Online trailers
The easiest way to source online trailers to add to your website or post on social media is via YouTube, where UK distributors tend to post their official UK trailers first (as well as on their own websites).
However, if you need access to a separate copy of the digital file, the marketing department of the relevant distributor will be able to supply it to you.
Other print
In addition to posters, distributors may have other printed materials available including (for studio releases) cardboard displays or standees, and postcards (for smaller releases) to display in your venue. It’s always worth asking distributors or their servicing companies if any other materials are available.
Social media content
Most distributors create specific social media campaigns to support their films. This is obviously standard for bigger budget releases, but is also often true of smaller films, whose distributors may make up in ingenuity what they lack in funding.
Distributors will often supply you with content specifically for social media (e.g. specific images, videos or gifs) and if so you should ensure it is used.
Even if they don’t, check if the film has its own dedicated Twitter, Facebook or Instagram page; what kind of content is being posted and how you can co-opt it for your audience.
Stills
Online industry sources for film stills include Digital Media Services’ Panther, PA Media Select and Getty Images (formerly Image.net). To access the stills on these sites, you will need to register for an account to indicate that you are a legitimate exhibitor and will only use them to promote screenings.
Some distributors have their own publicity microsites or dedicated web sections. Sometimes images are publicly available, on other sites you will need to register. See links below for details:
If stills aren’t available to download online, request them directly from distributors when your screening is booked.
Often, distributors can supply you with a Google Drive or Dropbox link that collates all useful assets, including stills, social media assets, online trailer file, poster images and any other supporting artwork.
Copy, reviews and quotes
Offering clear, accessible, accurate and enthusiastic film copy in your cinema brochure or online film listings is an essential part of promoting screenings to audiences.
When writing your copy, think about the film’s key selling points – a big name director and/or stars, awards nominations or wins, its status in the film canon (e.g. is it a classic?) or within its particular genre – and about the audience you’re trying to attract: how can you write about the film in a way that will appeal to them?
You’ll need to list key filmographical details, such as the film’s director, key cast names, certificate and running time (see Filmographical information for how to collate these).
Film distributors often put approved synopses on their websites or on microsites dedicated to specific film releases. These can be useful as a starting point.
Reviews can also be extremely helpful for writing copy; both in giving a description and flavour of the film if you haven’t seen it (though ideally, you will have!) and for sourcing quotes or ratings to reinforce your copy.
If a film is getting a UK theatrical release, it will likely be reviewed in the national press on the Friday of the week of release (this is usually the day of release), and around date in magazines and online outlets. Pre-release reviews may be already be online from festival screenings, if the film has had any. These may appear in mainstream film press or in trade publications such as Screen, Variety or The Hollywood Reporter. Bear in mind that for blockbuster films there is usually a complete embargo on press prior to release.
When selecting quotes, think about the types of print your intended audience will likely read.
Here are some good sources for film reviews, including Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, which aggregate all available reviews to produce average scores per film:
Useful exhibitor resources