Film Marketing & Distribution Glossary

A method of comparing two versions of an ad, landing page, or email to see which performs better. In film marketing, you might A/B test two different poster images, two trailer cuts, or two ad copy variations. The version with the higher CTR or conversion rate becomes your primary creative. A/B testing removes guesswork from campaign optimization.

The visual and text elements used in an advertising campaign. For film marketing, ad creative typically includes poster images, trailer clips, still images, and written copy. Testing multiple creative variations helps you identify which visuals and messages drive the most clicks. Creative fatigue sets in after 5 to 7 days, so regular refreshes are important.

A company that acts as a middleman between filmmakers and streaming platforms. Aggregators handle the technical deliverables, metadata, and platform relationships that most filmmakers cannot manage directly. Companies like Filmhub, Quiver, and Distribber are popular aggregators for indie filmmakers. They typically charge either a flat fee or a percentage of revenue.

Ad-Supported Video on Demand. A streaming model where viewers watch content for free and the platform generates revenue through advertisements. Platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Freevee operate on this model. Filmmakers typically earn a share of ad revenue based on how many times their film is watched.

The process of obtaining legal permission to use copyrighted material in a film, including music, footage, photographs, and brand logos. Clearances are required by most distributors and platforms before they will accept your film. Uncleared material can result in your film being pulled from platforms or legal action.

The percentage of people who complete a desired action after clicking through to your smart link or landing page. In film marketing, a conversion might mean renting the film, starting a subscription, or clicking through to a streaming platform. Conversion rates vary widely by genre, audience, and platform.

Cost Per Mille, or cost per 1,000 impressions. In advertising, CPM is the price an advertiser pays for every 1,000 times their ad is shown. For filmmakers running ad campaigns, CPM determines how many people see your trailer or poster for a given budget. Lower CPM means more reach per dollar.

Click-Through Rate. The percentage of people who click on your ad or link after seeing it. CTR is calculated by dividing clicks by impressions and multiplying by 100. A higher CTR means your creative is resonating with your audience. For film marketing, a smart link CTR of 10% or higher is considered strong.

Digital Cinema Package. A collection of digital files used to distribute and screen films in theaters. A DCP contains the video, audio, subtitles, and metadata in a specific format that cinema servers can read. If your film has a theatrical release, you will need a DCP as a deliverable.

The technical assets a filmmaker must provide to a distributor or platform for their film to be made available. Deliverables typically include a high-quality master file (ProRes or DCP), closed captions or subtitles, a trailer, poster art, metadata (title, synopsis, cast list), and music licenses. Missing deliverables are one of the most common reasons films get delayed on platforms.

How easily audiences can find your film on a streaming platform or through search. Discoverability is influenced by metadata quality, platform recommendation algorithms, genre tags, and external marketing. Films with poor discoverability may be available on a platform but rarely seen because they do not appear in search results or recommendation rows.

Errors and Omissions insurance. A type of liability insurance that protects filmmakers and distributors against claims of copyright infringement, defamation, or unauthorized use of material. Most platforms require proof of E&O insurance before they will distribute your film. Coverage typically ranges from $1 million to $3 million per claim.

A database of email addresses collected from people interested in your film. An email list is one of the most valuable marketing assets because, unlike social media followers, you own the relationship and are not subject to algorithm changes. Email lists are used for launch announcements, screening invitations, and ongoing audience engagement.

A contractual restriction that prevents a filmmaker from distributing their film on certain platforms or in certain territories for a specified period. Exclusive deals often come with higher licensing fees but limit your ability to reach audiences on other platforms. Non-exclusive deals allow wider distribution but typically pay less.

Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV. A streaming model that combines free, ad-supported content with a linear channel guide similar to traditional broadcast TV. Pluto TV and Xumo Play are examples. FAST channels often program content into themed channels rather than offering on-demand browsing.

The network of film festivals where filmmakers screen their work to audiences, critics, and distributors. Major festivals like Sundance, Toronto, and Cannes can launch a film's career and attract distribution deals. Smaller regional festivals build buzz and audience awareness. Festival selections and awards are valuable marketing assets and can be added to your smart link.

A theatrical release strategy where the filmmaker rents a theater directly and keeps all ticket revenue, rather than splitting revenue with the theater. Four-walling gives filmmakers full control over screenings but requires upfront payment for the venue and marketing. It is often used for event screenings or awards qualification.

The average number of times each person in your audience sees your ad. Frequency is calculated by dividing impressions by reach. A frequency of 3 to 5 is generally effective for film marketing, meaning each person sees your trailer or poster 3 to 5 times. Frequencies above 7 to 10 can lead to ad fatigue, where viewers start ignoring or being annoyed by your ads.

Additional costs on top of cast and crew salaries that cover payroll taxes, insurance, pension contributions, and guild-mandated payments. Fringes are typically calculated as a percentage of wages. For union productions, fringes can add 25% to 40% to your labor costs. Understanding fringes is essential for accurate budgeting.

A contract between a production company and a labor union (SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA) that establishes working conditions, pay rates, and residual structures. Signing a guild agreement allows you to hire union talent but comes with obligations regarding fringes, residuals, and working conditions. Different agreement tiers exist for different budget levels.

A release strategy that combines multiple distribution models simultaneously or in sequence. A film might launch on TVOD first to capture early revenue, then move to SVOD, and finally land on AVOD for long-tail ad revenue. This approach maximizes revenue across different audience segments.

The number of times your ad or content is displayed to users, regardless of whether they click on it. Impressions are the top of the marketing funnel and are used to calculate CPM. More impressions mean more potential viewers seeing your poster or trailer, but impressions alone do not guarantee clicks or conversions.

A flat payment made by a platform or distributor to a filmmaker in exchange for the right to stream their film for a specified period. Licensing fees are common in SVOD deals. The fee depends on the film's perceived value, audience size, exclusivity, and territory. Licensing fees can range from a few thousand dollars to six figures for high-profile indie films.

An advertising targeting option that finds new people who share characteristics with your existing audience. Platforms like Meta and Google analyze your current followers or website visitors and find users with similar demographics, interests, and behaviors. Lookalike audiences help you reach new viewers likely to be interested in your film.

The descriptive information attached to your film that helps platforms categorize and display it. Metadata includes title, synopsis, cast and crew list, genre, runtime, language, release date, and content rating. Good metadata improves discoverability on streaming platforms and is required by every distributor.

An upfront payment a distributor pays to acquire the rights to a film. The minimum guarantee (MG) is typically recouped from future revenue before the filmmaker receives additional payments. MGs range widely based on the film's commercial potential, from a few thousand dollars for small indie films to millions for festival hits.

A legal agreement that grants permission to use a piece of music in a film. There are two types of licenses needed for most songs: a synchronization license (from the music publisher) and a master use license (from the record label). Failing to secure proper music licenses can prevent your film from being distributed on streaming platforms.

A method of measuring user behavior on a website using small pieces of code called pixels. Platforms like Meta (Facebook), Google Ads, and TikTok provide pixels that track events like page views, clicks, and conversions. By installing pixels on your smart link, you can measure which ad campaigns drive the most platform clicks.

A collection of promotional materials provided to journalists, bloggers, and influencers to support coverage of your film. A standard press kit includes a synopsis, director's statement, cast and crew bios, production notes, high-resolution stills, poster art, and a trailer link. A well-prepared press kit increases your chances of getting media coverage.

A family of video codecs developed by Apple used for high-quality video post-production and delivery. ProRes 422 HQ is a common delivery format for streaming platforms because it balances quality and file size. Most platforms require a ProRes master as part of their deliverables.

The number of unique users who see your ad or content. Reach differs from impressions because one user can generate multiple impressions by seeing your ad more than once. Reach is important for building awareness, while frequency (how many times each person sees your ad) drives recall and action.

Ongoing payments made to actors, writers, and directors when a film or TV show is reused or rebroadcast. Residuals are governed by guild agreements (SAG-AFTRA, WGA, DGA) and are triggered when content streams on platforms, airs on TV, or is sold to secondary markets. Filmmakers must budget for residuals when planning distribution.

