160 likes | 256 Views
Dok Incubator: 2012 Documentaryfilms on the international market. By Producer Sigrid Dyekjær. Seminar. How do you make a distribution strategy 2. Different kinds of distribution strategies Questions & Answers. Documentaryfilms on the international market.
E N D
Dok Incubator: 2012 Documentaryfilms on the international market By Producer Sigrid Dyekjær
Seminar • How do you make a distribution strategy 2. Different kinds of distribution strategies • Questions & Answers
Documentaryfilms on the international market • Normally a distributiondeal is negotiated and signed after the film has been made • Selection for A-festivals is important for the international life of the film • Most distributors are looking for films with a wide audience appeal, more than films for niche audience • Presold TV licenses can be important for financing the film, but can make it less interesting for a distributor
What are your goals for the distribution • Get the film shown? • Make money? • Get awareness about the director and the production company? • How involved do you as the producer and/or the director want to be in the distribution? • Do you have financial resourses to promote the film?
Strategy and analyse your films distribution potential • Audience potential: Does you film have commercial / arthouse potential or is it a nichefilm? • What is the key hook for the international market? • Is it a non – english speaking film? • What TV rights are presold?
When do you start your distribution strategy? • In the development fase • Financial pitching forums • Pre-sale stage • Pre-festival participation • After salgsagent is identified • Festival participation • Post festival • After international deals are made
Possible distribution strategies • You hire a sales agent / rep • You make all right deals with an international distributor, on all territories/some territories • You make different deals on different platforms/ different windows. • Service deals with consultants / producers reps • Selfdistribution and marketing of your film
1. Sales Agent / RepAdvantages • Producer already has a salesagent • Salgsagent has a distribution network • Salgsagent has a network with publicist and press (US) • Salgsagent can promote the film together with a publicist on festivals and create momentum for deals. • Take care of all legal work with lawyers regarding distribution deals (and E&O) • Stamp of approval for the project
1. Sales Agent / RepDisadvantages • Exsclusive deals means that the film is locked with a salesagent for a period of time • Salgsagent decides if the rights can be split up • Marketing expences / commission needs to be negotiated
2. All rights deal with a distributer: Advantages • Control over the process/ negotiations (depends on the deal) • Control with marketing & distribution costs • Fiction remake rights is not a part of the deal
2. All rights deal with a distributer: Disadvantages • You are not the key person involved in the different distribution windows. • You need an international lawyer • You don´t necessarily get the best deals for each window. • You will spent a lot of time controlling cost reports
3. Producer makes the deals and split up the rights Advantages: • Flexibility concerning windows and platforms • Possibility to choose your different partners for theatrical run, DVD, VoD etc Disadvantages: • Time consuming for the producer • Can be complicated especially concerning the legal work
4. Hybrid models – service contracts Advantages: • Keep the control over your film • Distribution can be adjusted according to demand • All Rights not sold off in one deal Disadvanteges: • You need money to pay the expenses your self up-front • Team (producer, consultant, rep, pr-agent) need to work well together • Commission for the rep, consultant
5. Selfdistribution and marketing - VoD / DVD Advantage: • Control over the process / negotiations • Control over the marketing expenses / personel • You build up mailing list and client/audience network Disadvantages: • You need money to pay up-front • Lack of experience • Difficult to understand and analyse the market • Time consuming
Financial sources in the US • Sundance • ITVS • Tribeca • Cinereach • Broadcasters: HBO, OWN, PBS (Independent Lens, POV, WGBH), A&E, Documentary Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel.