Physical Distribution Program

Everything you need to know about Filmhub's DVD distribution program - yes, people still buy those! In fact, physical is still a $1.6B industry in the US. We use the same partners and have gotten our producers the same deals that are used by the major studios, such as Warner Brothers. for physical distribution.

We leverage a “manufactured on demand” (aka MOD) model so DVDs are created and shipped at the point of purchase by the consumer. Utilizing an MOD model exponentially reduces the upfront cost as DVD inventory doesn't need to be manufactured in bulk and stored in a warehouse. Instead, DVDs are made available to purchase from US-based online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and many more, as well as being available to purchase by libraries throughout the US.

Movies selected by Filmhub to participate in the program are identified by comparing a number of data points (genre, year, production value, historic performance, etc.) with titles that have historically performed well in physical format. For Movies selected by Filmhub to participate in the program, the cost to prepare the title for physical distribution ($700) is charged against future earnings on the account. For those who want their Movie included in the program but was not selected by Filmhub, the cost to prepare the title for physical distribution ($700) is paid upfront. 

The program includes all aspects of getting your Movie ready for DVD manufacturing (authoring, artwork, & file creation) at the lowest cost in the industry. To align with the most current file creation and formatting standards, as well as to streamline the overall process, all steps (authoring, artwork, and file creation) are handled by the physical distributor. The assets provided during the acquisitions process when submitting your Movie to Filmhub are used for preparing the title for physical distribution.

FAQs

Q: How was my Movie selected?

• We have a dedicated team that is reviewing metrics (genre, year, production value, historic performance, etc.) to align with our physical distribution partners internal data to gauge which Movies within the Filmhub catalog have the highest likelihood of success in physical format.

Q: How many DVDs will be made?

• The DVDs are “manufactured on demand” so they are made when a buyer purchases —with no inventory pre-made.

Q: How will my DVDs be priced?

• Prices can vary between $9.99 to $25 depending on the content and comparable films but most will average a $14.99 sale price.

Q: How much will I make per DVD sale?

• The amount generated per sale will ultimately depend on the price point at which the DVD is listed. The Filmhub licensing team pre-negotiates all deals with our licensing partners to be as advantageous as possible for our clients. We’re structured as a revenue share model so our incentives are aligned. We want to drive the most amount of revenue possible. We only earn money when our clients do.

Q: Which physical distributors is Filmhub partnering with for this program?

• We're partnering with Allied Vaughn for distribution to US-based online retailers and Midwest Tapes for sales to US libraries.

Q: What rights are needed to participate in Filmhub's physical distribution program?

• You need to have physical distribution rights in the US to participate.

Q: How long is the process for my Movie to become available to purchase on DVD?

• The setup process takes roughly 1-2 months and then another 1-3 weeks to go live at the online retailer's sites.

Q: Where will the DVDs be sold?

• DVDs will be available to purchase from US-based online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and many more, as well as being available to purchase by libraries throughout the US.

Q: What territories will the DVDs be sold in?

• Our current physical distribution program covers the United States.

Q: Can someone living outside the US purchase through the US-based online retailer?

• Yes! DVDs can be purchased through the US-based online retailer and shipped anywhere in the world.

Q: I already have physical distribution assets (artwork/files/metadata) for my film, can I provide that to you instead of paying to have new ones created?

• In order to align with the most current file creation and formatting requirements, as well as to ensure edits do not need to be made to bring the material up to spec, all authoring, artwork, and file creation will be handled by the physical distributor.

Q: Will I have approval on the artwork?

• The assets that you’ve already provided Filmhub will be used to create the necessary artwork for the DVDs. If there are any additional assets required by the physical distributors, we will reach out directly to you.

Q: What are the upfront costs?

• If your title is selected by Filmhub to participate in the program,  $700 is advanced against future earnings (no out-of-pocket cost).
• If your title is not pre-selected and you'd like to participate in the program, $700 can be paid upfront. Please reach out to support@filmhub.com for more information.

Q: How will the advance against earnings be applied?

• The advance amount would be applied as a debit on the account to apply a negative transaction amount of -$700. We're not able to apply a debit to specific licensing partners’ deposits or to specific titles within an account at this time. Filmhub is willing to advance this money because we believe this distribution opportunity would drive more than the initial $700 investment.

Q: How do I know I’ll make back my investment?

• Filmhub is willing to advance these funds because we believe that each Movie selected for this program has the greatest potential to generate substantial revenue from physical sales. While we can never guarantee specific earnings across licensing opportunities, we do believe the titles selected for this program will have the highest likelihood of success.

Q: Are people still buying DVDs?

• Yes! Physical is still a $1.6B industry in the US.

Q: Are there any sales projections that can be shared?

• There are a number of data points used to compare the Movies in our catalog with those that have historically performed well across physical distribution, including cast & crew, genre, production year, production budget, historic performance, etc. which are all taken into account when selecting a Movie for physical distribution. Sales projections across each of these data points vary greatly.

Q: I already have DVD distribution through another distributor, can I still partake in this program?

• Please reach out to support@filmhub.com and our team can review any existing physical distribution agreements.

• Distribution Pro members, reach out to your Dedicated Acquisitions Executive.

Q: Will I be able to opt out of the program at a later date?