Film Distribution

Film Distribution is the business of launching and sustaining films in the marketplace.
Film Distributors do this by identifying the audience, considering why they'd go to see it, estimating the revenue potential across all formats of release, developing plans and partnerships helping to build awareness and interest of the film, aiming to convert as much interest as possible into cinema visits and persuading cinema operators  to play the film.
Reach relates film distribution as the distributor will identify the target audience - who the film speaks to the most, and whoever else might be attracted. From this they decide the marketability of the film and how it would be best to advertise the film and whether they need to go cross-media.
The objective of the marketing plan of a film is to create visibility, raise awareness and engage interest, cutting through the blizzard of competing messages. They do this through word of mouth, posters, trailers, through online and mobile and by using social media to their advantage. 
The distribution plan is developed through consultation with producers and/the studio. The most strategic decision a distributor makes are when and how to release a film in order to optimise it's chances. Market research may be conducted to probe an audiences reaction at pre-release screenings. Focus on the audience also needs to be considered, a detailed understanding informs the decisions on how and where a film is promoted. Other things that need to be considered include other competition  whether it is an event film, if there are any 'stars' within the cast, what certificate the film has and many other variables.
The difference between advertising, publicity and promotion is that advertising is paid and made by the people creating the film. Publicity is more about independently-written news items  that gives coverage of a certain film. Publicity also involves arranging media interviews with available members of the film's cast and the public are more likely to accept this editorial coverage of film more readily than paid-for adverts. Promotion is more about arranging partnerships to create displays for the film in places where conventional advertising can't reach, such as shops, restaurants or on packs. This also allows customers to interact with the film characters by collecting premium items or entering a competition.
Below, I have included images of posters for 'The Ring. On the left is the poster which I assume is the teaser poster as it doesn't give too much away and on the right is the main movie poster. 

  These are two trailers, also for 'The Ring'. I am assuming the top one is the teaser as it is shorter and contains shorter clips of the actual film, whereas the bottom one is longer.



On it's opening weekend, it was released in the UK, USA, Spain, Argentina, Italy and Egypt. Altogether it reached 2884 screens on the opening weekend. Distributors for theatrical release include Dreamworks Distribution(USA), Bombos filmai(Lithuania) and United International Pictures(Argentina, Switzerland  Germany, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands).