think creatively, and reach out to the crowds to fund my film, basically creating the image of being a person “who gets stuff done” (according to a source). Because I, personally, would not like to post a private YouTube link to my film for the audiences to watch online for reasons such as not wanting my film to be pirated or my accounts hacked, I would release various teasers and snippets from the film instead, such as the opening sequence, for example, of the strange man abducting the young girl, Amberly, which instantly reveals what my film is all about, perhaps instantly captivating, exciting and building anticipation within the possible audiences right from the beginning, encouraging them to contribute to our film’s fund.

Once my crowd-funding site is set up for people to donate and assist, I would then confirm that I have actually prepared my film for distribution, ensuring that it’s in “1080p” (the preferred resolution for cinema screenings), that it’s in the correct format - this can be achieved by outputting the film as either an Apple ProRes 422 codec or an Avid DNxHD codec as a .mov file to consequently obtain the best results and highest quality. Additionally, I would ensure to load my film onto an .mp4 digital file so that when it is released, it’s all ready to go, of great quality. 

My film will be enhanced through the addition of subtitles to cater for the deaf and for those of different languages. My aim is to go big, I back my film, and so therefore my initial release will be worldwide (because it’s on SVOD services), therefore the film must have subtitles in a few languages such as Maori and Mandarine to cater for those of different languages.

To assist in submitting my film, brokering deals with the VOD platforms, encoding, packaging and delivering my film to digital platforms, I will hire a third-party aggregator. Although it may be expensive, I’ve worked so tirelessly and diligently on producing my film, and would prefer for it to be distributed and submitted by someone who has experience, contacts and sound advice in the industry, as opposed to trying to figure it out myself and perhaps not being successful. If my film blows up greatly in the long run, the cost of the third-party aggregator will seem next to nothing!

Although cinema is an amazing place to launch a film and build up awareness, with the virus having recently broken out and the fact that my film is still a small Indie film, not necessarily very well known compared to large Hollywood blockbusters, I’ve decided to rather distribute via VOD platforms as opposed to theaters. According to sources, Neon’s subscriber growth went “BOOM!”, and Netflix seems to be growing in popularity as well... therefore it seems to be a great decision! From research, many individuals say they far prefer watching films from the comfort of their own homes anyway, with 4.388 billion of the worlds population being connected to the internet. My film will be presented to Netflix, Neon and Amazon Prime (all SVODs). Additionally, it will hopefully be released to a TVOD site where audiences pay-per-view (this will bring in additional finance for us as the film-making crew). Because I’ve decided to use crowd funding, I would opt for electronic sell through (EST) viewing where the viewers have unlimited viewing access to the film once they pay, almost to reward and thank those who have contributed to the film’s fund for doing so.

Finally, my film will be promoted in a way as to build up a buzz and excitement for it. This will be done, as mentioned earlier, through the release of trailers and snippets from the film, as well as through creating a website titled “All Things Sweet” (relating to the film’s name of “Sweetness”). On this website we will post up games and competitions to stimulate involvement and active viewing and anticipation within the future audiences. An emailing list will be set up which we will use to email those who sign up with the latest announcements, competitions and reminders to further captivate and excite them. A press kit will be drawn up describing our company, some of my personal stories (such as experiences I've encountered throughout the film-making process) and the contents of the film - a plot synopsis. Images and clear, bright, interesting fonts will be used.