Professional Documents
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Film Distribution
Film Distribution
istribution
to UK film d
Universal
Planning a release
Acquisition
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contents
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Leaping into box-office action: Rowan Atkinson blasts back into cinemas for the October 2011 half-term in the comedy spy thriller,
Johnny English Reborn. Eight years after his first big screen appearance, the unorthodox secret agent aims to rehabilitate himself in
MI-7 by protecting the Chinese premier from a group of international assassins. Directed by Oliver Parker, the films cast
includes Rosamund Pike, Gillian Anderson, Dominic West and Ben Miller.
foreword
by David Oyelowo
Heroes of all kinds pilots, pirates, doctors, detectives, kings and queens some possessing special powers, others with deep-rooted flaws.
It may be their eternal destiny, or they may be ordinary folk thrust into extraordinary situations. In any event, the cinema makes you want
to be the hero, to join in their larger-than-life adventures, reminding you who you are, were or could yet be.
I love working in the movies, theres no medium or experience quite like it. Ive enjoyed playing many contrasting roles from
The Last King of Scotland to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Help to Red Tails, with The Paperboy and others out in 2012.
Those three simple words out in 2012 are easy to gloss over or take for granted. In a way,
rightly so: what matters most are the film and the experience of seeing it.
But the very fact that youve picked up this FDA guide suggests that you have some interest
in finding out how the film industry works. Between the film and the experience lies a vital
part of our industry the distribution engine, which aims to attract you, the all-important
audience, to new releases week by week.
Distributors work hard the heroes behind the scenes? to convey every title as distinct and
compelling entertainment. This involves an array of risks and challenges, and without the skills
to meet them, thered be no film industry. Please read on.
See you at the movies!
David Oyelowo
the role of
distribution
FDA/Getty Images
With this guide, you can look through the eyes (or lens!)
of a distributor and consider how you might launch a
film. What sort of business considerations would you take
into account, and what are the key decisions you must
weigh up? Its my most sincere hope that you enjoy
exploring the essential life of a film beyond its
production phase, and that this brief insight will make
you want to discover even more.
distributors connect
films with audiences
What distributors do
Distribution is the highly competitive business
of launching and sustaining films in the
market place. Films dont become talking
points, or find their place in the world, by
accident. The distributors challenge is to
bring each one to market by:
identifying its audience
considering why theyd go and see it
estimating the revenue potential
across all the formats of its release
developing plans and partnerships
to build awareness of and interest in
the film
aiming to convert as much interest
as possible into cinema visits
persuading exhibitors (cinema
operators) to play the film
Like other forms of entertainment, the film
business is product-driven: the films
themselves are the main reason for buying
tickets. Theres an insatiable, deep-rooted
desire for great stories on screen as well as in
print. But today more than ever, consumers
call the shots, deciding for themselves what
information or content to receive or reject,
access or delete.
Paramount
In releasing films and delivering their audiences to cinemas and stores, distributors
are the vital linchpin of the value chain that drives the entire film industry.
Team effort
Creative, commercial and professional skills are needed in all branches of the film
business, including distribution. The chart on page 9 outlines the overall lifecycle
of a film:
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acquisition
Not for turning: The Iron Lady reunited Phyllida Lloyd and
Meryl Streep, director and star of Mamma Mia! The Movie
(2008). Released in UK cinemas in January 2012, it is the
extraordinary story of Margaret Thatcher (British Prime
Minister 197990) and the price she paid for power. Jim
Broadbent, Richard E Grant, Anthony Head, Roger Allam and
Nicholas Farrell joined the strong cast.
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Paramount
Entertainment
Evening Standard
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planning a release
analyse
compare and contrast
discuss and decide
implement
monitor and report
Entertainment
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Is it a film for a holiday period? If so, which season? School holiday dates
vary around the UK, and with those in other countries. What kinds of films
have been released successfully in particular slots in previous years?
Is it a film with hopes for award nominations? Contenders for the
Academy Awards, Golden Globes and Orange British Academy Film
Awards often open in the UK between DecemberFebruary, when
the annual awards season reaches its peak, although this can cause
a bottleneck in an already congested release schedule.
