What does Prints and Advertising (P&A) mean?
Prints and Advertising (P&A) refers to the costs associated with physically distributing a film to theaters and marketing it to audiences. Historically, ‘prints’ referred to the physical film prints shipped to movie theaters, which could cost thousands of dollars each. Today, with digital cinema, physical prints have been replaced by digital files, but the term P&A remains the standard industry shorthand for the combined cost of theatrical distribution and marketing — including trailers, billboards, television spots, social media campaigns, and other promotional activities.
Example:The studio allocated a P&A budget of $30 million for the film’s domestic theatrical release — roughly half the production budget — recognizing that without significant marketing, even a strong film might struggle to find an audience.
Example: An independent production secured financing to cover production costs but struggled to raise additional P&A funds, eventually partnering with a distributor who agreed to cover theatrical marketing expenses in exchange for a larger share of box office revenue.
Did you know?
In the early 2000s, major Hollywood studios spent an average of $34 million on P&A for each theatrical release — more than double the P&A costs of the 1990s. This escalation of marketing costs is one of the primary reasons the theatrical window has shrunk and studios have shifted significant investment to streaming, where marketing costs are substantially lower.
You can also find “Prints and Advertising (P&A)” and related terms in this category: Marketing and Promotion.