An advertising strategy that shows ads to people who have already visited your smart link or website but did not click through to a streaming platform. Retargeting is highly effective because it reaches people who have already shown interest. Most platforms allow you to create retargeting audiences from pixel data.

A payment model where the filmmaker receives a percentage of the revenue their film generates on a platform. Revenue share is common in AVOD (ad revenue split) and TVOD (transaction percentage). The split varies by platform and deal type, typically ranging from 50% to 70% to the filmmaker.

Return on Ad Spend. A metric that measures how much revenue you generate for every dollar spent on advertising. ROAS is calculated by dividing total revenue by ad spend. A ROAS of 2.0x means you earn $2 for every $1 spent. For film marketing, ROAS can be difficult to measure because viewers may watch on a platform weeks after clicking your link.

Return on Investment. A measure of profitability that compares net profit to the total cost of an investment. ROI is calculated as ((revenue minus cost) divided by cost) multiplied by 100. In film marketing, ROI helps you understand whether your ad spend and marketing efforts are generating more revenue than they cost.

Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The labor union representing approximately 160,000 film and television performers. If your production uses SAG-AFTRA actors, you must comply with union rules regarding pay rates, working conditions, residuals, and fringes. SAG-AFTRA also offers low-budget contract tiers for indie productions.

The practice of distributing a film without a traditional distributor. Filmmakers handle platform relationships, deliverables, marketing, and revenue collection themselves, often using aggregators like Filmhub for technical delivery. Self-distribution gives filmmakers full control and higher revenue percentages but requires significant time and marketing expertise.

Search Engine Optimization. The practice of improving your online content so it ranks higher in search engine results. For filmmakers, SEO involves using relevant keywords in your film website, smart link description, and blog content. Good SEO helps potential viewers find your film when they search for terms related to your genre or topic.

A single branded URL that directs viewers to a landing page showing your film's poster, description, and all available streaming platforms. Smart links centralize your marketing efforts by giving you one link to share across social media, ads, and email. They also track analytics like views, clicks, geographic data, and referral sources.

A distribution deal where a filmmaker sells different rights to different distributors rather than bundling all rights into one deal. For example, selling US streaming rights to one company and international rights to another. Split rights deals can maximize revenue but require more management and negotiation than all-rights deals.

Subscription Video on Demand. A streaming model where viewers pay a monthly or annual subscription for access to a library of content. Netflix, Disney+, and Max are examples. Filmmakers typically receive a flat licensing fee rather than per-view revenue.

The geographic region where a distributor or platform has the right to make your film available. Territory rights can be global, regional (Europe, Asia), or country-specific (US only, UK only). Selling territory rights separately allows filmmakers to maximize revenue by working with different distributors in different regions.

The exhibition of a film in commercial cinemas before it becomes available on home video or streaming platforms. A theatrical release can build buzz and critical reception but requires significant marketing spend. For indie films, a limited theatrical release in a few cities can qualify the film for awards consideration.

A short promotional video that previews your film to audiences. Trailers are the most important marketing asset for a film release. A typical trailer runs 90 seconds to 2.5 minutes and is cut from finished footage. Most campaigns include a teaser trailer (60 to 90 seconds) and a full trailer (2 to 3 minutes), plus short social media cuts (15 to 30 seconds).

Transactional Video on Demand. A streaming model where viewers pay to rent or buy individual titles. Apple TV, Google Play, and Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu) operate on this model. Filmmakers typically earn a percentage of each transaction.

Tracking tags added to a URL to identify the source, medium, and campaign that drove traffic to your site. UTM parameters help you understand which marketing efforts are working. A URL with UTMs might look like filmcane.com/link/your-film?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=summer_release.

The practice of releasing a film on different platforms at different times to maximize revenue at each stage. A traditional windowing strategy might start with theatrical, then move to TVOD, then SVOD, and finally AVOD. Each 'window' targets a different audience segment willing to pay a different price.