The Distribution Process

Although my documentary will only be shown for educational purposes if I were working in the media industry I would need to look at the distribution process in order to get my documentary broadcast. Distribution is a long process and usually takes up to two years. Firstly you would need to set up a meeting with the producer or exproducer of the channel on which you would like your documentary to be aired. When giving the pitch you would take a treatment along with you and usually give a PowerPoint presentation for an air of professionalism. The treatment would contain information such as your chosen target audience and suggested times for the programme to be broadcast, for example on Channel 4 documentaries are often aired at nine O’clock after the watershed. If you are giving a pitch for an idea that you have not yet produced the producer would then find an appropriate director for your film. The planning and filming process would then begin which can take a matter of years to complete. Editing would then follow this. However if you are pitching a documentary that you have already filmed and edited this process is greatly minimised. Providing that your idea is successful the producer would finalise it, giving an appropriate time slot for the broadcast and then it would be aired. This process could still take some time though.

If you were pitching for a film to be distributed this would be a different case. There are many film distribution companies, and their job is to publicise the intended film through clever advertising to make cinemas and television channels want to show the film.