Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Audiovisual Distribution
Teaching staff
Absolute availability
To arrange a tutoring session, please contact us by e-mail:
Elena Neira
eneira@uic.es
Introduction
The world of audiovisual distribution is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the consolidation of digital entertainment, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic.
The emergence of the Internet has already led to major frictions in the way audiovisual content is disseminated and marketed. At the centre of the debate have always been the distribution windows, the periods of commercial exclusivity that, for decades, allowed films and TV series to earn significant margins over many months. The collapse of the windows triggered by COVID-19 and the business decisions taken by the big Hollywood majors have prompted a profound reflection on the future of the industry, on the doors that will open (and those that will close) and, above all, on what the future of the sector will be in the coming years.
This course aims to offer a realistic and current look at the past, present and future of the industry and to provide the basic skills for the correct marketing of audiovisual works.
Pre-course requirements
Have a minimum knowledge of the audiovisual sector and the transformations it is undergoing at all levels.
Active participation in class and monitoring of current news in the sector.
Objectives
1.- That the student has a broad knowledge of the world of distribution, on a national and international scale, both in the field of film and television.
2.- That the student is able to identify the basic characteristics of a television project and to make a commercial presentation of it.
3.- That the student is able - at the end of the course - to create a Marketing Plan and a P&A for a specific film project.
3.- That the student knows the different audiovisual distribution channels and is able to select the most appropriate one according to the characteristics of the project.
4.- That the student understands the consequences of the new media ecosystem.
5.- That the student is able to detect those current news topics of capital importance for the distribution sector.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 01 - The ability to adapt to varying circumstances
- 02 - The ability to understand, accept criticism and correct errors
- 03 - The ability to administer and manage human and technical resources
- 04 - The ability to work in a team and autonomously
- 05 - The ability to organise time and workspace
- 06 - The ability to develop academic rigour, responsibility, ethics and professionalism
- 07 - The ability to apply the deontology and respect for the audiovisual sector
- 08 - The ability of critical analysis, synthesis, concretion and abstraction
- 09 - The ability to objectify, quantify and interpret (data, statistics, empirical evidenceÂ…)
- 10 - The ability to confront difficulties and resolve problems
- 11 - The ability to generate debate and reflection
- 12 - The ability to meet deadlines, develop the ability to be punctual and respect for human, technical and material resources
- 13 - The ability to create spoken and written communication
- 16 - The ability to manage, analysis and reflect on content
- 18 - The capacity and development of general culture and interest in social events
- 19 - The ability of informative documentation
- 20 - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic media
- 21 - Knowledge and mastery of the digital culture
- 24 - The ability to plan and organize both short term and long term projects
- 26 - The ability to develop a sense of taste and perfection in the aesthetics and finalization of projects
- 27 - The ability to adapt to distinct audio visual publics and markets.
- 28 - Knowledge and mastery of principle economic concepts.
- 30 - The ability to study the feasibility of an audiovisual product
- 31 - The ability to understand the financial systems of media groups and companies.
- 32 - The ability to confront audiovisual and film projects in all phases (pre-production, shooting, post-production, distribution)
- 34 - The ability to know and respect the different roles of the artistic and technical teams
- 35 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the products of the audiovisual industry
- 37 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the organizational structure of global communication
- 38 - The ability to understand and apply the structure of the audiovisual system
- 39 - The ability to understand and apply the legal dimension of an audiovisual product
- 40 - The ability to defend and respect authorship and intellectual property
- 41 - The ability to know how the distinct elemental agencies of the audio visual sector function
- 42 - The ability to distinguish, analyze and dominate the distinct genres and formats of television, film and radio
- 44 - The ability to adapt to new audiovisual formats
- 50 - The ability to adapt, understand and apply the expressive possibilities of new technologies and future changes
- 53 - Lingustic ability in Catalan, Spanish and English
- 54 - The ability to skillfully manage the literature, terminology and linguistic structures of the English language related to the field of communication.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will finish the course with a broad and in-depth knowledge of the audiovisual industry, with skills that can be applied in their day-to-day work, regardless of the professional specialisation they are considering. They will also find information on data and resources for presentations, reports and strategic analysis.
