Distribution – Buffalo8

GETTING STARTED WITH AVOD Distribution

What is TubiTV?

The largest free advertising-supported streaming library in the world.

What is “AVOD” and why is it free?

Ad-based Video on Demand (“AVOD”), sometimes referred to as “Free TV,” is a collection of content available for viewing that does not require an upfront cash commitment or financial subscription. Instead, viewers will need to watch advertisements in order to have access to the content and the advertisers payments for ad placement is the key revenue driver for the platform.

Why should I distribute my film, series, or short film through an AVOD platform?

AVOD platforms offer filmmakers and creators an additional revenue stream and distribution window for their content. TubiTV splits the ad revenue generated from the project (50:50) with theaggregator who places the content on Tubi.

AVOD platforms are the fastest growing segment of the VOD marketplace and has seen a massive traffic shift in the last few months as several major media companies recognize this trend and begin to stake out AVOD strategies. AVOD players now include Viacom’s Pluto TV, Tubi TV, Roku, Film Rise and NBC’s Peacock.

AVOD will service cost-conscious consumers and act as a no-cost alternative when a consumer’s monthly subscription bill reaches a maximum. As more consumers discover this free digital optionit will require higher quality content to satisfy demand, and in many ways, AVOD will replace traditional broadcast TV.

How do I place my project on TubiTV?

TubiTV does not allow individual content creators to upload their projects directly to the platform. Instead, they require all projectsto go through an approved aggregator, like Buffalo 8, before vetting official placement. [You can fill out Buffalo 8’s AVOD Application form linked here.]

How much can I expect to get paid from distribution through TubiTV?

TubiTV typically does not guarantee a minimum payment, but proceeds generally range between $1,000 to $100,000 USD per quarter. Better quality projects (those with either a genre, cast, or story hook, as well as supported with a digital marketing effort) result in greater viewership and increased revenue.

There are specific instances where TubiTV may pay a minimum guarantee but this is done on a title-by-title review basis.

How much does TubiTV pay per view?

TubiTV does not pay on a per-view basis but rather on the advertising revenues from the commercial spots inserted into the viewing experience. The split between TubiTV and the aggregator is 50/50 based on the advertising revenues.

Other digital and streaming offers state the subscription, ad-roll, and/or sponsor dollar amounts or percentages. Can TubiTV or Buffalo 8 provide more information?

TubiTV and Buffalo 8 provides the same information that all 50,000+ titles on the TubiTV platform have been provided in regards to revenue streams and data visibility. Information is limited due to the performance-based structure; TubiTV can only guarantee the 50/50 split of advertising revenues.

How do we monitor the performance of our project on the TubiTV platform?

Buffalo 8 has the ability to track your title’s performance in real-time and will provide you with your title’s impressions, eCPM, and earnings every quarter.

How long will my project stay on TubiTV?

The project will exist on the platform indefinitely, until you or the Tubi team decide to take it down.

Is TubiTV a worldwide distributor? Does TubiTV require the streaming rights for every territory?

TubiTV is streaming in 140 countries worldwide.

TubiTV would prefer to have the AVOD streaming window rights for the world but has the ability to carve out territories from its platform if necessary.

I’ve already distributed my film; can I still release on AVOD?

Typically, yes. It’s important to read your distribution agreement to make sure you are not restricted from releasing the film through an AVOD platform.

Does TubiTV accept every project?

No, and especially not projects that have unresolved technical issues.

When should I expect payment from TubiTV and Buffalo 8?

TubiTV and Buffalo 8 will pay monthly, once a minimum threshold of $1,000 is met, ninety (90) days after each month’s accrual.

Does Buffalo 8 charge an upfront fee to distribute my project through TubiTV?

Buffalo 8 does not charge an upfront or out-of-pocket cost to distribute your project. However, Buffalo 8, like all distributors, has fixed hard costs associated with both the technical, legal, and administrative aspects of onboarding the content and delivering to the TubiTV platform. To compensate for this, Buffalo 8 requires a nominal first position corridor in the project’s sales waterfall to recoup all expenses for the legal and technical delivery and servicing.

