Film Distribution:
A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public either theatrically or for home viewing. A distributor may do this directly or through theatrical exhibitors and other sub-distributors.
Theatrical Distribution:
If a distributor is working a theatrical exhibitor, the distributor secures a written contract stipulating the amount of the gross ticket sales to be paid to the distributor by the exhibitor after first deducting a "floor", which is called a "house allowance", collects the amount due, audits the exhibitor's ticket sales as necessary to ensure the gross reported by the exhibitor is accurate, secures the distributor's share of these proceeds, and transmits the remainder to the production company.
The distributor must also ensure that enough film prints are struck to service all contracted exhibitors on the contract-based opening day, ensure their physical delivery to the theater by the opening day, monitor exhibitors to make sure the film is in fact shown in the particular theater with the minimum number of seats and show times, and ensure the prints' return to the distributor's office or other storage resource also on the contract-based return date. In practical terms, this includes the physical production of film prints and their shipping around the world as well as the creation of posters, newspaper and magazine advertisements, television commercials, trailers, and other types of ads.
Home Video Distribution:
Some distributors only handled home video distribution or some sub-set of home video distribution such as DVD and/or Bluray distribution. The remaining home video rights may be licensed by the producer to other distributors or the distributor may sub-license them to other distributors.
If a distributor is going to distribute a movie on a physical format such as DVD, they must arrange for the creation of the artwork for the case and the DVD and arrange with a DVD replicator to create a glass master to press quantities of the DVD.
Theatrical Distribution:
If a distributor is working a theatrical exhibitor, the distributor secures a written contract stipulating the amount of the gross ticket sales to be paid to the distributor by the exhibitor after first deducting a "floor", which is called a "house allowance", collects the amount due, audits the exhibitor's ticket sales as necessary to ensure the gross reported by the exhibitor is accurate, secures the distributor's share of these proceeds, and transmits the remainder to the production company.
The distributor must also ensure that enough film prints are struck to service all contracted exhibitors on the contract-based opening day, ensure their physical delivery to the theater by the opening day, monitor exhibitors to make sure the film is in fact shown in the particular theater with the minimum number of seats and show times, and ensure the prints' return to the distributor's office or other storage resource also on the contract-based return date. In practical terms, this includes the physical production of film prints and their shipping around the world as well as the creation of posters, newspaper and magazine advertisements, television commercials, trailers, and other types of ads.
Home Video Distribution:
If a distributor is going to distribute a movie on a physical format such as DVD, they must arrange for the creation of the artwork for the case and the DVD and arrange with a DVD replicator to create a glass master to press quantities of the DVD.