So You Want to Self-Distribute Your Film? Now What? Cutting Through the Clutter and Marketing for Theatrical Success
Moderator:
Paul Dergarabedian, Head of Marketplace Trends, Rentrak
Speakers:
Will Preuss, President & Co-Founder, Paper Airplane Media
David Edwards
Charles Hsu, Co-Founder Media & Partnerships, Anti Agency Group
Speakers
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Charles HsuCo-Founder Media & Partnerships, Anti Agency GroupCharles Hsu is a seasoned marketer with extensive experience leading strategic paid media initiatives across the theatrical entertainment landscape, spanning independent and boutique distributors, mid-sized studios, and major global entertainment companies. Charles brings a comprehensive understanding of the theatrical release lifecycle, from positioning and audience development to media planning, investment strategy, campaign execution, and box office performance. Notable studios Charles has worked with include Neon, A24, Roadside Attractions, Vertical Entertainment, Searchlight, Magnolia, Mubi, IFC, Amazon Studios, Bleecker Street, Focus Features, Toho International, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, Disney, Fox, and more.
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Paul DergarabedianHead of Marketplace Trends, RentrakPaul Dergarabedian is Head of Marketplace Trends at Rentrak and a box office analyst with more than 33 years of experience tracking moviegoing and theatrical performance. A frequent commentator for major news organizations and speaker at industry events, he examines the trends shaping the domestic and global box office, from new releases and evolving audience behavior to theatrical re-releases and the enduring appeal of classic films on the big screen.
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Will PreussPresident & Co-Founder, PaperAirplane MediaWill Preuss is Co-Founder and President of PaperAirplane Media, a cinema marketing agency launched in 2020 that helps studios, content partners, exhibitors, and marketplace partners develop and execute theatrical distribution and marketing strategies.
PaperAirplane Media combines campaign support with technology built for the theatrical marketplace. Its platforms include The Hangar, a digital asset management platform connecting exhibitors with studio marketing materials; The Tower, a group sales management platform; and Flight Plan, a theatrical distribution campaign dashboard.
The Hangar has surpassed 2 million marketing asset downloads by exhibitor users. The Tower centralizes communication, streamlines lead management, and provides real-time visibility into group sales activity. It has managed more than 10,000 group sales leads and helped facilitate millions of dollars in theatrical group sales revenue across multiple film campaigns.
Flight Plan gives distribution and marketing teams a centralized view of a theatrical release, bringing together marketing, promotional, exhibitor, media, and performance metrics to support informed decisions throughout a title’s theatrical lifecycle.
PaperAirplane Media has produced nearly 75,000 studio-approved digital marketing assets for major studio campaigns and worked directly with independent distributors to support exhibitor marketing for more than 250 theatrical releases. Those films have collectively generated nearly half a billion dollars in domestic box office.
Before launching PaperAirplane Media, Preuss spent nearly a decade at Lionsgate, where he served as SVP of Exhibitor Relations. He previously held exhibitor marketing roles at 20th Century Fox and Roadside Attractions.
