ABSTRACT
Theatrical distribution is the first and most lucrative of movie revenue streams. In this chapter, Dan Fellman, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Domestic Distribution, covers departments such as distribution services, non-theatrical, legal affairs, finance, financial administration and operations, systems and sales operations, administration, exhibitor services; North American offices, release strategies, working closely with marketing, average studio budget and marketing costs; wide release, limited release, exclusive (platform) release; Gravity, Gran Torino, Mystic River, Bucket List, Dark Knight Rises; release schedule, daily grosses, reviews, demographics, trailers, TV spots, print ads, posters, websites, year-to-date box office performance; competition; licensing to theatres; straight aggregate percentage deal; scalable aggregate percentage deal; Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone; exhibitor-distributor negotiations; divorcement; Consent Decrees, antitrust federal lawsuit U.S. v. Paramount, et al. ; blind checking; collections; marketability vs. playability; multiplexes; Imax; premium large format (PLF); Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI); 3-D projection; Avatar, Life of Pi; Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition (DCDC); Dolby, Barco, high frame rate (HFR), 48fps (frames per second); the top 50 markets in the U.S. and Canada.
