Distribution is no longer a single pathway. Producers today are navigating platforms, studios, self-distribution, and global streamers, often simultaneously. This session explores how audience-building and fandom intersect with financing and distribution. From TikTok’s discovery engine to YouTube-native brands like Never Too Small, to established genre players such as Blumhouse and global studio perspectives from CJ Entertainment, the panel examines whether audience traction can meaningfully shift leverage in the marketplace. Can building an audience early reduce financing risk? Does platform momentum translate into traditional distribution deals? Is distribution becoming decentralised, or are new layers simply being added to the ecosystem? This conversation explores the practical implications: when to think about audience, what metrics matter, and whether fandom can influence how projects get financed and distributed.

Produced by Caden Pearson.

Moderated by Nicholas Verso.