Guides: MRTS MFA: Educational Film Distribution: Edu Distributors

Distribution Avenues in the Edu Market

Avenues for distributing to the Edu Market?

Traditional educational distributor

Handle most matters for you
Selective about who they work with

Self Distribute

You handle most matters yourself
Increased control

Something in between

Filmmakers cooperatives - New Day Films, Film-Makers Cooperative
Hire consultant or advisor

Norms in the Educational Market

A few norms in the educational marketplace on how to sell these things to Buyers

Purchasing a copy

DVD is still preferred physical format
Chaptered
Closed Captioned
Length - keep in mind a class is 50 minutes long; variable lengths
Educational ‘extras” - guide on how to address specific issues; quizzes, curriculum tie ins (K-12)

Price

Often higher priced - $200 - $500 average range

Why? Niche educational topics -have a very focused and small audience
Rational: Sell relatively few copies, so you need to charge more per copy to break even. If nobody can make money creating specialized content, what’s the incentive to create it?

Tiered pricing - $300 for college; $150 for public library; $30 for individual

Keep in mind, you can only effectively implement tiered pricing if you control all the sales
Libraries can purchase Home Video versions. If something’s available on Amazon for $20, a library can buy it
If you directly control sales to libraries and individuals, you can decide who you will sell to and for what price.
Zipporah/ Frederick Wiseman is a good example of tightly controlling his work

Public performance rights (PPR) for an open screenings

Many filmmakers include this as an “bonus feature” when charging higher prices

Limited PPR - Ex: on campus, under 50 students, not admission charged.

Some filmmakers change $ for EDU DVD or $$ for EDU + PPR
Additional fees for additional needs - if someone wants to charge admission or open the screening up to the general public
Remember, PPR is not needed to show a film in class

Online access to films

Needed more and more - online courses, students preferred anytime/anywhere access

Digital Rights - Permission for the buyer to digitize and put the film online in a protected environment
Access levels - to all currently enrolled students or to a specific course
For how long? 1 semester, 5 years (standard), in perpetuity!
Prices changes according to what you’re selling

Provide streaming Access

When the filmmaker or distributor hosts the online film and managed access
Similar to online journal databases - things are moving in this direction
Subscribe to 1 film or a collection of films
Libraries can’t use individual streaming options like Amazon Instant, Itunes, download codes, etc

Educational Film Distributors

This is an uncomprehensive list of film distributors working in the educational/ non theatrical market.

Alive Mind Education (Kino Lorber)
Content specialty is centered in the humanities with a focus on the transformations of culture and self.
Appalshop
Appalshop is a non-profit multi-disciplinary arts and education center in the heart of Appalachia producing original films, video, theater, music and spoken-word recordings, radio, photography, multimedia, and books.
Bullfrog Films
Ecology, energy, agriculture, indigenous peoples, women's studies, genetics, marine biology, sustainable development, community regeneration, economics, ethics, and conflict resolution. In recent years we have released many films about developing countries, globalization, changing gender roles, and human rights. Styles range from animation to drama and from personal essay to investigative documentary. There are programs suitable for all ages from pre-kindergarten through adult.
California Newsreel
Cutting edge, social justice films that inspire, educate and engage audiences.
Canyon Cinema
Canyon Cinema’s unrivaled collection of more than 3500 films traces the history of the experimental and avant-garde filmmaking movement from the 1930s to the present.
Cine Fete
Quality multi-language films to the non-theatrical market across Canada and more recently into the United States.
The Cinema Guild
Documentary, foreign, and independent films.
Fanlight Productions
Innovative film and video works on the social issues of our time, with a special focus on healthcare, mental health, professional ethics, aging and gerontology, disabilities, the workplace, gender and family issues.
Filmakers Library (Alexander Street Press)
Issues-oriented documentaries.
First Run Features
First Run has an educational/non-theatrical division, and it also licenses its titles to television and cable outlets and through internet platforms.
Frameline
Frameline’s mission is to support, develop, and promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer visibility through media arts. Through a variety of programs and activities, Frameline provides access to films and videos dealing with a wide variety of issues related to sexuality and gender.
Icarus Films
Specialize in social, political, and historical documentaries, our collection includes a wide range of films with varying creative approaches and themes. We work with filmmakers and independent production companies from all around the world, seeking out films that provide innovative and informative views of a rapidly changing world.
National Film Board of Canada
Animation, documentaries, experimental films and alternative dramas. We showcase films that take a stand on issues of global importance that matter to Canadians – stories about the environment, human rights, international conflict, the arts and more. Works that push the boundaries, give a voice to the underrepresented, and build bridges between cultures.
New Day Films
New Day is a filmmaker cooperative project. Social issue documentary and fiction titles for non-theatrical distribution.
Passion River Films
Independent documentary and art house distribution and marketing services.
Third World Newsreel
Independent film and video by and about people of color and social justice issues.
The Video Project
Educational media and documentary programming on critical global and social issues, science and health.
Women Make Movies
Independent films by and about women.
Seventh Art Releasing
Theatrical distributor with a video label and a full-time world sales unit, working mostly in docs.
Subcine
SubCine is an artist-run and artist-owned collective of Latino issue film and video makers.
Zeitgeist Films
Zeitgeist Films is a New York-based distribution company founded in 1988 which acquires and distributes the finest independent films from the U.S. and around the world.

MRTS MFA: Educational Film Distribution: Edu Distributors

Distribution Avenues in the Edu Market

Norms in the Educational Market

Educational Film Distributors

Additional Links