Festival circuit, self-distribution, theatrical tour or broadcast release
- Nick Bohle
- Feb 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 9
Why not all Four?
our release plan for a prairie noir pilot
Finishing a film feels like the end.
It isn’t.
It’s the moment your project changes from “a thing you made” into “a thing the world might actually meet.”
For There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge, we’re building a release plan with four phases:
Festival circuit
Self-distribution
Theatrical tour
Broadcast release (December 2026)
Here’s how we’re approaching it—and what we’re building along the way.
Phase 1: Festival circuit
big swings, smart ladder
Yes, we’re swinging for the fences:
Sundance
Slamdance
Tribeca…and other major top-tier festivals
But we’re also being strategic with Canadian festival targets that matter deeply to our audience and region:
Calgary International Film Festival
Edmonton International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
As the big festivals pass and we gain traction, we’ll widen into:
Genre-specific festivals
TV-specific festivals
Niche festivals that love dark comedy and noir
What “success” looks like on the circuit
For us, success isn’t just laurels for the poster.
It’s:
selections and awards that start conversations
meetings with buyers, executives programmers, etc.
momentum that extends the project’s lifespan
relationships that lead to future collaborations
Festivals are not only about exhibition.
They’re about signal. What signal are we sending?
Phase 2: Self-distribution
owning our audience
We’re planning to self-distribute through:
The TANSIL website [behind a paywall]
Direct access licensing
Grassroots, boots on the ground exhibitions (non-film festivals, events, etc.)
Partnerships with universities and regional outlets as opportunities emerge
The goal is simple: build a direct audience relationship instead of waiting for permission.
Phase 3: Theatrical tour
bringing it to people
Theatrical touring is one of the most exciting parts of this plan because it turns the release into an event.
The model is straightforward:
we reach out to independent theatres across Western Canada (at first)
we rent the venue for an evening
we attach marketing materials to the booking
and we run targeted local social campaigns to bring butts to seats
As the success grows, we widen the theatre network and expand into farther locations.
A tour doesn’t need to start huge.
It needs to start well.
Phase 4: Broadcast release
December 2026
Our broadcast release date is set for December 2026 with TELUS Optik OnDemand.
That release window gives us time to do the circuit right, build community momentum, and arrive at broadcast with real signal behind the project.
The assets we’re building for the long runway
Release planning is really asset planning.
Here’s what we’re creating:
Teaser, teasers, teasers - lots of them
2 major launch trailers, more as the project unveils itself and audiences respond.
A production diary blog and filmmakers guide (This blog!)
A series of posters (scheduled releases with new designs)
Dozens of press and critic quotes with graphics and stills.
BTS stills and carousels (socials)
Lots of social media content (filmmaking tips, war stories, cast and crew profiles, etc.)
Screening kit
Project website
Press kit
Press release
Pitch document
Each asset has a job: build awareness, build trust, and make it easier for audiences (and partners) to say yes.
This is a marathon, not a sprint and we're doing our best to set ourselves up for future success.
Keeping the ball rolling
The beautiful thing about our current distribution and licensing agreement with Telus STORYHIVE is that it is non-exclusive and we retain the rights to the I.P. moving forward. This means we're in the drivers seat, we have control. This is good because it means that we're not limited or restricted in any way.
In a perfect world, we release this to the world and the world can't get enough. The phone doesn't stop ringing. The demand is high. We make more episodes, put more people to work, validate our local creators, activate our local film economy, build the culture of our city and contribute to the growth and repair of our spirits and collective consciousness.
I said "In a perfect world...," guys!
One of my goals moving forward is to better understand and activate how we might build a monetization engine for TANSIL as well as future works. As filmmakers we invest a great deal of our time and energy into our craft(s). Often, at the consequence of having less capital to invest in financial markets and, therein, build a financial safety net. It would be great to convert all that time, energy, sweat, blood and tears into financial security, leverage and philanthropy.
This means we will continue to explore avenues that lead to viewership and project development. The industry and the platforms, distributors and outlets that support it are in a great state of flux these days. It is an ever changing world we live in and so we will remain adaptable and vigilant for opportunities that align with our goal to elevate southern Alberta filmmaking, bring representation to diverse and inclusive voices on and off screen and heal our world through the power of the stories we live and tell.
Want to host a screening, sponsor a stop, or build your own release plan?
If you’re an indie theatre, a film organization, or a local business that wants to support (or attach to) the tour—let’s talk.
And if you’re a filmmaker building your own release plan, I’m happy to help you map a path that fits your budget and your audience.
Help us bring this prairie noir to more screens
Festivals, touring, deliverables, and marketing all take fuel.
If you want to support There Are No Squirrels in Lethbridge as it heads into the world:
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