UK Film Distibution

Distinguishing features:
A foreword to the FDA Guide to UK film distribution

The creative process of making a film, from developing the script, through casting and pre-production, then shooting, editing and all the stages of post-production, often lasts for years.

But when a completed film is brought to market, it's usually just one of eight or nine titles opening that week alone. It has barely three days - its first weekend - to make a strong impression and hold its place in cinemas.

We filmmakers rely greatly on our professional distribution colleagues to navigate the most advantageous path for our products into and through the brutally competitive market place.

Having worked with many distribution teams, I've long admired the brilliant designers who can condense a feature film into a single poster image, distinguishing it memorably from the pack. Likewise the skilled media and publicity planners, who can devise effective campaigns that inspire people to see a particular new release.

This business is becoming ever more complex. As the internet plays an increasingly central role in many daily lives, traditional mass media channels continue to fragment. And as our society grows more diverse, the vast array of 'content' on offer is likely to expand further - even though few of us have more spare time to consume it.

As an industry, we succeed only when the stories we tell reach and move the audiences for whom they were intended. I believe that dedicated, passionate, innovative distribution and marketing, connecting films with their audiences both in the UK and worldwide, are absolutely vital to the film industry.

I'm delighted to introduce the 2007 edition of this FDA guide, which invites you to explore the essential life of a film after its production phase.