This weekend, the movie "Silence Notes" starring Zhang Yu was released, attracting many moviegoers to wait and see. What everyone is waiting to see is not just the box office or word of mouth, but because this film is China's first new film to be released on-line.
It is reported that the split distribution model of "different theaters showing different films" can be said to be a major exploration in the domestic film industry this year. At the 24th National Film Promotion Conference and the First National Film Fair held recently, "Reunion", "Porco Rosso", "Asteroid Hunters", "The Last Night", "Beacon Sugar Field" and "Dive!" 24 films including "Young Man" have completed branch distribution contracts.
Among them, the first film to be released was the movie "Silence Record". The reporter saw that as of 20:30 on December 2, the box office of the film in the two days after its release was 826,000.
The so-called "split distribution" means that a film is no longer uniformly screened by theaters across the country, and the film studio can choose to trade with theaters or theater investment management companies that provide better conditions. For example, it provides more prime screenings, a higher proportion of film schedules, a longer screening period, and a higher proportion of film box office settlement accounts, etc., which all belong to the category of merit-based considerations.
Take the first movie "The Silent Record" released by the branch line. An online distribution plan shows that "The Silent Record" has selected 30 theaters for cooperation this time. The screening requirements include: the total number of screenings in the three days before the first weekend is no less than 8 (including no less than 3 on the first day), and the number of prime screenings in the three days is no less than 3; on weekdays, the number of screenings is no less than 1 per day.
reporters saw that based on the film schedules on December 3, Nanjing’s Happy Blue Ocean, Jinyi, UME, Wanda, Bona and other theaters had film screenings, while others such as Lumière did not screen the film.
For this reason, many movie fans said that if movies will be screened in theaters in the future, then the Spring Festival is coming soon. In the past, you could watch all the movies in one theater near your home, but this year, does it mean that you may have to travel several times? Home cinema? Reporter
noted that, in fact, regarding the screening model, the National Art Film Screening Alliance had previously built the first art theater chain in China to explore unique screening models for masterpieces of art films.
But not only art films, there are more types of small and medium-sized domestic films that suffer from distribution difficulties. Data shows that among the more than 500 films released in a year, less than 60 have a box office of over 100 million. Most films are struggling with difficulty in scheduling and low box office, which in turn affects the enthusiasm of film studios to invest and create more works.
adopts the method of branch distribution, and the differentiated operation of theater lines can customize film promotion strategies according to different types, regions, schedules, and audiences. Long-term film screenings and more precise marketing can create more opportunities for commercial returns for more small and medium-sized films, regional films and art films.
For example, branch distribution can increase the revenue of the film company. The current common account sharing ratio is 43% for the film studio and 57% for the theater (excluding the national film special fund turned over). After the branch distribution model is officially launched, on the basis of unified distribution and unified screening, film producers and distributors can explore new market-led and flexible negotiation transaction methods.
For another example, branch distribution can increase the utilization rate of theaters and screens, and increase the income of exhibitors. Statistics show that as of 2023, there will be 11,000 cinemas in my country and the number of screens will exceed 83,000. However, blockbusters are clustered in important schedules such as the summer vacation, National Day, and Spring Festival, and there are no films available on weekdays and weekends. As a result, on the one hand, the single-day box office in the off-season is less than 30 million, and the audience's willingness to enter the theater is low, and the theater's film scheduling resources are severely wasted. On the other hand, high-quality mid- to low-cost films suffer from limited promotion and distribution budgets and are unable to secure more space for film arranging. From this perspective, implementing branch distribution can increase theater revenue.
It is reported that the core of branch issuance lies in market leadership and flexible negotiation. Compared with the previous unified distribution model, branched distribution allows different theaters to select suitable films for screening based on their own positioning, audience groups and market needs. Such a model is closer to the market and better reflects the audience's right to choose, which will undoubtedly stimulate the vitality of theater chains and cinemas.
For creators and investors, branch distribution also brings benefits. First of all, branch distribution means more distribution channels, especially for excellent domestic films with rich content and diverse themes. They are no longer limited to a single distribution model, and it is easier to find suitable audience groups. This will undoubtedly boost the creative enthusiasm of creators and encourage them to release more in-depth and connotative works. For investors, branch issuance will also bring more investment opportunities, and the investment return cycle is expected to be shortened, thus increasing their investment confidence.
However, this also puts forward higher requirements for the film producers and theater chains: it tests the film producers' precise marketing capabilities and has a clear judgment on the film's characteristics and audience groups; while the theater chains must be very familiar with their theaters in order to meet the requirements. Diversified movie consumption needs. As a new thing,
will need a certain amount of time to adapt and adjust through branch distribution. The new possibilities and opportunities this model brings to the film industry are also worth looking forward to.
Yangtze Evening News/Ziniu News reporter Kong Xiaoping
proofreader Faye Wong
