Distribution

Categories: Investing, Accounting

You’ve made this awesome movie. Guaranteed to make audiences laugh, cry, and vomit. And in the same scene, too. You know…all the things teenagers want when they go to the movies. Aside from, you know...making out in the back row, just below the projectionist.

So you knock on the door of AMC, the Century, then Syfy, then Fox, the Hulu. With a combo of arrogance and bravado, you show them your film…and they all agree it's wonderful.

Then they smile and they tell you to leave. And that no, they don't validate parking.

You can’t believe it. Why wouldn't they want your movie? This makes no sense. Whose fault it is, you don't know, but it's definitely not yours. So you sheepishly ask "why?" as you search for parking money in your thinly populated wallet.

They say…distribution.

Huh?

Well, Disney, for example, has a stream of 40 movies a year and most (or at least some) are good. They have distribution. They have a team of salespeople who relentlessly give out Lakers tickets to the theater managers and owners. Unlike you, Disney has the muscle to threaten to hold back the next Star Wars movie if the theater manager doesn’t book Boss Baby 4: The Bloodletting for 12 weeks with minimum money guarantees.

Disney has distribution. You don’t. So their films get paid for, made and seen by millions…while yours never leave the cutting room floor…i.e., your parent's basement.

Related or Semi-related Video

Finance: What is Distribution?14 Views

00:00

finance a la shmoop. what is distribution? alright ,you've made this awesome movie

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guaranteed to make audiences laugh and cry and vomit yep in the same scene too. [woman turns green]

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sorry it's hard to do Steven Spielberg to do that but well anyway you know all

00:18

the things teenagers want when they go to the movies, aside from you know making

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out in the back row just below the projection, that's where nobody can see.

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so you knock on the door of AMC ,10th century then sci-fi or the sci-fi

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channel then Fox then Hulu theater. you know that. one with a combo of arrogance

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and ignorance and a whole lot of bravado you then show that in your film, and they [woman in top hat pitches film]

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all agree it's wonderful. then they smile and they tell you to

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leave and then no they don't validate parking.

00:48

you can't believe it. why wouldn't they want your movie? this makes no sense

00:52

whose fault it is you don't know but it's definitely not yours that your

00:56

movie didn't just make bank so you sheepishly ask why, they say why?

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distribution. huh well Disney for example Disney has a stream of 40 big movies a

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year ,and most are gently some are good. Disney has distribution. they have a team [Disney blockbusters pictured]

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of salespeople who relentlessly give out Lakers tickets to the theater managers

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and owners, and unlike you Disney has the muscle the threatened to hold back the

01:25

next Star Wars sequel if the theater manager doesn't book boss baby 4: the

01:30

bloodletting, for 12 weeks with minimum. money guarantees got it ?so Disney has

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distribution and you don't. that's distribution .power. power to book films

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into theaters so Disney's films get paid for made and seen by millions while

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yours well they never leave the cutting room floor , ie your parents basement.

01:49

well maybe next life, go to law school. [girl smiles from parent's basement]

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