Is there a buzz about the film, due to its stars or makers, a book on
which it is based, an early festival screening that attracted attention,
or perhaps some controversial subject matter? What is posted about
the film online?
If it is a sequel or franchise entry, what elements distinguish it and
add contemporary resonance over and above its predecessor(s)?
Has the film already opened elsewhere? Substantial success in the US,
reported via websites and other media, can contribute to positive word of
mouth in the UK although this can work both ways, as a disappointing
performance overseas may adversely affect perceptions here.
What certificate will the film have (see the five theatrical categories
above right)? The certificate awarded by the British Board of Film
Classification (BBFC) is important as it can affect the potential audience.
Distributors submit a copy of each film to the BBFC for classification as
soon as possible, paying a fee according to the films length. Youll find
consumer advice about the content included in a panel on the films
advertising and at www.bbfc.co.uk
The BBFC celebrates its centenary in 2012.
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For a digital release, specially encoded media files containing the film are delivered to cinemas either on
a hard drive or via a satellite link. At the cinema, the files are ingested into a powerful server and played
out through a state-of-the-art digital projector. Digital prints are significantly less expensive to duplicate
than 35mm copies, and the hard drives can be reused.
Park Circus
Park Circus
Cost category
Film certification fee (payable to the BBFC)
Digital cinema prints
Digital Master cost
No. digital prints in 2D and (if any) 3D
Duplication cost
Cost of encoding/encryption applications (including
generating the codes needed to unlock the digital
files in the cinema servers to enable the film to play)
Digital trailer costs
Transport to cinemas
Other digital costs / charges
Other
Research screening/exit polling, if any
Additional materials (specify)
Couriers, copying, incidental expenses
Contingency
Campaign production
Film poster design
Poster printing
Print advertising production
TV spots production
Radio spots production
Film trailer production
Subtitles/audio description tracks
Content for UK film website(s)
Foyer POS display items origination & print
Promotional leaflets/flyers, if any
Other production costs
Promotions
On-air media promotion(s)
Contribution to any retail partner/other promotion(s)
Total ()
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film marketing
and publicity
STUDIOCANAL
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Trailers
Distributors usually have a range of audio-visual
content to work with as they prepare campaigns,
including film clips approved by the producers;
making-of material shot on set during
production; and one or more trailers. Probably
the single most cost-effective marketing technique,
trailers play both on the big screen to a captive
audience of active cinemagoers and also online
for any interested viewers.
Full trailers, screened shortly before a film opens,
may be preceded by early teasers (typically up to
90 seconds). Specialist agencies or production
companies are briefed by local distributors to
create a trailer from the available material.
Naturally, in aiming to sell the film, they want to
include a representative glimpse of the most
dramatic sequences but, early in the production,
the editing and special effects will not be
finished. Trailer making is a filmmaking art in its
own right.
Exhibitors, who programme their own screens,
select trailers appropriate to the feature film
before which theyre played. Distributors fund the
duplication, and often the production, of trailers;
a wide release will often have 2,000 copies
circulated to cinemas. Sometimes trailers for new
theatrical releases are added to the front of
compatibly targeted DVDs too.
Fizzing with networks of film fans, the internet plays a pivotal role in shaping many cinemagoers
perceptions of new releases. Most films have an official website sometimes hosted by a partner
company or social network site offering trailers, stills galleries, production information and
behind-the-scenes footage.
The web helps distributors to start building awareness of a new film at an early stage. Even before
principal photography begins, they may post updates online containing news snippets or teaser
images, seeding interest among fans. During shooting, they may gradually accelerate the flow
Walt Disney
Warner Bros.
with video diaries or blogs from the set, so the core audience feels part of the filmmaking process.
Sony
Film clips are among the webs most searched-for content, available across many sites. Ever more
user-generated material, often including film or soundtrack grabs, draws comments on video sharing
sites. Sometimes filmmakers and distributors invite ideas online and bloggers suggestions have been
known to make it into finished films!
