Are you a producer with big ambitions for your feature film project but struggling to gain interest from sales agents, distributors or programmers?
Do you want to gain invaluable insider knowledge from active industry practitioners that gives your film a fighting chance of reaching an audience on the big screen and beyond?
The Independent Cinema Office, in partnership with the Film Distributors’ Association, are offering this intensive and practical crash course, designed to provide emerging film producers with a greater knowledge and understanding of the interconnected film distribution and exhibition sectors. Participants will gain insights from sector insiders that will get them thinking about their potential audiences and help get their film seen.
The three-day course will be delivered through a mix of lecture and open forum discussion, case studies and targeted advice. Participants should be currently working on a film project, which they’ll have the opportunity to develop during the course.
Who is it for?
Up to 20 places are available for UK-based film producers. Participants should have already produced one completed feature from any genre, animation, documentary or artists’ moving image and work predominantly in the film industry.
Participants can bring this completed project to the course, or a new feature-length project they are currently working on at any stage of development from idea to post production.
What will the course cover?
The course will offer a thorough understanding of the business of film distribution and exhibition in the UK and an introductory overview to international markets and exhibition models in key territories.
The specific areas covered will include:
- The role of sales agents
- Acquisitions
- Distribution deals: understanding contracts and revenue
- Practicalities of a release: patterns, datings and bookings
- Ancillary revenues: DVD and Blu-ray, broadcast, online
- Marketing and publicising a film release
- DIY: self-distribution
- UK and international theatrical exhibition
- Cinema programming
- Alternative models of exhibition: festivals, film clubs and event cinema.
Who are the speakers?
The course will be led by Julia Short, Head of Acquisitions, at The Works. From a background in advertising and consumer PR, Julia joined Rank Film Distributors in the early 1990’s. After moving to PolyGram she became responsible for running the theatrical marketing department in the UK, releasing such films as TRAINSPOTTING, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, FARGO, TWELVE MONKEYS and THE USUAL SUSPECTS. After PolyGram closed in 1999, Julia moved to Redbus (now Lionsgate) and Film Four Distribution. In 2003 Julia set up VERVE PICTURES with Colin Burch, she is now Head of Acquisitions at The Works and is actively involved in delivering several high profile training courses for both the Film Distributors Association and MEDIA/Creative Skillset. She is also a trustee of the Independent Cinema Office, and mentors students from Screen Academy Scotland.
All sessions will be led by an experienced industry professional including key distributors, sales agents and exhibitors from both the commercial and independent sectors, including:
- Andy Green, COO / Founder, Distrify
- Carey Fitzgerald, Managing Director, High Point Media Group
- Catharine Des Forges, Director, Independent Cinema Office
- Chris Warrington, Head of Marketing, Organic Marketing
- Claire Beswick, Senior Film Booker, Odeon UCI Cinemas
- David Sin, Head of Cinemas, Independent Cinema Office
- Edward Fletcher, Managing Director, Soda Pictures
- Geraldine Moloney, Policy Advisor, Film Distributors’ Association
- Jacqueline Chell, General Operations Manager, British Federation of Film Societies
- John Ramchandani, Managing Director, Hollywood Classics
- John Trafford-Owen, Head of Theatrical Distribution, Studiocanal UK
- Ian Francis, Creative Director, Flatpack Festival
- Katie Ellen, Distribution & Exhibition Executive, BFI
- Mark Batey, CEO, Film Distributors’ Association
- Matt Smith, Head of Distribution, Lionsgate UK
- Muffin Hix, Film Programmer and Event Producer, The Lost Picture Show
- Rebecca Hawkes, Managing Director, Schedule 2
- Sally Hodgson, Producer of Marketing and Distribution, Sound It Out
- Sean Perkins, Head of Research and Statistics, BFI
- Terry Stevens, Home Entertainment, Dogwoof
- Tom Raffe, Director, Screenburn Media Ltd.
- Tracey Hyde, Film Programmer, Saffron Screen
Fees
£250 + VAT = £300
Applying for a place
This course is now fully subscribed.
Travel
Training will take place at the London Jesus Centre located approximately 5 minutes walk from Oxford Circus Underground station and under 10 minutes from Tottenham Court Road Underground. The nearest mainline stations are Charing Cross and Marylebone, but all other major destination stations are within easy reach via the underground or bus network. If you are planning to arrive by car, please note that the London congestion charge applies on weekdays. There are a variety of nearby long-stay car parks, including Q-Park on Cavendish Square and NPC on Poland Street.
Please use tfl.gov.uk to plan your journey within London and click here for a map of the local area.
The training venue is a charity offering support groups, skills classes and drop-in facilities for people in vulnerable accommodation or other particular need.
Access
Short-stay metered parking facilities are available on Margaret Street in close proximity to the London Jesus Centre. There is a curb (approximately 10cm tall) immediately in front of the basement level main entrance. The training rooms, building reception and accessible toilet are located on the ground floor and are accessible via a wide based fold-down stair lift that can support a wheelchair, located just inside the main entrance door. There are a further four steps down into the training room area and a stair climber with trained operator can be arranged with advanced notice.
We have an access fund for this course and we will endeavour to make a contribution to the costs of any additional requirements you may have (e.g. alternate print formats, BSL signers…). Please get in touch with us to discuss your needs so we can make arrangements.
This course has been funded by the Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund as part of ‘A Bigger Future 2’, the UK film skills strategy. The Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund is supported by the National Lottery through the BFI and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund.
image: ©iStockphoto.com/craftvision