Funding and Distribution

A considerate amount of music video production such as funding and distribution in the UK is carried out by major record label companies such as labels signed to Warner Bros, Paramount, MGM, Universal, and Sony Pictures and so on. Such companies distribute and fund there artist for world markets i.e. being mainstream, largely receiving the finance from other successful music videos so the money is continually going in and out of the company causes a powerhouse effect.

However majority of the UK artist are mainly independent and have to compete with much larger successful companies so receiving funding and distribution can be extremely difficult and time consuming, as they have to break onto the scene by being different.

There are a few organisations in the UK that help artist:

o BFI (partial funding for low budget features / films / videos, New Director’s Scheme)
o British Council (assistance to exhibit & attend film festivals abroad)
o Prince’s Trust (and partners in Europe) for help to run a business (inc film production)
o National Lottery (“Glastonbury - The Movie” was first film to benefit from such funds)
o Arts Council of England (docs on arts subjects)

The organisations listed above help independent artist by help funding them and help them to distribute and receive promotion usually artist will start of as indie by doing something original and creative to grab attention of major and to exploit a gap in the market. There are ways in which artist can help to try and promote their selves by using sites such as MySpace, Facebook and other similar sites for recognition which can help them to receive distribution and filming.

These are the 5 largest companies in media dominating the market:

1. United International Pictures
2. Warner Brothers
3. Buena Vista
4. Twentieth Century Fox
5. Sony

The main reason why most artist have trouble breaking into the market are because of the dominance of these 5 companies as they are mainstream so independent artist and groups have no money to put back into the industry and help artist breakthrough and make a successful music video.

Music videos can seek funding from independent organisation that help independent artist who are not signed receive an audience they receive their funding from organisations like national lottery, princes trust, BFI and the British council, these companies have to help rival against the 5 main companies who are dominant in all areas and have horizontal integration, so funding and distribution for major companies are relatively easily on the other hand for an independent company, not only is ‘it difficult to receive funding as well then having to distribute the final product to audiences.

So most independent artist have to start off with an Indie type of music to receive recognition and support and then mainstream to breakthrough on to the market, this can also be done via mix tapes and other independent sources of music to become well known artist that have used this approach in the British UK Industry such as Chipmunk, Tinchy Strider and so forth released mix tapes and when they were known went mainstream to appeal to a wider audience.

Distributing is the act of distributing or the condition of being distributed distribution also describes everything that happens in between production (making the Music Video) and Broadcasting it so such as CD’s DVD’s and other form of technology being discharged into the market, to receive distribution is difficult if you are not signed and is usually expensive and is time consuming so it is much harder for an independent artist rather than an artist signed to a major label.

Finally artists that receive distribution and funding from organisations are trying to exploit a gap in the market to help get signed to a major by getting signed to a major the funding and distributing process is allot more easier and regular as an independent artist may receive funding and distribution little as compared to an artist who is signed and has the backing of a major media corporation. Funding is usually being able to obtain sponsorships to help fund them by placing products o the sponsorship in the music video, but even with funding and distribution independent artist have to compete with artist that are signed and are well established and have better funding and distribution, so the independent artist have to be different and stand out, which is what we plan to do in our music video by incorporating a theme of peace between Jewish and Muslim people on a style of Romeo and Juliet, other artist and groups that have used this approach would be the black eyed peas with “where is the love” by promoting world peace through media and receiving a positive reaction rather than a typical narrative. There are also less cheap ways of disturbing your music video via the internet which may appear to a less audience then being on T.V website that artist regularly use could be YouTube and other websites.