Distribution is among the most difficult parts of the process of producing documentary films.
Documentary filmmaking is among the most accessible forms of filmmaking that currently exist. The reason being it is completely feasible for one individual to make a complete documentary single-handedly. Even documentary crews larger than one person do not need to be anywhere near to the size of the average narrative feature film, as Andrew Ruhemann will know. Because numerous filmmakers decide to make independent documentaries, most of them prefer to remain independent in as much of the distribution process as they are able to. Over recent decades the options for independent documentary distribution have increased substantially. There was a time that the sole option a documentary filmmaker had would be to try to sell their movie straight to cinemas. The invention of VHS and DVD then permitted people to produce their own copies of their movie for them to sell. In recent years, the world wide web has provided a complete new platform, where filmmakers can upload their films online for the whole globe to see.
Showbusiness is a notoriously hard industry to break into if you've got no connections. One of the most significant reasons individuals even go to film school and take entry-level internships and jobs is to build connections that could assist them later on. Perhaps one of the most common methods for a person to make their way in to the industry is to employ an agent or a manager. This course has existed for individuals since the early days of the industry, as Tim Parker is going to be well aware, but has grown over time as receiving employment contracts from studios became rarer. If a person have not made a film yet, then these specialists can help guide their job into the best path for attaining that goal effectively. If somebody has already produced a film, then managers and agents will help navigate the documentary distribution process and help with parlaying the film into future projects.
There are certainly a wide variety of distributors around, from streaming platforms and TV channels to cinema and video shop chains. Mark Herbert should be able to tell you that finding a documentary distributor could possibly be the key ensuring the long-term success of a documentary film plus the future career of the filmmaker. Distributors can be found before and after a movie is created. If before, then they are going to help fund the project but may have more impact over what's made. If after, then a filmmaker has to take all of the risk nevertheless the distributor may be more tempted because of the reduced expenses on their end. Being awarded filmmaking grants and prizes could get a filmmaker noticed by distributors, as is entering the movie to film festivals. There is no way to ensure attention, but this means that every avenue is a chance.