I.

Introduction

Film Production and Distribution, process of putting together a film from the inception of the idea through to the exhibition of the finished product. A film is said to be “in production” when it is actually being filmed. Consequently, there are pre-production and post-production stages, both of which are part of the film-production process. Because of the high cost of making films, careful planning is a commanding feature of film production. There are no absolute principles and any guideline can be violated or broken, although, in general, all films, no matter how artistic, are economic entities intended for distribution and exhibition.

Predictable profit is, therefore, a consideration in the decisions as to which films get made. One with little apparent audience appeal is likely to be more difficult to finance than one that will attract large audiences. Such considerations influence the budget for a film, but are qualified by the status and track records of the stars, producers, directors, and writers involved. Inclusion of a top star may convert a non-commercial idea into a commercial proposition; similarly, the producer or director of a previously successful film may appear to have a magic touch and be allowed greater independence than usual.

Distribution, at its simplest, is the physical act of distributing reels of the finished film to the outlets that will be showing them. (Although, with the advent of digital prints that can be sent online, that method is in the process of changing.) During the studio era, the Hollywood majors distributed their own films, and a similar pattern was followed, to a greater or lesser degree, in other countries: The Rank Organisation in the United Kingdom, UFA in Germany, and Toho in Japan all controlled their own distribution. Often, under the now largely defunct system of “vertical integration”, they also controlled exhibition via their own cinema chains. Smaller studios and independents concluded distribution deals either with the big studios, or with independent distributors.