Four wall distribution
Encyclopedia
In the film industry, four wall distribution (also known as four-walling) is a process through which a studio or distributor rents movie theaters for a period of time and receives all of the box office
revenue. The four walls of a movie theater give the term its name. Companies engaging in this practice were common in the United States during the late 1960s and 1970s; one of them was the Utah-based Sunn Classic Pictures
.
Use of the four-wall technique has been generally uncommon, except during the late 1960s and 1970s when a host of U.S. companies engaged in this method. They tended to operate in states such as Utah, Oregon, Florida and Texas, but shunned major markets like New York City and Los Angeles.
An early entrant in this field was American National Enterprises (ANE), which was set up in 1965 by three Utah residents—Russel Niehart, Robert Crosier and Frank Olson. One of the distributor's first releases was Alaskan Safari, a 1968 nature documentary whose viewership exceeded over 5.5 million patrons over a five-year run. Rayland Jensen handled distribution of the film; in 1971, at the request of employees from the Schick razor company
, he and other ANE members established their own outlet, Sunn Classic Pictures
. Like its predecessor, Sunn also specialized in four-walled releases, among them a 1973 re-issue of Chariots of the Gods
; 1974's The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams; 1976's In Search of Noah's Ark; and 1977's The Lincoln Conspiracy
.
In addition to Sunn, various other companies like Doty-Dayton of Utah and Pacific International Enterprises
of Oregon practised four-wall engagements. The process was also used by animation company Filmation
for its 1974 release of Journey Back to Oz
, via a partnership with Seymour Borde. Also in 1974, the Walter Reade Theater in New York City held a four-wall run of Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones
, a concert film from Dragonaire Inc.
As recently as the 1990s and 2000s, examples of four-walled releases included the films of Warren Miller
; 1992's Brother's Keeper
, by Joe Berlinger
and Bruce Sinofsky
; and the annual short-subject anthology Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation
.
Filmmaker Joe Camp
expressed concern over the four-wall movement and told Variety
magazine in 1977: "It has become an industry-caused thing, but the G rated classification
has to some degree become 'if it's G, it can't be for me'." Camp observed that four-wall companies had saturated the market for G-rated product; in response to the lowered-down quality of their films, he created the 1974 family film Benji
.
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
revenue. The four walls of a movie theater give the term its name. Companies engaging in this practice were common in the United States during the late 1960s and 1970s; one of them was the Utah-based Sunn Classic Pictures
Sunn Classic Pictures
Sunn Classic Pictures, also known as Schick Sunn Classic Pictures is an independent U.S.-based film distributor, founded in 1971. The company was notable for family films and documentaries, and was bought by Taft Broadcasting in 1980.-History:...
.
Overview
Four wall distribution is termed after the four walls of a movie theater. In this process, a film company spends at least one or two weekends renting a movie theater from the facility's owner (for a flat fee), and paying for every seat. The company receives all of the box office revenue, while the theater keeps sales from popcorn and concessions. By contrast, ticket sales are shared between theaters and distributors on normal releases.Use of the four-wall technique has been generally uncommon, except during the late 1960s and 1970s when a host of U.S. companies engaged in this method. They tended to operate in states such as Utah, Oregon, Florida and Texas, but shunned major markets like New York City and Los Angeles.
An early entrant in this field was American National Enterprises (ANE), which was set up in 1965 by three Utah residents—Russel Niehart, Robert Crosier and Frank Olson. One of the distributor's first releases was Alaskan Safari, a 1968 nature documentary whose viewership exceeded over 5.5 million patrons over a five-year run. Rayland Jensen handled distribution of the film; in 1971, at the request of employees from the Schick razor company
Schick (razors)
Schick is a brand of safety razors by Wilkinson Sword, a subsidiary of Energizer Holdings. It was founded in 1926 by Jacob Schick as the Magazine Repeating Razor Company. In 1934, Schick introduced its highly successful single blade safety razor system, that stored ten blades in a steel injector...
, he and other ANE members established their own outlet, Sunn Classic Pictures
Sunn Classic Pictures
Sunn Classic Pictures, also known as Schick Sunn Classic Pictures is an independent U.S.-based film distributor, founded in 1971. The company was notable for family films and documentaries, and was bought by Taft Broadcasting in 1980.-History:...
