The Business of Media Distribution : Monetizing Film, TV and Video Content in an Online World

Written by the insider who headed sales for Lucasfilm across distribution markets and managed the release of Star Wars Episode III, this is the first book to show how all related media distribution markets, including television, video and online, work together and independently to finance and maximize profits on productions. It demystifies how an idea moves from concept to profits and how distribution quietly dominates an industry otherwise grounded in high profile elements (production, marketing, creative, finance, law).

The book provides a unique apprenticeship to the business, illuminating at a macro level how an idea can move from concept to generating $1 Billion, relating theory and practice in the context of the maturation of global market segments, and exposing the devil in the detail that impacts bottom line profits.

Producers, media executives, students and entertainment attorneys in specific niches will benefit from this wide-ranging look at the business across various distribution outlets, including theatrical, video, television, online, merchandising, video-on-demand, etc. This book is officially endorsed by Variety magazine.

Jeff Ulin's background includes being a media executive, attorney, lecturer, and entrepreneur. Half of his 20 years in the business have been at Lucasfilm, where he headed worldwide distribution for all markets (theatrical, video, TV, online), managed franchise sales for Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and oversaw the release of the last Star Wars film, Episode III. He also helped Paramount and Universal's overseas video distribution venture; co-founded and ran animation studio Wild Brain, where he created Disney's pre-school hit Higglytown Heroes; and he currently teaches the class Media & Entertainment: Economics, Policy, and Strategy at Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Living in the San Francisco area, he is at the center of Internet activity, helping companies navigate the convergence of digital media at Silicon Valley's most renowned law firm (Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati).