Theatrical

Marketing and Distribution at Fox Theatrical in Europe
The Theatrical division exists to bring films to cinemagoers throughout Europe.  Working as an extension of the film studio in LA, our teams in London (for the European Region) and the individual European countries manage the process of planning and executing the releases of Twentieth Century Fox’s slate of titles.  During production of a film, the teams plan the scope (how many cinemas will show the film) and set the date for the release. The long process of marketing the film also begins during production, with materials such as trailers, TV spots, and posters all taking shape and undergoing refinement. As the release date approaches, the marketing budget is finalized and media (such as TV, internet, outdoor, and newspaper advertising) is bought to communicate the release details to cinemagoers.  During the run-up to the release date, publicity features and, occasionally, local visits from the stars of the film intensify the marketing campaign and drive a successful opening weekend

The Theatrical division is made up of primarily the following functions:

Marketing
Fox Theatrical Marketing is an integral part of the overall distribution operation and works very closely with the other functions (Sales, Finance, Operations). The London Regional Office Marketing Team also works closely with the home office in Los Angeles and the European countries to tailor marketing campaigns according to individual market needs. The Marketing Team plays a key role in determining how film products are developed. Once a film project has been given the go-ahead by studio management, the Marketing Team formulates a regional marketing strategy, sets budget guidelines, and develops advertising and publicity plans.  Advertising includes deciding which media to select for a particular film given its target audience, as well as working with creative design agencies to devise marketing materials such as cinema posters, outdoor billboards, TV spots and internet banners. The Marketing Team also handles publicity (involving both film talent and relevant film themes) and consumer promotions (including corporate tie-ins and product placement). The pace is relentless, with major films sometimes being released a week apart and up to 40 films per year being released in some countries.  It can be hard work but is also tremendous fun and very satisfying

Sales
Sales Teams in Theatrical are made up of film specialists who bring with them a mixture of experience and film knowledge. Cinema chains are referred to as ‘Exhibitors’ or ‘Exhibition’ and negotiate with the studios to hire films. The nature of Exhibition has changed considerably over the years with the increase in film production, the disappearance of many small, independent cinemas and the advent of multiplex cinema chains. Sales roles at Fox Theatrical are highly commercial. Once a film is ready for release, it is given to the Sales Team who will discuss expectations with Los Angeles, share ideas with the Marketing Team, show Exhibition the film and agree terms and dating. ‘Dating’ is the term used to describe when a film is released. The Sales Teams will constantly monitor the performance of films at the box office and the schedule of new releases – not just Twentieth Century Fox’s films, but across all the studios. This will enable them to determine the best strategy and date to release a new Fox film depending on the time of year and competitor activity. This varies from country to country. Once a film has opened, the Sales Teams will carefully monitor the box office and liaise with Exhibition to extend or reduce the ‘run’ of the film and to negotiate hire terms depending on performance. The Sales Team works closely with Finance until the run of a film at the cinema ends

Finance
Each territory in Europe has a Finance Department covering day-to-day accounting and control issues as well as strategic business support for local Managing Directors. Every film is forecasted and fiscally managed until release date when the territories report results to Regional (London) and Home Office (LA). Finance is a key commercial department and is fully integrated within the business

Operations - European Print Services
European Print Services manages the creation and distribution of the physical copies of films, known as ‘prints’. The film is contained in a heavy, metal container and supplied to all the cinemas where a film is to be shown. Prints are expensive to produce and distribute and therefore determining how many prints will be needed for a film is important.  There is a digital initiative in progress to move away from using film and use digital copy instead.  This will make the physical distribution process more efficient and environmentally-friendly and help combat piracy, which has a damaging effect on the film industry