KS: Evaluation: 3

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

Once our film is made our production company will need to secure a distribution deal offering a cut of the box office and or DVD sales. The distributors must then invest in designing the marketing, such as posters and trailers, print copies of the film and distribute them to our chosen cinemas. We will need to clearly define our chosen audience, which we believe at the moment ranges from ages 15-55, particularly popular amongst the 15-25 age group of both genders and a variety of ethnic backgrounds, however this will need to be further researched and determined. We will need to decide on how much to invest on promoting 'The Dolls House', determining if exhibition will be worldwide, or nationally, targeting mass audience in large multiplex cinemas such as 'Odeon' and 'Cineplex' or niche audiences showing in art house cinemas such as 'Trinity' and 'Screen Cinemas'.

Our film I believe should target a mass audience as it is neither culturally or gender specific, instead it will attract a large audience and so should be distributed to multiplex cinemas such as Odeon or Cineplex. However we will need to do further audience research on the popularity of the film before releasing to determine the type of distribution and exhibition, as it may appeal to the more intelligent audience in art house cinemas. 

When considering art house cinemas, 'Indie Films', an independent company would be particularly appropriate. However if we look at other independent productions such as 'Paranormal Activity'(peli,2007), produced by Stephen Schneider and Jason Blum, for Blumhouse productions and Solanda films. The horror film was successfully co distributed by Paramount Pictures, Dreamworks and Icon Film Distribution and exhibted in many worldwide cinemas including Odeon and Cineplex. Although a small independent production such like ours the film was able to achieve it exhibition worldwide in multiplex cinemas and reached its mass audience; therefore these distribution companies we should consider for our opening film sequence.

Our film opening is likely to go on general release if audience research is successful so it can be released to the mass audience collaboratively, as a worldwide mainstream film. When researching the distibution and release of 'Silent Hill' a similar film in its genre and independent production, I can conclude that I believe our film could be blanket released worldwide. 'Silent Hill', distributed by 'TriStar Pictures' was released to theatres on April 2, 2006 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland. France, Belgium, Hungary, and Greece and later released in 19 other countries, however I believe our film would benefit greater if released collaboratively such like 'The Age of Stupid' a small independent film which's success was generated by its large worldwide release through webcasts and cinema chains. 

Therefore 'TriStar Pictures' could also be a suitable company to distribute our media production as it is a subsidiary of Columbia Pictures, itself a subdivision of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, which is owned by Sony Pictures, with backing of a larger conglomerate this means our independent production can greatly benefit by marketing the product through these conglomerate lines, thus increasing the 'buzz factor' before release.