Film distributor websites direct traffic to exhibitor sites where tickets may be purchased online.
Members of databases receive weekly email reminders of the new films opening locally and
occasionally also surveys and special offers.
Paramount
Not just opinions, but content too, can spread virally like wildfire
via Facebook and Twitter, which have many millions of
participants. Distributors are eager for their films to be part of the
conversation in online networks, but word of mouth or word of
click! trends ebb
and flow very rapidly.
A social media profile
has become a must
for every film!
Advertising placed on broadcast channels, outdoor panels and in the press is usually
the largest expenditure item on a P&A budget. Television and outdoor can deliver
ubiquity relatively high coverage and frequency to films and brands that advertise
on them.
Terrestrial television is traditionally the most effective visual means of reaching a mass
audience. But TV advertising costs, running into many hundreds of thousands of
pounds or more for a package of spots in all regions, are prohibitive for most film
releases given their potential returns.
Event films/blockbusters with top stars need heavy advertising spends to support
their wide releases. But with limited budgets for any release, distributors try to work
up fresh, inventive ways to target specific audiences. TV viewers often fast-forward
through advertising that doesnt quickly engage their interest.
When planning their advertising schedules, distributors must bear in mind that
different audiences react to advertising, and reach their decision to see a film, in
different ways. Older audiences may respond best having seen the film advertised on
television or in the press, while for younger audiences its more appropriate to
promote it online and on radio stations or bus panels.
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Publicity
As readers tend to accept independently-written news items more
readily than paid-for advertising, editorial coverage of a film can be
highly persuasive. But column space and airtime are limited, and the
subject of heavy competition in their own right.
Film publicists compile press kits for journalists, containing cast and
crew lists, biographies, notable facts about the production and a
synopsis. Its very important to have a selection of fine images from
the film approved for publicity use, taken during production by a
specially hired unit photographer. All these materials are disseminated
via online pressrooms and distributors pro-actively devise hooks or
angles for feature articles and media promotions. What are the key
themes of the film and what will get people talking about it?
ShortList/Paramount
Warner Bros.
Screenings for national critics are normally held on the Friday, Monday and Tuesday
before a film opens to the public; those for journalists with longer lead-times are
scheduled further in advance. Although positive reviews are no guarantee of
commercial success, critics plaudits can still be important in helping to distinguish
and champion certain films, and extracts are often included in advertising.
Universal
Weve got it covered: Captain America and Rise of the Planet of the Apes were among the summer 2011 action thrillers, skewing towards male audiences, promoted via the cover of ShortList, the free weekly mens magazine.
That summer, Paul Feigs Bridesmaids and Todd Phillipss The Hangover: Part II were two of the comedies that achieved blockbuster status and some plaudits from reviewers.
Awards buzz: The build up to the major awards (see page 17) is an important time for publicists promoting the films vying for consideration. The season of
mounting speculation lasts up to five months before the Oscars, and costly trade campaigns unfold to secure voters attention to particular titles, performances
and craft contributions. Shortlists of nominations are announced 34 weeks prior to the presentation ceremonies, which deliver global profile and prestige.
Set visits: As with any product development, the film production process is conducted confidentially behind studio doors or on guarded locations. Film sets are
Flying high: Set in Brazil, Rio (2011) was a colourful, energetic animated adventure written and directed by Carlos Saldanha, a creator of the smash-hit
Ice Age series. With the fourth Ice Age film coming to cinemas in 2012, a UK promotion in Gap clothing stores celebrating Rios release offered as its
exceptional star prize the chance to record a character voice track for Ice Age 4.
normally strictly closed to the public. But distributors may have valuable opportunities to visit the set, especially of UK-based productions, along with key
journalists, exhibitors or marketing
partners. In making such visits,
arrangements will be made with the
unit publicists and producers.
Promotional partnerships
Depending on the films theme and
target audience, the distributor will
endeavour to arrange promotional
partnerships. Such tie-ins generate
displays for the film in places where
conventional advertising cannot
reach such as shops, restaurants or
on packs. They also enable
customers to interact with the film
characters by collecting premium
items or entering a competition.
