Currie Thompson's account of THE PLAGUE moving directly into video distribution is likely more-or-less accurate. Missing, however, is a crucial decision point: in general, theatrical distribution costs about as much as actual negative costs. Any firm has to decide whether a film is worth the additonal investment, given that production costs might well be recouped through sale to ancillary markets. Art and quality have nothing to do with this decision. "How can we sell this film?" is always the central question when deciding to go into production (i.e., "greenlight" the production), pull the plug during production, or finally through what channels to distribute the finished product. "Product" may be an inelegant and offensive way of describing what some people call work of art. It all depends on whose money is being spent. No one has an inalienable right to spend someone else's money on what may be a private fantasy. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Cal Pryluck, Radio-Television-Film, Temple University, Philadelphia <[log in to unmask]> <PRYLUCK@TEMPLEVM>