Why should I aggregate with Buffalo 8 versus another company?

Buffalo 8 has a proven track record of developing, producing, and releasing content for the past 10 years. While many other aggregators rely solely on revenue from releasing your project(s) onto platforms, Buffalo 8’s diverse revenue model allows us to treat the filmmaking teams fairly and honestly.

Buffalo 8 provides direct quarterly reporting allowing for full visibility into the actual revenue generated and fees paid per title.

Buffalo 8, and our sister companies BondIt Media Capital and ABS Payroll, have a long-standing relationship with top executives, agencies, and creative teams in the entertainment business, allowing for a streamlined and thorough process for any project our team is involved with.

GETTING STARTED WITH Strategic Distribution

What are my options for distributing my film?

When looking to distribute your film, there are three main options: 1) Self-distribution; 2) Partner with a traditional distribution firm (usually to release the film on a revenue share); or 3) Strategic Distribution.

Our distribution team has extensive experience with all three methods and will happily consult with you to figure out which strategy best aligns with your particular project, specific circumstances, and ultimate distribution goals.

What is “self-distribution?”

The self-distribution route requires more work or out-of-pocket expenses from the filmmaker, as all of the film’s marketing, advertising, and public relations leading up to the film’s release and beyond must be handled by or paid for on your own. Further, you’ll need to hire an independent aggregator who has the ability and credentials to place your film onto streaming platforms. If choosing the self-distribution route, our team recommends consulting with a sales expert to ensure your project receives an optimal distribution plan to maximize revenue and minimize costs.

What is partnering with traditional distribution companies like?

Traditional distribution companies will do most, or all, of the heavy lifting for the filmmaker, but not without sacrifice on your side. Distributors will buy the rights to your film for anywhere between 3 and 25 years, during which you legally have very little control over your film. Traditional distribution companies also typically require large upfront fees, demand marketing budgets, and claim the majority of all proceeds your film generates within the specified timeframe.

What is Strategic Distribution?

Strategic distribution, our preferred strategy, is the hybrid method of distribution that has the best of both worlds. Not only do filmmakers receive the benefits of partnering with a traditional distribution company at a fraction of the cost, but by choosing strategic distribution, filmmakers get to keep the rights to their projects, and can customize their distribution strategy to adjust to what works best for their specific film.

Strategic distribution can:

(i) help secure traditional distribution networks and provide discounted aggregation services;
(ii) analyze your current distribution strategy’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as present new opportunities to better help you film succeed;
(iii) provide guidance and transparency to ensure you are not taken advantage of during the process.

The Self-Distribution route is more work, as you not only are required to do the film’s marketing and advertising, but you must hire an independent Aggregator who will upload your film onto streaming platforms. Utilizing strategic distribution, filmmakers can keep all the rights to their movie (similar to the self-distribution route) by partnering with strategic distributors (like B8) who can provide aggregation services on top of developing a targeted distribution strategy to help your film succeed.

This is a popular option for filmmakers who don’t want to hire a traditional distribution firm or give up ownership and large portions of their project revenue. Developing a grassroots marketing and advertising campaign will drive audiences to view your film or series wherever you’ve made it available online.

What is an “aggregator”?

When self-distributing a low budget film or series, you must hire a content aggregator to place your film on major streaming platforms (like iTunes, Amazon, TubiTV, PlutoTV, Google Play, Netflix, etc.). Content aggregators have exclusive output contracts with video-on-demand platforms that grant the aggregator preferential treatment when pitching projects to the platform.

Notable streaming sites almost always require placement through an aggregator and rarely accept outside pitches from individual filmmakers or content producers.

If deciding to self-distribute, hiring an Aggregator is essential to your film’s success.

What is the difference between aggregation and distribution?

Signing with a distribution firm means entrusting a third party with the public release and multi-territorial exploitation of your film. The distributor will secure the rights to screen your project within a defined list of worldwide territories for a period of several years (five, seven, and ten are typical terms). While the specifics of distribution agreements can vary firm-to-firm, it’s standard practice for distributors to require gross corridors or minimum proceed thresholds in order to recoup their expenses before sharing profits with the production team.

