The field of movie distribution is a tough place. After fighting in addition to sweating to finish a movie you're mentally and physically tired.
You just want to take a break and rest, but you can't because completing a movie is only half the battle. It's time to the actual world of movie distribution.
Movie distribution is a tough location for filmmakers new to the grind. It's hard to shut off the creative mind to deal with the business side of marketing movies.
What I've learned the hard way is the movie distribution really starts with promoting and marketing a show.
Social media is an inexpensive way to get the word out to your movie and create a killer viral buzz online.
It can cool to go the film festival route to get your film seen by viewers and potential film buyers, however over the years from talking to other filmmakers there is a common sensation that the film festival scene is too crowded now.
Oughout. K. filmmaker Wayne Daniells from LiarDice Films explained his last trip to The Cannes International Film Event was a ruthless feeding frenzy.
There were a glut of films and producers were fighting to get the attention of video distributors.
All in all Wayne expressed that it was a waste of time plus money pitching his film there. I've heard exactly the same opinion from other filmmakers that are frustrated with the film event scene and no longer see it as a good way to protected movie distribution.
I personally like the direct route of getting in touch with movie distributors to see if they're interested in being sent a screener. This is where it helps if you have already been promoting and marketing your own personal movie online using social media.
Movie distributors are more interested in getting movies that already have a strong online presence.
I'm firmly speaking from a true independent movie perspective. Studio spending budget movies are an entirely different animal when it comes to the world of motion picture distribution.
When it comes to movie distribution for an indie produced motion picture the way it normally happens are independent producers and even filmmakers take the risk making the movie without any guaranteed dvd distribution deal in place.
They usually have to shop it about to sell it. That's been my personal experience so far. I've in no way created content with a movie distribution deal in place.
It's such as writing a screenplay on spec, but you're coping with movie. Promoting and marketing a movie through social media is definitely an absolute must.
Start early before you're movie is actually even finished. That way when you begin contacting movie distributors if you're movie will already have more appeal because people are speaking about it.
Movie distributors that cater to releasing independent videos do very little marketing for most of the titles they launch.
If you're movie doesn't have any actors or celebrity brands attached to it then it won't get marketed outside of the standard place in a movie distributor catalog.
So once you do safeguarded a movie distribution deal you're already giving your flick a boost by promoting and marketing yourself.
My mind is over the place today, so let me get back to finding a video clip distribution deal. Hold up please. A nice Miller Lite might help me focus right now.
That's much better now. There are various ways to land a film distribution deal. You can spend the cash doing the film festival route. Deals get struck constantly at film festivals.
But honestly there is a glut involving film festivals. The number of film festivals is way out connected with whack compared to the number of movie distributors that release self-employed films.
Skipping the film festival circuit works for several independent movie producers that don't have name actors within their film or know their story won't appeal to a form of art house crowd.
Hiring a film sales representative is a good contact if you skip the film festival scene all together. A show sales representative or producer's rep has contacts along with movie distributors to get your movie screened.
Plus many of them you can find yourself into magazines like Indie Slate and MovieMaker to create your movie look more appealing to movie distributors.
Additionally they watch your back when it comes to movie distribution agreements. When filmmakers look at movie distribution agreements it can be overwhelming.
There is plenty of legalese "mumbo jumbo" in there designed to lessen the amount of money you choose from movie royalty payments or a straightforward buy-out of the movie.
Unless you have experience reading movie distribution deals it's easy to get taken advantage of. I'm in the habit know even though I have a films sales representative like "El Tigre" watching my back I still read all legal agreements completely.
You will be surprised at the hidden fees and expenses some movie distributors try to get over on a filmmaker within of all places, the contract definitions section.
My video sales rep and I once found a flat fee of 50 dollars, 000 for marketing costs in the definitions section.
Employing an entertainment attorney is another good move, but generally is too costly for a truly independent filmmaker. Plus through my own experience an entertainment attorney is not as useful as a film sales rep with securing a movie distribution offer or getting you some press.
That's not really the work an entertainment attorney. They're great when it comes to negotiating your personal movie distribution contract. But most won't get you a deal just like a film sales rep. You can bring them in after you have a deal shared.
I had two sharp entertainment lawyers that saved the ass from getting burned when it came to sell a reality display I produced called "America's Wildest Bachelor Parties. inch They got me a producer friendly contract and got me personally paid on time each quarter. I'm glad I employed them.
If it's just not in your budget to hire a film sales person or entertainment lawyer you can still secure meaningful picture distribution hustling hard yourself.
Promoting and marketing your individual movie online is followed up by putting together a thoroughly clean and neat film package to send to movie suppliers. Keep it simple with a DVD screener, one-sheet artwork, restricted synopsis, tagline and very short bios for key toss or crew that have previous IMDB credits.
To get a listing of potential movie distributors see what companies are releasing motion pictures in the same genre as yours. The Internet makes it quite easy to find contact information nowadays.
Movie distribution companies usually have the contact page for film submissions. Follow the guidelines together with mail off your film package. They get a flood with film submissions, so be patient if you don't hear back immediately.
Movie distributors have certain times they are aggressively seeking movies to fill their catalog and other times they have all your mate needs for now. I have the buying months written down.
After they get your film package they will Google your movie. That is where having been promoting and marketing your movie on-line really stands out. It takes more than only having a website or even blog.
You need some press and backing from on the web film bloggers to make your movie standout in the eye of movie distributors.
I dedicated a chapter regarding movie distribution in a book on indie filmmaking We wrote. It might help you with more detailed movie distribution information. Best wishes with marketing and selling your movie.