The Changing Landscape of Distribution: New Opportunities for Documentaries

The distribution spectrum is changing rapidly. With so many options for dissemination - theatrical, broadcast, cable, foreign, home video, and now the Internet - nonfiction filmmakers have many choices. What are the most desirable outlets? The Web, being the new kid on the block, is under examination. Critics and proponents debate whether Web distribution will meet the needs of nonfiction filmmakers and their audience, and if it does, just how big an audience? The jury is still out - will films distributed on the Internet be able to reach a critical mass or just niche audiences? Are traditional distribution methods still the best way to disseminate to a broader public, and what changes have been made? What is the filmmaker's perspective? Is just getting his or her film seen enough? What distribution rights do filmmakers currently have, and what is happening with Web distribution rights? Moderated by Nancy Abraham, vice president of Original Programming, Documentaries for HBO, a panel of distribution professionals and documentary filmmakers will probe these questions and the future of nonfiction cinema as it enters the age of the Internet.

Credits

Cara Mertes
Panelist
Brian Drolet
Panelist
Alan Hayling
Panelist
 
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