Alternatively, you can forego working with a distributor altogether and distribute the film yourself. You can deliver your film to the major online retailers (iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc.) via content aggregators. Utilizing an aggregator grants you more favorable ownership and a majority of the revenue split, but you are ultimately responsible for all aspects of your film’s release

Which is better?

Neither is “better” per se, as either strategy comes with its own positives and negatives.

The upside of working with a distributor is knowing your film’s release will be supported and carried out by a team of professionals. The downside is that you are relinquishing control of your film and sharing more revenue with another company.

Self-distribution, on the other hand, means retaining control, ownership, and a larger rev-share, but its worldwide exploitation may suffer without a dedicated sales team. Box office performance is reliant on time, money, and a strong understanding of marketing, promotions, public relations, and release timing.

How do I find a distributor?

Many filmmakers utilize sales agencies or independent representatives to strategically pitch the film to distributors, keeping in mind the film’s genre, cast, and budget when targeting specific distribution partners. Other times, distributors will find you (usually at film festivals during their search for content to buy).

How can I avoid being taken advantage of by a distributor?

Traditional distributors intentionally create their agreements to be vague and complex. This can result in filmmakers being overcharged for services or distributors cutting corners on the work that’s expected of them. To protect you (and your film), you need to understand exactly what you’re signing and if their terms are industry standard.

Ask a ton of questions and stay involved in the process, and if you’re still unsure, hire a distribution consultant who has proven track record on IMDb. By working together, you can ensure your film achieves the milestones you’ve set out from the beginning

What can I do to self-distribute successfully?

The most important step you can take in maximizing your film’s self-distribution potential is by planning ahead. Simply making your film available online does not ensure people will watch it or that you’ll get paid for it. Work with an experienced consultant to ensure you have a strong distribution strategy in place (i.e. optimizing promotional tactics and PR with synchronized release windows) and that you’re legally protected along the way.

What is windowing?

When your film is released within certain parameters (e.g. domestic theatrical, subscription video on demand (SVOD), transactional video on demand (TVOD), ad-based video on demand (AVOD), etc.), this is known as a window. By staggering these windows strategically, you can maximize exposure and the revenue that transpires throughout the lifecycle of the film.

My film’s being released! How do I get the word out?

The possibilities are endless. For independent filmmakers working within a tiny budget – event-based marketing can be hugely effective. Bolster local screenings by inviting your talent, utilizing social media, organizing press releases, and deploying targeted digital advertising campaigns.

Which platforms will take my film?

Some of the major platforms, such as iTunes, Amazon, and Google are open retailers. This means they can go live, via an approved aggregator, if all technical specifications are met. Other retailers, such as Netflix and Hulu, are curated. This means content needs to be submitted (usually by a trusted partner), reviewed, and approved before it appears on the platform.

What assets do I need to deliver?

Depending on where your film is being delivered, asset requirements may vary. Generally, the core assets include ProRes masters of the feature and green band trailer, a closed caption file, and a piece of vertical key art.

For Buffalo 8’s AVOD partners, we require:

Title Video File AND Trailer File in the following format:

Accepted Video Codecs:
- Prores 422 HQ
- Prores 422
- H.264 (AVC)
Accepted file containers:
- .mov
- .mp4
- .mpeg
- .mpg
- mxf
Accepted Frame Rates:
- 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 50i, 59.94i fps.
Resolution:
- Native resolution is required with minimum size: 640×480 pixels.
- The Preferred resolution is 1920×1080.
Audio:
- PCM 16-32 bit, 44.1k-48kHz audio.
- AAC audio
- A stereo audio stream is required when available.
- Important: A stereo stream or correctly labeled streams to be mixed to stereo are required.
Image Requirements:
- Image 1: Poster / Title Image
  - Size: At least 900 x 1285 pixels at 72 dpi.
  - Do NOT include credits, ratings, company logos, and promotional information on the artwork image.
- Image 2: Landscape Image
  - Size: At least 896 x 504 pixels at 72 dpi.
  - The Image must contain the title, without any other text.
- Image 3: Hero Image
  - Size: At least 1920 x 1080 pixels at 72 dpi.
  - Do NOT include any text, including title art, credits, ratings, company logos, and promotional information on the artwork image.