Importantly, too, tie-in advertising
under license by a promotional
partner or a brand with product
placement in a film can add
substantial weight to the
distributors own campaign.
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Merchandising
Many releases, particularly family films, have
merchandising programmes co-ordinated by
the film company or an external consultancy.
Manufacturers may be licensed to use approved
logo devices, images or character likenesses on
specific products, normally in exchange for an
advance fee set against subsequent royalty
payments.
Tie-in merchandise can embrace toys (below),
action figures, ringtones, clothing, stationery,
calendars, anything. Films regularly have official
soundtracks, games and books, which can
generate significant revenues in their own right.
Media promotions, placed on an appropriate
channel or publication, can make effective
use of film merchandise or location holidays
as prizes. Such exposure helps
to stretch the film campaign
and create additional
talking
points.
Walt Disney
Entertaining the generations: Lego is a classic brand that refreshes its mass appeal by launching
new ranges themed to family movies, including Harry Potter, Star Wars, Cars 2 and Pirates of the
Caribbean (above). Danish-based Lego accounts for as much as 7% of global toy sales.
Preview screenings
A useful way to fuel pre-release word of mouth among
audience segments that the distributor wants to motivate to
see the film. Preview screenings are targeted carefully, with
tickets offered to readers of a particular print/online
publication, or listeners of a radio programme, matching the
films core audience.
Sometimes a film is previewed widely to the public a few days
before its official release date. This is a way to satisfy demand
to see it as soon as possible and boost the opening box-office.
Festivals
There are dozens of busy film festivals in towns and cities
worldwide, but the main annual events attended by
thousands of international film buyers and sellers, and almost
as many journalists, are presently at Sundance, Berlin, Cannes,
Venice and Toronto.
These festivals, each with their own personality, serve various
functions:
a market, where distributors seeking to acquire
product may meet with sellers (agents, producers,
studios);
a competition, where new titles may be screened to
juries of filmmakers and awarded prizes. Such
accolades flashed on a films poster can add prestige
but may also pigeon-hole it as arty;
a high-profile platform where films can be showcased
prior to release.
FDA
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Film Education/FDA
Film Education/FDA
Warner Bros.
Paramount
Accessible cinema
Hundreds of films are released each year with digital subtitles
and audio description. New titles are made available to cinemas
every week as a service to cinemagoers with less than perfect
sight or hearing. Some film trailers are presented online in
accessible formats too.
Paramount
Walt Disney
Entertainment
Sony
Do you want to have an adventure?: Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) is a 12 year-old orphan living within the walls of a Paris
railway station. His very survival depends on secrecy and anonymity, but his destiny changes when he gets engulfed in a mystery
involving young Isabelle, a heart-shaped locket, a robot, a fierce station master and his late father. A 3D family adventure, Hugo
was made by award-winning director Martin Scorsese, usually associated with dramatic thrillers such as Shutter Island (2010)
and The Departed (2006). Released in cinemas for Christmas 2011 and subsequently on other formats, Hugo made extensive use
of studio facilities and locations in the UK as well as Paris. Its fine cast has Ray Winstone, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sir Christopher Lee,
Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer and Jude Law. Meanwhile, Anonymous (also 2011) is a spectacular thriller, brimming with
mystery and intrigue, from director Roland Emmerich, best known for his apocalyptic disaster movies, 2012 (2009) and The Day
After Tomorrow (2004). Set in the reign of Elizabeth I, Anonymous deals with who actually wrote the plays of William Shakespeare.
Its stars include Rhys Ifans, Jamie Campbell Bower, David Thewlis, Sir Derek Jacobi and Vanessa Redgrave.
