__FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the United States and Canada has been defined by

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as a film released in fewer than 600 theaters. The purpose is often used to gauge the appeal of specialty films, like

documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...

s and

art film An art film (or arthouse film) is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily f ...

s. A common practice by

film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the productio ...

s is to give highly anticipated and critically acclaimed films a limited release on or before December 31 in

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, to qualify for

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nominations (as by its rules). Highly anticipated documentaries also receive limited releases at the same time in

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, as the rules for the

Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature An academy ( Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosoph ...

mandate releases in both locations. The films are almost always released to a wider audience in January or February of the following year. One notable exception is '' The Rocky Horror Picture Show'', which premiered in 1975 and is still shown only in limited fashion; it is the longest-running theatrical release in film history.

Platform release

A platform release is a type of limited release in which a film opens in fewer theaters (typically 599 or fewer) than a wide release. If the film receives positive word of mouth, it is gradually expanded to more theaters, as the marketing campaign gains momentum. A successful film released in this manner has even the possibility of expanding into a wide release. The advantage of the strategy is that

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costs are conserved until a film's performance has been established, when the distributor may opt to increase advertising and push for a wider release. On the other hand, if it initially flops, the distributor can withdraw from the campaign, thus minimizing advertising and promotional expenditures. In the early stages of a platform release, the key metric is the ''per-theater average gross'', not the ''total box office gross''. Arthouse and independent films that garner high per-theater averages are seen as likely candidates for a successful wider release. A distributor using this release strategy must take care not to expand too quickly in the early stages to prevent the (limited) audience from being spread too thin, which would reduce the per-theater average and so cause the film to appear weaker.

References

{{filmmaking paper trail Films by type

Platform release

See also

References