GETTING STARTED WITH B8 Distribution

What are my options for distributing my film?

When looking to distribute your film, there are two main options: Self-distribute or partner with a traditional distributor to release the film on a revenue share. We have experience with both and can help you either way.

What is the difference between aggregation and distribution?

Signing with a distributor means entrusting people with your film. Can they handle the legwork of its release? This means distributing the film within a pre-defined list of territories for a period of several years (five, seven, and ten are typical terms). While the specifics of distribution agreements can vary greatly, it’s most common for a distributor to recoup its expenses before splitting any remaining revenue with you.

Alternatively, you can forego working with a distributor altogether and distribute the film yourself. You can deliver your film to the major online retailers (iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and more) via a content aggregator and keep all ownership and revenue, but you are ultimately responsible for all aspects of your film’s release.

Which is better?

Neither is better, and both have their pros and cons.

The upside of working with a distributor is knowing your film’s release will be supported and carried out by a team of professionals. The downsides, however, are that you are relinquishing control of your film and sharing revenue with another company.

Self-distribution has its own advantages and disadvantages as well. Instead of giving up control, you retain ownership of the film’s release and the revenue it generates. However, to perform well, you need time, money, and a strong understanding of navigating releases and promotions.

How do I find a distributor?

Many filmmakers will utilize a sales representative to bring the film to distributors and other buyers. Other times, a distributor seeks out a film / filmmaker often buying films at film festivals.

How can I avoid being taken advantage of by a distributor?

Some distributors have been known to take advantage of filmmakers by overcharging for services or by cutting corners on the work expected of them. The best way to prepare for this is by knowing exactly what you want for your film when you sign. Ask a ton of questions. Stay involved in the process. By working together, you can ensure the film achieves the milestones you set from the beginning.

What can I do to self-distribute successfully?

The most important step you can take in self-distributing is planning ahead. Simply making your film publicly available does not ensure people will watch it. To give your film the best chance to succeed, make sure you have a distribution strategy in place. This means having a promotion tactic synchronized with proper release windows.

What is windowing?

When your film is released within certain parameters (e.g. domestic theatrical, transactional VOD, subscription, etc.), this is known as a window. By staggering these windows strategically, you can maximize exposure and the revenue that transpires.

My film’s being released! How do I get the word out?

The possibilities are endless. For independent filmmakers working within a tiny budget – event-based marketing can be hugely effective. Bolster local screenings by inviting your talent, utilizing social media, organizing press releases, and deploying targeted digital advertising campaigns.

Which platforms will take my film?

Some of the major platforms, such as iTunes, Amazon, and Google are open retailers. This means they can go live, via an aggregator, if all technical specifications are met. Other retailers, such as Netflix and Hulu, are curated. This means content needs to be submitted, reviewed, and approved before it appears in store.

What assets do I need to deliver?

Depending on where your film is being delivered, asset requirements may vary. However, as a general rule, the core assets are ProRes masters of the feature and green band trailer, a Closed Caption file, and a piece of vertical key art.

b8 DISTRIBUTION

We simplify distribution, empowering filmmakers to take control of their release and to reach a global audience.

Choose your method.

We offer flexible distribution options

Strategic Distribution

AVOD Distribution

B8 Strategic Distribution Packages

Our team understands that every project is unique, which is why we tailor our distribution packages to fit your project’s specific needs and customize pricing to effectively accomplish your goals in reaching your audience.

The Foundation

$ 4,250

For: First time and emerging creators. Basic Distribution Services

Foundation + Aggregation

$ 6,500

For: Larger films. Advanced Distribution Services

Start to Finish Distribution

$ 9,500

For: Top-of-the-line Productions. Pro Distribution Services.

Questions? Consult with our Distribution expert: info@buffalo8.com

AVOD distribution

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For: First time and emerging creators.
Basic Distribution Services

For: Larger films.
Advanced Distribution Services

For: Top-of-the-line Productions.
Pro Distribution Services.