Film Distribution and Marketing - MA
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
Shoot into the film industry with the world's first Master’s degree in film distribution and marketing. Available as a one-year intensive full-time course, our MA Film Distribution and Marketing has been designed with industry to reflect the growing need for entrepreneurial producers, marketers and distribution experts....
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Award MA
- Start date September 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subjects
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
Shoot into the film industry with the world's first Master’s degree in film distribution and marketing. Available as a one-year intensive full-time course, our MA Film Distribution and Marketing has been designed with industry to reflect the growing need for entrepreneurial producers, marketers and distribution experts.
Graduates from this course have secured roles with companies such as Koch Media (Germany), Kaleidoscope Films (UK), GFM Films (UK) and Red Arrow Media (Europe). You will have an opportunity to experience work placements during the course with previous placements including major industry players such as FilmNation (US) and Sony Picture Classics (US).
What's covered in this course?
Taught by an industry experienced team, including Oscar-nominated producer, Lee Thomas, and film industry expert, Eugenio Triana, you'll develop the strategic skills needed to apply new and emergent models of film financing and market and engage audiences in a competitive, fast changing global entertainment business.
This Master’s course examines old and new business models spanning all aspects of the film development cycle.
The course embraces advances in technology, digital communication channels and opportunities to monetise content across a variety of platforms outside traditional cinema.
During the course, you will receive intensive tuition from industry professionals before working to create and deploy strategies for projects around development and pitching, financing and pitching to investors, and distribution and marketing campaigns - all under the guidance of mentors.
As well as this, you'll get to work on real film projects ranging from low- to no-budget esoteric art house through to more commercially ambitious genres and across all stages of a film's life cycle – from development to production to distribution. During the course previous students have worked with companies including New Yorker Films, New Wave Films, Kaleidoscope Films and the Taiwan Film Institute.
Why Choose Us?
- The course has been developed with film distribution companies, digital communication experts and film producers to ensure it provides the skills and knowledge needed for distributing and marketing films in the UK and overseas.
- There are multiple opportunities for practical work during the course. In the past students have been involved in helping producers market their films, do an in-depth project with leading distribution companies, carried out research for the BFI, travelled to the Cannes film festival and taken part in internships either at the festival or in the UK.
- Previous graduates have gone on to work with leading UK companies such as Hanway, Disney UK, Studio Canal, Mubi, Premiere PR, Think Jam, Kaleidoscope, GFM, WestEnd Films and others, as well as internationally at Entertainment One, The Match Factory, Deluxe NY, Warner Brothers International and as independent producers and distributors.
- Lecturers and tutors are professionals currently working in the industry. You will receive extensive support in developing employability skills, including CVs and online profiles.
OPEN DAY
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.
Next Event: 24 November 2024
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Essential Requirements
| Essential | |
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MA Film Distribution and Marketing is open to applicants who are enterprising, agile thinkers who can demonstrate an interest in film and developing marketing and distribution strategy. |
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You must be a graduate. If you do not have a degree, you may be accepted if you can demonstrate equivalent experience and / or qualifications. |
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| You may have existing qualifications in: | |
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Film / production |
Business studies |
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Marketing |
Multimedia / digital content creation |
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Advertising |
Media and communications |
| And/or you may have work experience in the sector, such as: | |
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Freelance filmmaking / production |
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Working as a runner, production coordinator |
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Producing /Directing |
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Extra information for International (non-EU) students
| Essential |
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IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands or its equivalent. |
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For information on equivalence scores and pre-sessional language courses please visit English Language provision |
Please note, it is not a requirement to have previous experience working in the sector or to have studied a film related undergraduate programme, as the course will provide a thorough grounding in the fundamental principles and basic core knowledge of film marketing and distribution.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £10,820 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £11,900 in 2025/26
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MA
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 1 year
- £18,600 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*)
- £20,460 in 2025/26
*Professional Placement option
The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.
This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.
Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
This module will be an introduction to the structure of the film industry: how it is organised, its different players and how business models have evolved over the last 100 years. It will point to how these structures might change in the future or are already changing.
This module gives students a deep dive into the skills necessary for a career in film distribution. It will cover all aspects of the sector, from learning the intricacies of finance, to a close look at contracts, audience research and the landscape of distribution.
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and theoretically informed research project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. It is important that we can support you appropriately, so you will be guided towards choosing a research topic which is relevant to your discipline and in which your lecturers have expertise. The outcome may take the form of a written dissertation or a practical outcome with accompanying reflective, critical and contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be relevant to your programme and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 60 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules.
This module provides an in-depth look at a major crux for the film industry: film festivals. Film festivals play a part in the financing, distribution and marketing of independent films and therefore the study of them is a core part of the overall. The present module will give students an understanding of the importance of film festivals to the industry, and give them insight into the skills needed to mount a successful marketing and public relations strategy at a festival.
