Jump to content

IFC Films

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bhutti (talk | contribs) at 21:24, 17 July 2013 (Moved Dealin with Idiots from upcoming releases to releases). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

IFC Films
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryMotion pictures
Founded1999
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
ParentAMC Networks
Websitewww.ifcfilms.com

IFC Films (Independent Film Channel) is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center.

Releases

IFC Films' first release was a drama in 1999, Spring Forward, directed by Tom Gilroy. Over 300 releases have followed, including:

Upcoming releases

Video on Demand (VOD) and DVD

IFC has several ventures in video on demand (VOD), available through cable television pay-per-view, Apple iTunes, and Blockbuster's Movielink.

IFC First Take

IFC First Take, launched in 2006, combines a limited theatrical release with availability the same day by VOD. The films show in IFC's New York theater IFC Center, and well as other theaters that may participate. Landmark Theatres were the first outside theaters announced.[3]

Date-and-date vs. release windowing

Traditionally, in the United States, theatrical movies are released with windows separating the theatrical run, then airline and paid hotel showings, then DVD release, then pay-per-view cable, then premium cable, also called pay TV (HBO, etc.), then broadcast and basic cable.[4][5][6][7] VOD services, starting with the first legal one, Movielink, generally gained the rights to the same window as pay-per-view. This put them after the DVD release. Making VOD release simultaneous with DVD is called day-and-date, or collapsing the window.

IFC First Take goes further, with day-and-date meaning simultaneous theatrical release and VOD, though DVD may come months later. For instance, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With came out on First Take in September 2007. The full retail DVD release occurred on April 15, 2008, though Blockbuster's "exclusive" rental was made available in March 2008.

In a March 2008 panel discussion, IFC Film's Arianna Bocco stated that all its films would be released through First Take.[8]

Initial releases

Films initially distributed by IFC First Take included:

IFC Festival Direct

IFC Festival Direct, announced in 2008, is VOD distribution for films not slated for theatrical release in the United States.[9] Non-theatrical films are known as straight-to-video, but the idea of Festival Direct and other new models is to remove the stigma of that term.

Initial releases

The first films scheduled for IFC Festival Direct were:

Apple iTunes

In 2006 IFC Films began distributing some films to Apple iTunes. The first batch were thirteen films with nominations in the Independent Spirit Awards.[10]

Exclusive deal with Blockbuster

In March 2008, IFC Films and Blockbuster agreed to a distribution deal giving Blockbuster an exclusive 60-day VOD and DVD rental window, attempting to shut out its competitor Netflix. A similar deal in late 2006 between Blockbuster, Genius Products and The Weinstein Company had been partially thwarted when Netflix and other retailers were able to buy DVDs via wholesale "sell-through". Netflix then rented the DVDs under the legal first-sale doctrine. Netflix often had titles available on the same day as Blockbuster. The new agreement with IFC Films had stricter terms, preventing any retail sale during the 60-day window, as well making a claim to exclusive "physical rental distribution rights" for three years. IFC Films receives in-store promotion in Blockbuster retail locations.[11][12] Genius Products also distributes retail DVDs for IFC Films, but it is not clear whether the previous agreement covered those DVDs. Blockbuster's VOD service is its recently acquired Movielink.

Critics such as RogerEbert.com editor Jim Emerson feared the deal would limit the proper distribution of IFC Film's movies, since Blockbuster has in the past avoided uncut NC-17 films.[13]

References

  1. ^ "IFC Films Acquires The Disappeared". BD Horror News. Bloody-Disgusting. February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  2. ^ IFC Midnight Scores Mexican Cannibal Flick 'We Are What We Are'!
  3. ^ Hernandez, Eugene (January 23, 2006). "Park City '06 Biz Daily". Indiewire. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  4. ^ Grover, Ron (October 18, 2005). "Movie Moguls Need to Face the Music". Business Week. Retrieved March 23, 2008. Hollywood's [using an] increasingly outdated "windows" business model, in which studios first sell their flicks to theaters, then release them on DVD, and finally license them for TV. Movies are currently available for download somewhere between DVD and TV... [S]ources say that studios are contemplating whether to begin releasing some of their films 'day-and-date,' meaning they would be simultaneously available on DVD and for downloading.
  5. ^ Olsen, Stefanie (September 8, 2004). "Picture imperfect for Netflix, TiVo". CNET News. Retrieved March 23, 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "The Monster That Ate Hollywood: now playing...and playing...and playing..." Frontline. November 2001. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  7. ^ "The Monster That Ate Hollywood: Interview: Larry Gerbrandt". Frontline. September 2001. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  8. ^ "IFP – Alternative Models of Distribution". The Film Panel Notetaker. March 14, 2008. Archived from the original on March 20, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2008. 'Is the FirstTake model being used for every IFC film now?' Bocco: 'Yes. We're now in 50 million homes for VOD. We just made a deal with Blockbuster. It's been really successful. Why go backwards to a traditional model? We have a lot of these "Mumblecore" movies. They embrace this model. I see a generational difference in filmmakers. Even someone like Gus Van Sant is all for it.'
  9. ^ Hayes, Dade (January 14, 2008). "IFC adds VOD label". Variety. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  10. ^ Marsal, Katie (February 22, 2007). "IFC helps grow Apple's iTunes film catalog". Apple Insider. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  11. ^ Hayes, Dade (March 5, 2008). "Blockbuster gets exclusive window on IFC titles". Video Business. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  12. ^ "IFC Entertainment and BLOCKBUSTER Sign Two-Year Exclusive Rental Deal" (Press release). IFC. March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  13. ^ Emerosn, Jim (March 5, 2008). "IFC signs pact with devil – Blockbuster". Scanners. RogerEbert.com. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=IFC_Films&oldid=564704719"