FrThe
distribution & broadcasting
questionnaire
As a broadcaster or distributor, you want the stories you bring to the screen to reach the widest audience. You choose content that can entertain, fascinate, or challenge viewers, and you have the power to include new references that are more in line with the concerns of today.
This guide provides questioning themes based on the cornerstones of the stories you bring to the screen (the characters’ profiles and mission as well as the societal model that serves as a backdrop for the film) and the sustainability of your distribution and communication methods.
The full guide includes approximately twenty questions and is available for download. Its quick and easy-to-use format allows you to better understand the impact of the content you broadcast and to initiate conversations with the production and communications teams. You will find a summary of the guide on this page. This questionnaire is not an exhaustive list. Feel free to make it your own and use it to guide you in your goals and needs.
How do you include the issues in your fictions?
This first chapter aims to identify if and how environmental and social issues are addressed in the script, treatment, or bible you receive, or in the brief you write.
This quick analysis will allow you to direct production teams toward possible changes to the story line and verify that you want to support the same issues. It also provides an opportunity to initiate conversations about sustainable film production and communications so the approach will be supported by all trades involved.
A few key figures:
38.9%
of lead actors in theatrical and streaming Hollywood films produced in 2021 are people of color. (UCLA, 2022)
95%
of characters with disabilities in the top 10 TV shows in the US are played by able-bodied actors. (The Ruderman White Paper, 2016)
20.8%
of films released in 2021 met the challenge set by GLAAD of reaching 20% LGBTQ inclusion, down from 23% the previous year. (GLAAD, 2022)
12,715
The number of times “climate change” was mentioned in UK TV shows in 2020, which is 9,590 more times than in 2018. (WE ARE ALBERT, 2021)
How to implement a sustainable communication strategy?
Sustainability efforts implemented by the production team (which can be spearheaded and supported by you) during the filmmaking process should extend to the communications campaign and tools used to enhance the film’s distribution. By paying special attention to these elements prior to broadcasting/distribution, you contribute to the establishment of a collaborative and coherent approach to sustainability.
This chapter allows you to ensure that your campaign’s communications elements (displays, events, digital elements, etc.) have been designed with sustainability in mind in order to limit their carbon footprint.
A few key figures:
24%
The percentage contribution of air travel to the overall carbon footprint of big-budget films, across all productions studied between 2016 and 2019. (Sustainable Production Alliance, 2021)
125%
The percentage increase in sales of chess sets following the release of The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix. The number of players increased by 500%. (The Good Goods article, 2022)
How to settle an impact campaign?
An impact campaign is a set of actions carried out in connection to a film with the goal of creating bridges between the topics seen on the screen and real life. It aims to challenge the viewer, lead them to take action, and provoke debate. It can also contribute to the work’s visibility. It is created in collaboration with relevant civil society stakeholders and decision-makers and extends the film experience by giving viewers tools to take action. It is complementary to a traditional marketing campaign that accompanies the film’s release in theatres or on TV.
This section aims to help you identify, understand, and optimise your impact strategy by accentuating the issues addressed in your film and their communication, while identifying the networks and partners to include.
A few key figures:
46%
of the French population had heard of marital rape after the broadcast of an episode of Plus belle la vie devoted to this subject versus 35% before the broadcast (Observatoire des images)
$400 k
raised in the US as a result of Marvel Studios’ 2018 “Black Panther Challenge” impact campaign, allowing thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to see the film for free (CBR.com, 2018)
The testimony of Marie-Claire Lalonde, Associate Producer at Metafilms (Canada):
As part of the Simple comme Sylvain project (nominated for the Eco-prod prize at the Cannes Film Festival), the production team wanted to reduce its ecological footprint as much as possible. To achieve this, we drew up an action plan based on the recommendations of ‘On tourne vert’ (an accreditation from Quebec). We implemented a number of actions at each step of the shooting. First of all, we had each member of the crew sign a green set commitment contract at the start of the project. We then sent everyone a list of actions to be taken and objectives to be achieved.
On the management side, we reduced waste production (no disposable containers, reusable crockery, compost, recycling), looked after our energy source (no generator hire), and controlled the team’s mobility (shuttle service). We didn’t build any sets either, and the elements we did use were stored for reuse on future shoots. The costumes were sold or donated to film students. We hope we’ve been able to set an example for others through our own actions.