Exhibition and Distribution

The UK Film Council work to make non-mainstream films more accessible in three ways:

• Improving access – our Digital Screen Network is made up of 240 digital screens across the UK that now show non-mainstream films regularly.
• Raising awareness – Our Prints and Advertising Fund provides £2 million every year to help British distributors promote non-mainstream films.
• Increasing information – our website, http://www.findanyfilm.com/ is one of the UK's leading websites for film fans looking to watch, buy, download or rent great films

Unfortunately, the UK Film Council has been abolished, transferring it's responsibilities to the BFI. "From 1 April 2011, the British Film Institute (BFI) has become the lead body for film in the UK. Most of the UK Film Council's core functions have transferred to the BFI - including the distribution of National Lottery funding for the development and production of new British films, as well as audience development activity through supporting film distribution and exhibition."
This is revelant to my media product because I will have a low-budget, therefore my film will not be as mainstream as other, high-budget films. This is because I will not be able to afford professional editing technology, actors or distribution themes.

Channels for exhibition and distribution:
Broadcasting, cable, satellite, theatrical, non-theatrical, home video, audio, multimedia, corporate and in-house.

Once a film is made, these are some of the people to consider when I sell it to audiences, via cinemas, retailers and rental films across the UK:

McDonald and Rutter
One of the leading practitioners in the specialised world of film PR, it will champion a new feature in all areas of the media in a bid to give it as high a profile as possible to cinemagoers. McDonald and Rutter will also help with a film's UK launch. This means sitting down with the film's UK distributor and talking through the film's appeal and devising a media strategy. Would the film benefit from a lot or a small number of screenings? Once this strategy is in place, the company will then arrange press interviews and photo shoots to boost the film's profile.

Julia Short, Head of Marketing
Julia Short is a partner in Verve Pictures and a film marketing specialist, with credits including 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'Bullet Boy'.

Susan D'Arcy, Unit Publicist
"My remit includes working closely with the stills photographer, captioning all the photographic material. I work with the documentary team making the EPK (Electronic Press Kit) ensuring they get the material they need. I also write all the publicity material for the film. This involves interviewing all the actors and key crew to produce production notes for the press that explain the film and profile the people making it."

Here is a website to help what to do when exhibiting a film and how to, and if your eligible to, require a cinema licence;

Cinema City (Norwich) is an arthouse cinema, showing independent films aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. I have a low budget, which contributes as to why I will be using Cinema City to show my trailer and film.