| Working with Exhibitors |
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| Rob Wales | |
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Page 1 of 2 It is extremely rare for a motion picture film exhibitor to deal directly with a filmmaker concerning release of their film. Few filmmakers have the experience or background necessary to succeed in the Herculean task of making a marketing success out of a feature film. Exhibitors are far more likely to take a chance on a film if it is brought to them by an established distributor.Some filmmakers do work directly with exhibitors. But those that do usually find themselves limited to small independent venues and repertory theatres. The few filmmakers I have dealt with who attempted self-distribution achieved their first goal – giving a potential audience exposure to their film – but none were able to take their films beyond that primary level and achieve exposure to a wide audience. Furthermore, these smaller venues are increasingly rare in today’s marketplace and, for sheer survival purposes, they out of necessity choose more commercial fare over an unknown title. So, think twice about self-distribution. You’re almost certain to be better off if you let your distributor do this job. And once you have someone handling distribution, let him or her handle promotional opportunities, release dates, etc., as well. Theatre chains prefer to work with experienced promotion and distribution people, not with filmmakers. That said, it’s helpful to understand the issues involved in exhibition and the factors that can help determine theatrical success or failure. The more you understand about every aspect of your film’s life cycle, the better. Genres that workWith general audiences, the most successful genres in recent years have been horror and science-fiction films, comedies, and family films. The market for family films is so dominated by large, deep-pocketed distributors with brand name recognition that there have been few home-grown theatrical successes in this niche over the years. Horror films and comedies, on the other hand, can compete effectively in the marketplace if a quality project is marketed correctly.Yet these are not the only genres worth considering. One of the pleasures of the exhibition business is seeing audiences respond to a new or different film style or sensibility when they are made aware that something different and worthwhile is in the marketplace. This is the promotion challenge for breaking out of the mold: basic genres can be readily described because the audience has reference points for them; something different and worthwhile requires more ingenuity in marketing and promotion. The Lure of the Breakout FilmWhile the theatrical business is driven by and large by films that primarily meet preconceived expectations, each and every year finds several breakout films that succeed because they are unique like The Passion of the Christ or Atanarjuat or The Corporation.The thing to remember about truly unique films is that they tend to find their place at one extreme of the success scale or the other. Either they achieve breakout status – or they have no impact at all. Most are going to have no impact. In other words, the odds aren’t great for someone who doesn’t want to turn out “more of the same.” However, if your heart isn’t in making basic genre films, there is really no point in pursuing that path. Just be aware that if you take the alternative path, you will face a more formidable set of challenges and obstacles to success. Continued... |
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