Film Distribution A New Way Forward First Ever Worldwide Simultaneous Release to Support Independent Films



In a move to support Independent Filmamkers, Friday July 15 may go down as a historic day in the history of the entertainment business. It was the day that independent distributor Dogwoof Digital went for a simultaneous release for its low budget homegrown UK theatrical release, EMR. At the same time as being able to watch it in cinemas, consumers also had the option of either buying it on DVD from retailers and also downloading it from the Internet via Tiscali.

Dogwoof Digital aims to give one of the most innovative boosts to low budget filmmaking in this country, aiming to create a distribution model that will allow filmmakers with fresh, exciting ideas to get their films distributed to an audience. By providing support at this important stage it will fuel low-budget filmmaking, support talent and deliver innovative, smart and exciting films to an audience that is hungry for them.

Here's how it works in the film industry now: new theatrical releases are made available on DVD and pay-TV some time after they've left cinemas. That "window" of time has been shrinking in recent decades. With increasing pressure put on the windows across the board and the ever-changing nature of both, theatrical and DVD sectors, which sees films released either at cinemas or in-stores enjoying an increasingly shorter shelf-life, the move by Dogwoof Digital could, as many analysts on both sides of the Atlantic believe, prove to be the way forward.

Dogwoof is an independent theatrical distributor, one which releases its films at cinemas before licensing them on to DVD titles. This model works well with larger films, but to support independent filmmakers, it has set up a sister company, Dogwoof Digital, to release films such as "EMR." They quote Alan Kay, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." One day, all movies may be released this way - going day and date theatrical alongside DVD and download - which makes Dogwoof's bold move, the first time this has happened in the World, all the more intriguing.

"When we first got hold of EMR, we rejected it for Dogwoof," explained Anna Godas from Dogwoof. "It was too risky and expensive for us to market it." It was an ultra-low budget British-made production, but, as Dogwoof (and many reviewers) have noted, it boasts an inventive plot and has ambitions way beyond its budget. An audience award at the Raindance Film Festival showed that punters were prepared to forgive its faults and get behind it.

"We started thinking of another way of getting the film released. Maybe we could bring the windows together," said Godas. "We all knew the pressure on reducing Release Windows and thought why not take it to the extreme. It was the perfect opportunity for us to experiment and to give a decent release to a film that deserved it," said Godas.

This route to market gives "EMR" three different potential streams of revenue with one set of marketing costs, meaning that an independent can give something a higher profile release where the traditional route may not afford it.

Not only does it suit the ethos of the independents - allowing them to release a small film and bring it to an audience who wouldn't otherwise see it, or importantly have an opportunity outside of London to see the film - but it also pre-empts many of the discussions that are taking place between Hollywood and beyond. Many studios, from the smaller operations to the major studios, have spent time number-crunching and deciding which route to take. But while support seems to be growing in Hollywood for a shorter window separating theatrical and DVD the idea of eliminating that window altogether is an entirely different matter. It goes without saying that exhibitors aren't happy to begin with about seeing the window shrink between theatrical and DVD.

At the recent press junket for Star Wars Episode III: The revenge of the Sith, George Lucas - who understands the business better than many - acknowledged, with some provisos, that "this methodology would be the way most studios go (particularly to help stop the threat of piracy). Eventually something else will take (DVD's) place," he said. "I'm not sure what that will be yet. People will always want the theatrical experience, just as people want to go to the opera or the ballet, so I think people will still go in movie theatres, just because they want the social interaction with other people, but I have a feeling that films will be released on the Internet an in theatres at exactly the same time. There will be some king of coded pay-per-view methodology. That's the only way to stop piracy if they are selling it on the street for two dollars."

It's not easy -- as Dogwoof Digital noted, there are more constraints than with a traditional release. Theatrical exhibitors are understandably reluctant when it comes to allowing their windows to be diminished; many larger distributors are also reticent when it comes to talking about the shrinking windows too. Dogwoof was confident that DVD could prove to be the most profitable -- as it is for most indie film released in the UK. "The interesting part is that no-one knows how big downloading will be," said Godas, further acknowledging that there is plenty to be done in terms of educating the public about downloading.

Is it the route forward Only time will tell. Similar initiatives will be following later this year, most notably Steven Soderbergh and 2929 Entertainment in the USA. 2929 will be releasing day and date the first of six low budget films. Other distributors will keep a close eye on these releases and, further down the line, follow this or a similar route.

For further information, please contact Anna Godas, DWD, +44-20-7488-0605, anna @ dogwoofdigital.com
or Andy Whittaker, andy @ dogwoofdigital.com
Web site: http://www.dogwoofdigital.com

About Dogwoof Digital:
Dogwoof Digital is a pioneering film distribution company specialising in independently produced feature films of all genres. Dogwoof Digital aims to support new and emerging talented filmmakers and deliver innovative, smart and exciting films to an audience that is hungry for them. Headed by Andy Whittaker, Founder and Anna Godas, the company is based in London, UK. For more information, visit the website at www.dogwoofdigital.com.

Contact Anna Godas                               
Dogwoof Digital
27 Saint Mark Street,
London E1 8EF
T : 020 7488 0605
W: www.dogwoofdigital.com





Film Distribution A New Way Forward First Ever Worldwide Simultaneous Release to Support Independent Films