Distribution of Zirgi

In order to make the most out of our thriller, it would be best to have a platform release, if we were to choose to release in cinemas.  The cinemas would be smaller, art-house and independent theatres.

It would be ideal to release it on to DVD or other home entertainment systems that the target audience would have (Netflix, BBC iPlayer instead of Xbox, which they probably would not have) right after the cinema release, to capitalise on the word-of-mouth buzz.   It would probably only be released in the UK, as the target audience is mainly a niche British audience.

A company that would be best to distribute Zirgi is Soda Pictures.  Soda Pictures is a UK film distributor of independent, art house and world cinema.  Founded in 2002 by Edward Fletcher and Eve Gabereau, the mission of the company is a commitment to British film, while also expanding the world cinema influences in Britain.  Many of the films it distributes go on to be exhibited in film festivals around the world.  The films are all low to mid budget productions, with varying genres that stay within the niche audience market.

This company does many straight-to-DVD releases, and markets the films sparingly, relying mainly on the short films by more famous directors to draw attention to the films.  Their website includes links to a blog and features trailers and synopses on it, as well as offering free downloads of segments of the film.  This would be adequate marketing for a film with a more well-known director, but in order to have our thriller better received, our film would need to be advertised in print (newspapers, film magazines) or on Twitter and Facebook.  It would be most useful to advertise in libraries, music halls, universities and in-theatre as these are places that the target audience would be found in.

Soda Pictures have distributed films by many famous directors, such as Francis Ford Coppola, Benicio del Toro and Michael Winterbottom, but also from new, relatively unknown directors (like ourselves).

Our film should be exhibited in 2D not only because that is how it was filmed and edited, but due to the fact that our target audience is older, and used to seeing films in 2D.  Additionally, the art-house and independent cinemas of today most likely do not have the funding for 3D exhibition (glasses, formatting) and most films targeted at a niche audience are 2D.

Some films that are similar to ours that they have distributed are "Forgiveness of Blood", an Albanian film, and "Small Town Murder Songs".  "Forgiveness of Blood" is a foreign film about a 17 year old boy accused of murder and forced under house arrest, similar to ours because it is set in Eastern Europe and involves murder.  "Small Town Murder Songs" is about a detective investigating a murder case while battling with his own past, similar to ours in that it is a detective thriller.

Due to the fact that we are a small, independent film targeting a niche audience, and that we have elements of a foreign film (actors, setting) in our thriller, Soda Pictures will be interested in distributing our film!