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licensing films
to exhibitors
Walt Disney
When we are put to the test, it is the one thing we must always be: Brave is the
2012 release from the Pixar team behind Toy Story 3 (2010), Cars 2 (2011) and a
string of other much-loved animated blockbusters. Set in a rugged, mythical
Scotland, Brave is the tale of impetuous Princess Merida, who pursues her passion
for archery against her parents will and inadvertently unleashes a danger that
jeopardises her fathers kingdom. Among the stars in the voice cast are Kelly
Macdonald (as Merida), Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Billy Connolly and Julie
Walters. A full year prior to its UK cinema release, a teaser trailer had already
notched up millions of viewings online.
Print management
Distributors technical managers arrange for a
print to be despatched to each cinema playing
the film. As films are locked (completed and
signed off) ever closer to their release dates, so
the time available to make and transport prints
gets tighter. Strict quality control procedures are
applied to ensure the film directors intentions
regarding colours and tones are matched.
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No second chances
A film can only be launched once. Its first
weekend in cinemas is crucial to further progress,
because if it is deemed to have opened below
par, it is likely to lose screens or switch to screens
with smaller capacities very quickly.
The distributors marketing effort builds up to the
opening weekend, which normally draws by far
the largest audience of any weekend in the
theatrical run. Its quite common for a film to
generate 30% or more of its entire box-office
during the first three days of release. Although
films conventionally start in UK cinemas on
Fridays, distributors quite often open on other
days or run previews the weekend before.
Around 60% of cinema visits take place over
the weekend (FridaySunday), with the other
four weekdays accounting for 912% each.
Monday is traditionally the least busy
day; Orange Wednesday has become the
busiest weekday. Courtesy of Rentrak, you
can keep track of the top films at the UK
box-office every week via FDAs website,
www.launchingfilms.com, and elsewhere.
Distribution plans usually assume that the
revenues and number of screens on which a film
plays will decline, often rapidly, as competing
titles are launched in successive weeks. But such
Icon
STUDIOCANAL
Dogwoof
Universal
Screen legends: The late, great Ayrton Senna and Bobby Fischer were both world champions in
motor racing and chess, respectively. Documentaries made for the cinema, such as Asif Kapadias
Senna and Liz Garbuss Bobby Fischer Against the World (both 2011) can captivate audiences as
tightly as a suspense thriller.
Competition beyond
other films
During the year, films in
cinemas face competition
from major sports events
such as the Olympics, World
Cup or Wimbledon
(especially when theres
strong home interest!);
massively popular TV shows
such as the live finals of The
X-Factor, Britains Got Talent
and Strictly Come Dancing;
and the launch of a hot
PC/video game.
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Warner Bros.
Global phenomenon: The world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:
Part 2, held in Londons Trafalgar Square on 7 July 2011, had worldwide media
coverage including live streaming of the red carpet arrivals on an official YouTube
channel. The eighth and last in the sensationally successful series of British films
that began in 2001, it quickly amassed the biggest box-office of them all, due partly
to its release in digital 3D as well as 2D and IMAX formats. A behind-the-scenes
tour revealing The Making of Harry Potter opens in 2012 at the vast studio
complex in Leavesden, near London, where the series was produced please visit
www.wbstudiotour.co.uk
Love cinema? Hate piracy: These images are from the shoot of FDAs latest
anti-piracy trailer, which was written and directed in 2011 by Jae-ha Myung,
a student filmmaker from the National Film & Television School. Called The
Last Cinema, the piece imagines a dark near-future world in which film theft
has rendered the shared experience of cinema a thing of the past.
FDA/NFTS
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FDA/NFTS
Artificial Eye
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working in film
distribution
A challenging career releasing films in a fastmoving market place how does that grab you?
Acquisitions
Soda
Finance &
accounting
Sales
Administration
Publicity &
media relations
Technical
eOne
Icon
Eros
Eros
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Getting started
As you would expect, competition to break into
the film industry is fierce. Being passionate about
films is a great start. But its only a start, not
enough on its own.
Best of luck.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
A Game of Shadows: Guy Ritchie directed Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in a second big-screen Sherlock Holmes thriller, shot in London for cinema release at
Christmas 2011. With schools, universities and many workplaces on holiday, this is a peak period for cinemagoing (UK cinemas are open every day except Christmas
Day). Other treats lined up for a spectrum of audiences during the festive season: Arthur Christmas, Happy Feet 2, Puss in Boots, Hugo, Alvin and the Chipmunks:
Chipwrecked, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and more.