This module will give students a thorough grounding in the skills necessary to successfully plan and carry out a film marketing strategy. The module will specifically examine the role of the distributor and the ways in which distributors market films from strategizing, through to planning budgets and implementation.
It’s all about you! This module is centred around you and your personal and professional development. You will be the ‘Creative’ and the ‘Content Producer’ in the ideation, development, production and delivery of your own digital marketing assets.
The module is an opportunity to learn and critically reflect on the skills of collaboration by enabling you to create a research-informed interdisciplinary project with students from complementary disciplines, or with academic staff.
This module critically evaluates horror narratives in their cultural, historical and generic contexts across both visual and audio traditions, and asks you to analyze how debates in this area impact on creative and production practices in the field.
*(40 credit option not currently available, noted in the Course Handbook)
Core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Download course specification
Download nowCourse Structure
In-class projects are structured around the main divisions in the film industry of production, sales, distribution and exhibition. The modules for the course relate to each stage of this cycle and in the Master's by Practice module you will work through a company in the sector to cover any area or topic of your interest.
The content and approach of the curriculum is informed by, and has a strong emphasis on, digital communication production processes. As often as possible learning will simulate real world processes and foster the practical application of skills during industry set projects, looking in depth at the marketing and film financing process from idea to deployment. Underpinning practical work will be a strong emphasis on business strategy, analytics and monetisation.
Assessment will mainly be based on individual portfolios, proposals, pitches and critical evaluations.
Classroom activities
The Film Distribution and Marketing MA is highly focused on in-class exercises and practical workshops. During your time at BCU, you’ll get to negotiate the rights for a project, create posters, trailers and other marketing material and pitch your film to an industry panel. As much as possible, we will simulate the experiences and tests of the professional world.
Student work
Students during their one-year course have worked for Birmingham’s Flatpack Film Festival, run the marketing within the university for the Cine Excess cult horror festival and organised their own screening to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “The Commitments”, which drew seventy paying viewers to a live music and film event.
For those taking the module ‘Film Marketing Planning & Deployment’, selected students have previously been placed within companies in the industry at the Cannes Film Festival, and have worked in assisting top film distributors, sales agents and production companies.
Trips and visits
As part of your MA you may have the opportunity to take part in a work placement with a film distribution company at Cannes Film Festival, or an alternative experience. Students have previously worked alongside top film professionals in Cannes to learn more about the practicalities of buying, selling and acquiring films.
The Cannes International Film Festival is an annual film festival that previews new films from around the globe. Founded in 1946, it is one of the most prestigious and publicised film festivals in the world.
In previous years, students from the University have worked with international companies including FilmNation Entertainment and Sony Pictures Classics. Costs such as travel and accommodation are included in your course fee, although some additional costs may be incurred, depending on the placement.
Students also undertake a February one-week trip to London to visit companies such as Paramount, Warners, Vue Cinemas and UK independent film distributors and sales agents.
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
This course is specifically designed to prepare market-ready, entrepreneurial graduates able to meet the challenges of the new film distribution and funding environment, with the intention that students will play a key role in production teams of the future in emerging roles.
The course's strong emphasis on commercial awareness, market awareness and technological innovation in the sector also provides students with the opportunity to pursue careers in a wide variety of positions and company types.
Before their course is officially finished, Birmingham City University’s Film Distribution and Marketing students are already going on to greater things in the UK film industry. Gaining places at some of the top companies in production, distribution and marketing, the 2016/17 graduate class are maintaining the stellar history of employment for the Film Distribution and Marketing Masters.
Employment
Joseph Hewitt – Executive Assistant, Hanway Films
In July, Joseph joined Hanway Films as executive assistant after having interned for the company at the Cannes Film Festival. His masters by practice was completed while employed at the company, which consisted of mapping out a business plan for a new online distribution company.
Hanway Films is the premier sales agent and producer in the UK film industry. Their catalogue includes titles such as “The Last Emperor”, “Nowhere Boy”, “Seven Psychopaths” and “An Education”.
Upcoming projects include “Mary Shelley” (starring Elle Fanning) and the psychological thriller “The Wolf Hour” (starring Naomi Watts).
Annika Ranin – Investment Assistant, The Fyzz Facility
Annika Ranin is currently finishing her masters as a part time student in the distance-learning version of the Film Distribution and Marketing MA. This summer, she joined The Fyzz Facility, one of the largest film financing and production companies in the industry with offices both in London and Los Angeles.
The Fyzz Facility’s recent projects include Martin Campbell’s “The Foreigner” (starring Jackie Chan) and Taylor Sheridan’s “Wind River” (starring Jeremy Renner).
