Post on 08-Jan-2016
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Dok Incubator: 2012
Documentaryfilms on the international market
By Producer Sigrid Dyekjær
Seminar
1. How do you make a distribution strategy
2. Different kinds of distribution strategies
1. 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
1. You hire a sales agent / rep
2. You make all right deals with an international distributor, on all territories/some territories
1. You make different deals on different platforms/ different windows.
1. Service deals with consultants / producers reps
2. 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
• 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
2. All rights deal with a distributer: Disadvantages
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.
Thank you for your attention