Syllabus
INTRODUCTION
a) The role of distribution within the structure of the audiovisual system
b) Actors involved in audiovisual distribution
c) The first era of the streaming revolution: Netflix and Amazon.
d) The Streaming Wars.
e) Impact of COVID-19 on the audiovisual industry.
TELEVISION BLOCK
1. CONTENT
a) Types of products that can be marketed.
b) Models of television creation.
c) Agents involved.
2. DISTRIBUTION
a) International sales and markets
b) Producing with export in mind.
3. CONSUMPTION AND MEASUREMENT
a) Traditional audimetry
b) Time Shift
c) Other types of success measurement.
FILM BLOCK
1. EXPLOITATION PHASES IN FILM DISTRIBUTION
a) The traditional model.
b) The day&date model
2. INTERNAL MANAGEMENT OF A DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
3. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
a) Products of majors
b) Products of independents
4. BOX OFFICE ANALYSIS (B.O.): THE DATA AND THE LIFE OF THE AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCT
5. FILM MARKETING
a) Sizing a title. Information and resources
b) Marketing Mix
b) Preparing and implementing P&A
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 1.4 |
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0.6 |
| E-learning. Virtual learning based on ICT. | 0.4 |
| Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. | 0.4 |
| Meeting Point. Meetings will be organised with notable people from the professional and scientific fields or the international field, and students. These sessions will take the form of conferences, work sessions, discussions, or interviews, etc. | 0.4 |
| Practical workshop. A highly practical working activity, where students can acquire skills that are practical or also theoretical (intellectual skills, logical skills, critical skills, intellectual learning skills, study skills, quoting skills, etc). | 0.4 |
| Peer learning. The aim of this activity is to ensure that students gain the ability to analyse and be critical. One way of achieving this is by correcting their peers' exercises and results, etc. Each student will be evaluated twice: as both a recipient and a transmitter of critical knowledge. | 0.4 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The final mark for the course will be the arithmetic mean of the marks obtained in:
- Practical work in the television block (working paper plus oral presentation).
- Practical work in the cinema block (working paper plus oral presentation).
- Examination.
All parts must be passed with at least a 5 in order to pass the exam.
Faculty regulations will be observed in case of spelling mistakes or plagiarism.
Bibliography and resources
COURSE BIBLIOGRAPHY
MIÑARRO, L. (2013) Cómo vender una obra audiovisual: una aproximación a la distribución de contenidos audiovisuales. Editorial UOC.
CLARES-GAVILÁN, J.; MERINO, C.; NEIRA, E. (2019) La revolución over the top: del VOD a la televisión por Internet. Editorial UOC
NEIRA, E. (2020). Streaming Wars. La nueva television. Libros Cúpula. 978-84-480-2658-5
LINARES, R.; HERBERA, J; NEIRA, E. (2015) Cómo promocionar una película en el entorno digital. Editorial UOC.
COMPLEMENTARY BIBLOGRAPHY
ÁLVAREZ MONZONCILLO, J.M. La televisión etiquetada: nuevas audiencias y nuevos negocios. Ariel. Colección Fundación Telefónica
HUERTAS BAILÉN, A. (2002) La audiencia investigada. Gedisa editorial.
LOTZ, A. (2014) The television will be revolutionized. New York University Press.
LOTZ, A. (2018) We now disrupt this broadcast. How cable transformed television and the Internet Revolutionized it all. The MIT Press
MARICH, R. (2009) Marketing to moviegoers. A handbook of strategies and tactics. Souther Illinois University Press.
REISS, J. Think Outside the Box Office: The ultimate guide to film distribution and marketing for the digital era. United States of America: Hybrid Cinema LLC, 2010.
SMITH, M.; TELANG, R. (2016) Streaming, sharing, stealing. Big data and the Future of Entertainment. The MIT Press.
WOLK, A. (2015) Over the top. How the Internet is (slowly but surely) changing the television industry.
WEBGRAPHY
Matthew Ball: https://www.matthewball.vc/ottvideo
Variety https://variety.com
The Hollywood Reporter https://www.hollywoodreporter.com
The wrap https://www.thewrap.com