There may be several ways
to get into film distribution
but there are only a few
successful ways to get out
to get into film distribution
but there are only a few
successful ways to get out
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Written by Stephen J. Kerr & Sarah Nean Bruce
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Written by Stephen J. Kerr & Sarah Nean Bruce
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PREAMBLE:
We wrote this piece for entertainment professionals who own a film and/or television content distribution business, because they know what challenges impact their businesses. Challenges like lower revenue from foreign sales; disintermediation due to self- distribution; rising acquisition costs for quality productions; the need to invest earlier in films in order to lock up distribution rights; increased risk from foreign competitors, and more. It has never been easy to be in the film distribution business, but lately the hurdles seem to be growing, and a clear path forward more challenging.
We wrote this piece for entertainment professionals who own a film and/or television content distribution business, because they know what challenges impact their businesses. Challenges like lower revenue from foreign sales; disintermediation due to self- distribution; rising acquisition costs for quality productions; the need to invest earlier in films in order to lock up distribution rights; increased risk from foreign competitors, and more. It has never been easy to be in the film distribution business, but lately the hurdles seem to be growing, and a clear path forward more challenging.
Sarah Nean Bruce (SNB): Does it seem to be the worst of times as a distributor
Stephen J. Kerr (SJK): The last few years have been tough for film distributors, but it has also been one of the best of times to distribute content. There are more places today to sell movies, documentaries and television serials than ever before.
The world is a smaller place, with previously insignificant markets like India, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia now becoming viable markets for American entertainment.
With 500+ cable channels and as many OTT channels blooming on the internet and on your TV, there is an audience for almost every conceivable form of entertainment. The challenge is that with all those choices, the audiences for each movie and show are smaller, and therefore content is less valuable.
Being a film distributor has its rewards: lunch on the Cours Masséna in Cannes with actors, auteurs, and producers; red carpet photos with beautiful people at Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals; pitching film buyers in Santa Monica, Berlin and Hong Kong. That’s the fun part.
The world is a smaller place, with previously insignificant markets like India, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia now becoming viable markets for American entertainment.
With 500+ cable channels and as many OTT channels blooming on the internet and on your TV, there is an audience for almost every conceivable form of entertainment. The challenge is that with all those choices, the audiences for each movie and show are smaller, and therefore content is less valuable.
Being a film distributor has its rewards: lunch on the Cours Masséna in Cannes with actors, auteurs, and producers; red carpet photos with beautiful people at Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals; pitching film buyers in Santa Monica, Berlin and Hong Kong. That’s the fun part.
SNB: What is the less fun part?
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