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about Film
Distributors
Association
FDA
FDA
FDA
FDA
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FDA members
BFI
Bauer
Future Publishing
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film everywhere
Here are a few UK websites you may like to explore, depending on your particular areas of interest:
Accessible cinema: > www.yourlocalcinema.com
Alliance Against IP Theft: > www.allianceagainstiptheft.co.uk
Annual film awards round-up: > www.filmoftheyear.co.uk
BBC Films: > www.bbc.co.uk/film
British Academy of Film and Television Arts: > www.bafta.org
British Board of Film Classification: > www.bbfc.co.uk
British Federation of Film Societies: > www.bffs.org.uk
British Film Institute: > www.bfi.org.uk
British Screen Advisory Council: > www.bsac.uk.com
British Video Association: > www.bva.org.uk
Cinema Exhibitors Association: > www.cinemauk.org.uk
Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund: > www.ctbf.co.uk
Coming soon to UK cinemas: > www.moviepreviewguide.com (right)
Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport: > www.culture.gov.uk
Fastest way to find any film in any format: > www.findanyfilm.com (above right)
Federation Against Copyright Theft: > www.fact-uk.org.uk
Film 4: > www.film4.com
Film Club: > www.filmclub.org
Film Education: > www.filmeducation.org
Film London: > www.filmlondon.org.uk
Free preview screenings: > www.seefilmfirst.com
Industry Trust for IP Awareness: > www.copyrightaware.co.uk
National Film and Television School: > www.nfts.co.uk
Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television: > www.pact.co.uk
Rentrak: > www.rentrak.com
Skillset: > www.skillset.org
findanyfilm.com
FDA
Every person watches an average of 81 films a year. The vast majority (around 80%) of these viewing occasions are when films are
shown on television, especially among people aged 40+. Cinemas account for around 3.5% of total film viewings, with the home
entertainment sector delivering the rest.
In early 2011, the UK had 716 cinemas a familiar and welcome part of urban landscapes accommodating 3,671 screens, most of
which are now equipped to show digital content.
62% of the UK population goes to the cinema at least once a year. 19% goes at least once a month. There are 14m cinema visits in an
average month, with holiday periods tending to be the peak times.
Every week, 1011 films are released in UK cinemas, generating annual box-office gross receipts (including VAT) of about 1 billion.
Distributors invest more than 300m a year to bring all these titles to market, launching and sustaining them in cinemas. 170m of
this is allocated to media advertising, the rest to film prints, advertising production, publicity, premieres and related costs.
In terms of total gross value, a cinema release accounts for just over a quarter of the filmed entertainment business, home
entertainment 4045% and television the rest.
The highest grossing film of all time in cinemas is Avatar, released in December 2009. Its UK cinema admissions were equivalent
to a quarter of the population.
The filmed entertainment industries as a whole employ around 48,500 people in the UK, nearly two-thirds of them working in production.
Of the top 200 films released in cinemas worldwide over the last decade, no fewer than 34 were based on stories and characters
created by British writers one indication of the UKs hugely impressive creative track record in the world of film.
The total public funding of film amounts to around 260m a year, including fillm production tax relief, lottery funding and
broadcasters investments.
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contact FDA
FDA welcomes any approach where UK film
distributors generic interests are concerned.
If you have a general enquiry, or feedback on
this Guide, please email info@fda.uk.net
You can also write to us:
Film Distributors Association Ltd.
22 Golden Square, London W1F 9JW
We aim to respond appropriately within
three working days of receiving your enquiry.
To keep in touch with the fast-evolving world
of UK film distribution, visit FDAs website,
www.launchingfilms.com
Youll find a weekly film release schedule to
download or search, a bank of industry data,
a gateway of links and much more.
FDA
www.launchingfilms.tv
2012
istribution
to UK film d