[EVALUATION] What kind of media institution might distribute your media product?

There are a large number of film distribution companies active at the moment, but most film companies will only distribute a film when it meets certain criteria, such as genre or audience. For example, Lionsgate Films focuses mainly on distributing independently-funded or highly-controversial films, while Warner Bros. focuses on a larger variety of genres with a larger budget.

Sinister was distributed
by Momentum Pictures.

GI Joe was distributed
by MGM.

One of the factors that distribution companies will look at when distributing a film is the genre of the film; some distribution companies will only publish a film if it is a certain genre. Momentum Pictures - a major media distribution company - mainly publishes horror and thriller films such as Sinister, while Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) distributes action films such as G.I. Joe and The Hobbit. As our film opening is for a thriller film, such as The Matrix or The Dark Knight Rises, our film would probably be distributed by a company focusing on Thrillers.


Another key factor distribution companies will look at is the target audience for a film - different companies usually cater to different audiences, and will stick to that audience for a majority of their films. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is a film distribution company focusing mainly on family films, and therefore distributes films aimed at families such as Toy Story, The Avengers and the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Our film is aimed at a teen-adult audience, so this is something else which would be considered by a distribution company.

Summit Entertainment and

Lionsgate films are both possible

distribution companies for our

media production.

Finally, some distribution companies may distribute different films depending on the scale or budget of the film. Lionsgate Films' main focus is on independent films - films that have been independently funded and produced - but don't usually distribute large-scale releases such as the Harry Potter films or the Sherlock Holmes series, which are both distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. As our film is a low-budget independent film, our film could be distributed by an independent film distribution company such as Lionsgate Films.


Overall, our film would have to be distributed by a company that focuses on thriller films created by small independent film productions. This could mean a company such as Lionsgate Films, which was the most commercially successful independent film distribution company in 2012 and distributed films such as The Hunger Games. Other possible distribution companies include Film4 Productions, a British comedy and thriller film distribution company, and  Summit Entertainment, distributors of the Twilight films.