DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION day-and-date challenges flop concept

The release window is proving resilient despite challenges from the digital upstarts Netflix et al, their disruptive force not yet shifting this fundamental feature of the film industry. Big six giant Disney soon backed down with its plans for a shortened cinema-DVD gap for Alice in Wonderland when cinema chains simply threatened not to show it.

Not all movies are produced with cinema box office as a priority or even realistic goal, however, and many of these breach the usual model - the key point being the SCALE of release. These are not wide releases, which means they're not seen to undermine the traditional arrangement that ensures cinema maximises its returns.

As I have blogged on the 48K Le Donk and Scor-Zay-Zee, though, a limited (or in its case, simply none!) cinema release means a much, much greater chance of newspaper, magazine and other mainstream media reviews that straight-to-DVD releases rarely get, explaining what seem to be shocking headlines about film releases taking under 100 at UK box office.

This strategy, of a very limited cinema release simultaneous with a DVD release, is termed day-and-date release.

“Day-and-date releases minimise costs for a distributor,” says Andreas Wiseman, Screen International’s head of news. “They only need to pay for a campaign once rather than at different stages throughout the windowing process. The growth in these kind of releases coincides with the proliferation of digital platforms. Distributor deals with platforms such as Netflix, LoveFilm, iTunes etc often require that a film is shown in a certain number of cinemas, so distributors will sometimes see the theatrical release as a box-ticking exercise.” 

The “day-and-date” release is not an entirely new concept. Smaller films have been launched on both theatrical and digital platforms simultaneously for a few years now, with some notable success stories. Last year, the Oscar-nominated drama 45 Years became the highest-grossing and widest-playing film to have utilised this strategy, making around £2m despite being available at home at the same time.

But the key difference is scale. At its highest screen count, the film was at 89 cinemas, many of them in key cities, a strategy in direct opposition to The Colony. 

“What do you do with a small mainstream film?” asks box-office analyst Charles Gant. “In general, independent cinemas don’t want them, since these venues have limited screen space, and usually a wealth of arthouse titles to choose from. And multiplex bookers will want to know what kind of marketing support there is going to be.”

Both The Colony and Momentum were released by Signature Entertainment, a UK distribution company started in 2011. Jon Bourdillon, the company’s chief operating officer, says the strategy exists to “give the film the widest possible level of distribution and exposure”.

The Colony, thanks to its small theatrical bow, received the same level of attention as any other film released in cinemas that week, meaning it had reviews in print, an almost impossible result for a DVD release. It’s also advertised on digital platforms as being “in cinemas now”, giving it a certain gloss in comparison to other direct-to-video options, and bears a slightly pricier rental tag.

“The main objective of a Premium VOD (video on demand) release is to try to get more income from VOD than you might expect from just a standard VOD release,” says a source at Bulldog Film Distribution. “Misconduct definitely wasn’t a flop for us as a distributor, despite only making a few thousand pounds at the box office. Theatrical is just one area of the whole release and other areas, including PVOD, are much more positive.”

It’s likely that the model will continue to shift, even for bigger movies. Napster founder Sean Parker has been developing a new format called The Screening Room, allowing people to watch blockbusters such as Captain America: Civil War or The Secret Life of Pets at home on the same day they’re released in cinemas.

“Consumption of film entertainment has become that much more immediate, fans simply can’t and won’t wait like they used to,” says Bourdillon.

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