Institutional Research

As we are creating a low budget British film type opening sequence I decided to research a number of British distribution institutions in order to find one which would potentially distribute our film, were it actually made.

The first institute which I researched was Artificial Eye. 

Artificial Eye is a British film distribution institution who was founded in 1976 by Andi Engel. Although they distribute in cinema and home entertainment, they specialise in foreign language films and art house films. These films tend to be quite serious, independent films which aim to a niche market, such as Antichrist and Caché. This is pretty much opposite to the type of film we we're making as ours is a light-hearted comedy which appeals to the mass market, therefore this straight way didn't seem like the sort of company that we would want as our distributors ... and they probably wouldn't distribute our film anyway!

The second institute I researched was Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is an American division of the Fox Entertainment Group that was established in 1994 and is owned by 20th Century Fox. It specialises in independent and British films, as well as comedy-dramas. Many well known film have been part produced and/or distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures including Black Swan, a winner of many Oscar's and BAFTA's.

Fox Searchlight may be a good production and distribution company for us as they are a large company which would be able to distribute of film to the mass market and it is also associated with other films which are of a similar genre as ours, some of their most recent include Ruby Sparks, 500 Days Of Summer and Never Let Me Go which are all well known for their romance.

Momentum Pictures was another institution which I researched.

Now known as EOne Momentum, Momentum Pictures is a leading independent film distributor in the UK. They release approximately 20 films a year ranging in a variety of genres, their most recent release is Quartet.

Although Momentum is an independent distributor, now that is it owned by Entertainment One (an international entertainment institution)  it has a lot more finances to be able to distribute films. Recently Momentum has been distributing quite a lot of thriller and horror films such as Sinister and The Woman In Black, however it has distributed a fair number of romantic/romantic comedy films too  - some of the most popular being Penelope and P.S. I Love You.

Another institution which I researched was Universal Pictures International.

Universal Pictures International is the International film distribution division of NBC/Universal. In the UK is distributes a number of films from a wide and varied range of genres. It has distributed many films which we found to give us inspiration on our story, such as Wild Child - a very popular romantic comedy amongst teenage girl, and the classic British love story Atonement.


After conducting this research I think that EOne Momentum would be the best company to distribute our film as it would be able to reach a wide audience (especially our target audience), now more than ever thanks to its links with Entertainment One and their increase in finances. It would also fit the genre of our film as Momentum has distributed Romantic Comedies in the past.