. Like its predecessor, Sunn also specialized in four-walled releases, among them a 1973 re-issue of Chariots of the Gods
Chariots of the Gods (film)
Chariots of the Gods is a 1970 West German documentary film directed by Harald Reinl. It is based on Erich von Däniken's book Chariots of the Gods?, a book that theorizes extraterrestrials impacted early human life...
; 1974's The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams; 1976's In Search of Noah's Ark; and 1977's The Lincoln Conspiracy
The Lincoln Conspiracy (film)
The Lincoln Conspiracy is a 1977 film directed by James L. Conway that dramatizes certain conspiracy theories concerning the 1865 assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. The film, which is based on the 1977 book of the same name by David W. Balsiger and Charles E. Sellier Jr., stars Robert...
.
In addition to Sunn, various other companies like Doty-Dayton of Utah and Pacific International Enterprises
Pacific International Enterprises
Pacific International Enterprises is an American film production company and film distributor, founded by Arthur R. Dubs as a producer of family films. PIE is a privately held company that has been in business for over thirty years as "A Universal Force in Family Film Entertainment"...
of Oregon practised four-wall engagements. The process was also used by animation company Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
for its 1974 release of Journey Back to Oz
Journey Back to Oz
Journey Back To Oz is a 1974 animated film and the official sequel to the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz. It is loosely based on L. Frank Baum's second Oz novel, The Marvelous Land of Oz, although Baum received no screen credit. However, the Wizard was nowhere to be found, at least in the...
, via a partnership with Seymour Borde. Also in 1974, the Walter Reade Theater in New York City held a four-wall run of Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones
Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones
Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones is a concert movie featuring the British rock band The Rolling Stones that was first released in 1974...
, a concert film from Dragonaire Inc.
As recently as the 1990s and 2000s, examples of four-walled releases included the films of Warren Miller
Warren Miller (director)
Warren Miller is an American ski and snowboarding filmmaker. He is the founder of Warren Miller Entertainment and produced, directed and narrated his films until 1988. His credits include over 750 sports films, several books and hundreds of published non-fiction stories...
; 1992's Brother's Keeper
Brother's Keeper (film)
Brother's Keeper is a 1992 documentary directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. The film is about an alleged 1990 murder in the village of Munnsville, New York. The film is in the "Direct Cinema" style of the Maysles brothers who had formerly employed Berlinger and Sinofsky.The film contrasts...
, by Joe Berlinger
Joe Berlinger
Joseph "Joe" Berlinger is an American documentary film-maker who, in collaboration with Bruce Sinofsky, has created such films as Paradise Lost about the West Memphis 3, Brother's Keeper, Some Kind of Monster, and Crude....
and Bruce Sinofsky
Bruce Sinofsky
Bruce Sinofsky is an award-winning documentary film director, who began his career at Maysles Films.Sinofsky was born in Boston, Massachusetts. As Senior Editor for Maysles, he worked on commercials and feature films until 1991, when he and Joe Berlinger formed their own production company,...
; and the annual short-subject anthology Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation
Spike and Mike's Festival of Animation
Spike & Mike's is a collection of short animated films which annually tours theaters, film festivals, and college campuses in North America...
.
Filmmaker Joe Camp
Joe Camp
Joe Camp is a motion picture director and writer. He is best known as the creator and director of the Benji films. He currently resides in Bell Buckle, Tennessee with his wife Kathleen. They also own property in Valley Center, California.Camp is also known for his work with horses...
expressed concern over the four-wall movement and told Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine in 1977: "It has become an industry-caused thing, but the G rated classification
MPAA film rating system
The Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA system applies only to motion pictures that are submitted for rating. Other media may be rated by other entities...
has to some degree become 'if it's G, it can't be for me'." Camp observed that four-wall companies had saturated the market for G-rated product; in response to the lowered-down quality of their films, he created the 1974 family film Benji
Benji (film)
Benji is the first film in a series of nine about the golden mixed breed dog named Benji. It was written and directed by Joe Camp and was released in 1974. It received one Academy Award nomination for the Best Original Song.-Plot:...
.