Cristina Martin – Sales and Marketing Assistant, Kaleidoscope Films
Cristina recently joined Kaleidoscope films after having interned for Sony Picture Classics and WestEnd Films during her time doing the course. This is the second time Kaleidoscope has hired a BCU student, after Caroline Lichnewsky of the 2014/15 graduate class.
Kaleidoscope Films is an independent UK distributor and sales agent that has been involved in projects such as Alice Lowe’s “Prevenge” and Bobcat Goldwaithe’s “Willow Creek”.
Sara Vonk – Sales and Acquisitions Assistant, Truffle Pictures
Sara joined Truffle Pictures this summer as she completed her masters by practice for BCU. She had previously interned at film production company FilmNation (“Arrival”, “The Big Sick”) during the Cannes Film Festival.
A brand new company, London-based Truffle Pictures is currently involved in selling the rights to projects such as “The Hippopotamus” (based on the novel by Stephen Fry) and the drama “Mum’s List” (based on the memoir by St John Greene).
Konstantinos Palyvos – Acquisitions and Office Assistant, WestEnd Films
Having interned at IMG Films and Altitude Films, Konstantinos just joined WestEnd Films as their newest hire.
One of London’s most respected sales agents, WestEnd Films are currently in pre-production on Agnieszka Holland’s new project, “Gareth Jones” and the period horror film “The Banishing” from producers Robert Jones and Wayne Marc Godfrey.
Paid Internships
Natalie Featherstone – Communications/Publicity Intern at Think Jam
Natalie joined Think Jam in the fall having gained a place in the company’s competitive six-month internship programme. Since joining, she has worked in the campaigns for “Wonder Woman” and “Atomic Blonde”, and has already made her mark with ideas she pitched having been included in the final rollout.
Think Jam is the most successful film marketing agency in the UK. They have worked with clients such as Warner Brothers, HBO, 21st Century Fox, Canal Plus and many others.
Chloe Vidal – TV Format and Sales Production, NBC/Universal
Chloe joined NBC/Universal’s TV sales division at their London offices in July on a one-year contract, as she was finishing her end of year dissertation. Previously, she had interned at UK sales agent The Little Co.
NBC/Universal is one of Hollywood’s six majors and one of the major media companies in the world.
Placements
There are great opportunities for internships, visiting film festivals and networking with producers and distributors. For example, Birgit Mayrhofer secured a placement in a Film Distribution role at a leading film distribution company in London.
For those taking the module ‘Film Marketing Planning & Deployment’, there may be the opportunity for students to be lined up with a work placement with a film distribution company at Cannes Film Festival, or another alternative experience.
Links to industry
We have links with companies in the industry such as GFM Films, Thinkjam, SC Films, Kaleidoscope Films and Moviehouse. We have lecturers from a broad array of companies beyond this group and our students gain placements in a diverse range of companies.
International
International students
Our School is particularly popular with students from South East Asia. Students are attracted by industry-focused, practical nature of the course, providing the opportunity to see how the industry works and find out more about distribution, festivals and pitching, giving you a better idea of how to break into what is often a difficult industry to enter.
Student experience
Chia-Hsin Liu, from Taiwan, spent 10 days at the Cannes Film Festival working for the Taiwan Film Institute (TFI). This involved helping out with the TFI’s ‘cinema booth’, which showcased the country’s latest releases, and the Taiwan Night Party, and attending to the main actors.
Facilities & Staff
Our School of Games, Film and Animation is based in the Curzon Building, a £63 million development, located on our City Centre campus.
We help you learn a specific discipline such as digital marketing, programming or art and put that discipline into practice by offering flexible teaching space, dedicated development studios and open access work areas for group projects, as well as course-specific facilities.
Our staff
Eugenio Triana
Course Director MA Film Distribution and Marketing
Eugenio Triana is the course director for Film Futures, the Marketing and Distribution course for Birmingham City University. He has worked in all areas of the film industry and his personal interest is in new developments in technology for film production and distribution.
More about EugenioAlan McQueen
Course Director for BA (Hons) Filmmaking
Alan McQueen has spent the last 30 years working with the most important and influential UK film companies. He started his career in the film and home entertainment industry in 1983 with MSD Holdings. He then joined Palace Pictures, headed by Nik Powell and Steve Woolley. Palace Pictures were the most inventive, influential and important...
More about AlanRebecca Tullener
Senior Lecturer in Film Business and Promotion
Rebecca has a commercial background in web, graphic design and video production, joining Birmingham City University back in 2003 to deliver on European funded projects supporting small businesses with screen-based technologies. The role involved strategizing and overseeing the development of websites and branded content. Rebecca went on to run a...
More about Rebecca