On Ramp: VHS Distribution

One of the greatest joys of videomaking is the thought that, eventually, other people may actually see the production you've been slaving on for months. And for those financially-inclined readers, this scheme sets up a monetary reward as well. As long as an audience exists that wants to view your videos, this same audience may be willing to pay to view those very same videos. That's correct, you can actually make money with this hobby-turned obsession. Now I've got your interest!

Getting your tapes viewed, purchased or rented should be a top priority for any serious videomaker. All of these functions fall under the umbrella of distribution--that magic word that makes producers salivate. Distribution is what makes the film and video world turn. While distribution is obviously responsible for placing films in your local multi-plex, it also allows you to go down to the local video shop and rent a copy of Tombstone, purchase The Lion King at McDonalds or order the latest Faces of Death installment from the back of a magazine.

And it's distribution that brings special interest videos, documentaries, instructional tapes and other small and low-budget productions to audiences worldwide. Imagine this kind of distribution making your tapes available to the masses.

Even though traditional video distribution is a multi-billion dollar business that moves hundreds of thousands of VHS tapes and titles around the globe yearly, the reality is that distributors are tough to find.

If that seems confusing, let me explain. Basically, there are three level of distributors. At the top of the heap are, of course, the big guys--Warner Home Video, Columbia and the like. These huge companies pick up major movies to distribute on an international basis. Usually video deals are made when the film is going into production. This means that the producers of these films don't have to concern themselves with selling their production to a distributor; the deed is done before one foot of film has run through the camera. The companies involved at this level, known as the majors, only deal with big, multi- million dollar budgeted films. They won't be on your call list when you finish that "Tone Your Thighs While You Sleep" exercise tape.

Next in the pecking order are distributors referred to as mini-majors. Prism, Hemdale and HBO Pictures qualify. Many companies at this level actually produce product for a direct-to-video release. Their productions move immediately into the crowded video pipeline, the same route you'll eventually want your video traveling. Again, most of these firms handle only mega-buck projects, so unless you've got the next El Mariachi or Clerks, trying to work with these companies is a waste of time.

At the bottom of the traditional video distribution heap are the independents. With a wide range of low-to-mid-budget releases, Hemdale, Interscope and Full Moon operate here. Direct-to-video and limited theatrical release films as well as special interest videos fill these companies' release rosters. Unfortunately, like the above, even this bottom-of-the-ladder group is still too sophisticated for the independent videomaker. Is the "distributors are tough to find" statement making more se…