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If your film’s subject/theme closely mirrors the mission statement/goals of an organization, you can reach out to them to lend promotional support to your film. For example, many documentaries deal with themes that non-profit orgs are fighting for in the REAL world, and a good film on these subjects can subsequently help raise awareness of their issues — making it a win-win for both the organization AND the film.

Many organizations are open to these kind of relationships…but the most common mistake filmmakers make is to get unspecified or “mushy” support from an organization, and nothing quantifiable ever materializes. You need to give an org something very specific to do….i.e. send an email blast about your screening at a festival, or organize a screening on their premises. If you are considering the latter option, consider organizations that actually have an auditorium or screening room. For this reason, museums and churches are often the best options as they are already in the exhibition business.

July 20th, 2010

Posted In: Marketing

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The quick answer is YES….well, maybe. It depends how sought after your film is, and who is representing your film. If you have a world premiere at one of the top film festivals like Sundance or Cannes or a handful of others, then Festival programmers will request to see your film.

The general rule is if a programmer REQUESTS to see your film and then accepts the film, you can ask for a rental fee (usually between $500 and $1,000 is a good place to start). If you SUBMIT to a Festival, then generally they will not pay you. However, if you are represented by a distributor or a producer’s rep, they may have more negotiating power and be better able to get you a screening fee. ALSO….niche festivals such as Latino Fests, Jewish Fests, LGBT Fests, Asian fests etc. are much MORE likely to pay you fees to screen your film, because there is less product for them to choose from, so they are more likely to NEED your film in their Festival.

July 19th, 2010

Posted In: Film Festivals

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Just because a documentary doesn’t get a theatrical distribution deal doesn’t mean it can’t be considered for an Academy Award. Since many great docs don’t get distributed theatrically, many filmmakers choose to qualify the film themselves. But it’s not cheap. The least expensive option is the IDA’s DOCUWEEKS program (www.documentary.org), or you can four-wall the film yourself. It needs to run at least two times a day, for a week in New York City AND Los Angeles. Theaters that regularly cater to this kind of Academy-qualifying runs include the Laemmle’s in LA, and the IFC Center in NYC. Know in advance that you should expect to pay at least $30,000 to qualify this way. If you are considering this kind of run….TFC can help.

Are you a documentary filmmaker who has worked with a distributor for theatrical exhibition? Tell us about it on our Distributor Report Card.

July 18th, 2010

Posted In: Uncategorized

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Ask for revenue potentials and examine how many layers of middlemen there are between the distributor/aggregator and the stores or platforms that you most want to be on, assuming that you cannot go direct (which often is the case). Make sure distributors are not going through too many middlemen, or selling to themselves and double dipping, or simply offering to do something on your behalf that you could do yourself. And make sure you know what their deals are with key stores or platforms.

Did you know that The Film Collaborative has a social networking platform for filmmakers called The Film Collaborators? Visit the site to set up your free account.

July 16th, 2010

Posted In: Digital Distribution

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There are a few aggregators and lots of distributors so before committing yourself, weigh your options, and ask lots of questions. Always ask for and check out references and don’t trust any one source.  Different films have different potentials so compare yours to ones that match up from a marketing and demographic perspective. Get clear about expenses being recouped, layers of middle men between the consumer and the company you are contracting with, and marketing efforts that either you or your distributor or both need to undertake to have your film known in the marketplace.

Did you know that The Film Collaborative has a social networking platform for filmmakers called The Film Collaborators? Visit the site to set up your free account.

July 15th, 2010

Posted In: Digital Distribution

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It’s critical that one’s contract contain language that covers a wide range of contingencies and possibilities in a rapidly changing and unpredictable landscape. Plan for changing revenue models, companies to go out of business, and rights classes/categories to shift and have your contract drafted accordingly. There is nothing you cannot protect yourself from in a contract, as long as you are reasonable, and an honest distributor will expect you to cover yourself.

Did you know that The Film Collaborative has a social networking platform for filmmakers called The Film Collaborators? Visit the site to set up your free account.

July 13th, 2010

Posted In: Digital Distribution

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Think before you put all your eggs in one basket. Broadcasters and home video distributors sometimes want competing rights. Sometimes distributors want all rights and yet won’t exploit them all. It’s prudent to analyze options and the possibility of breaking up rights and windows and explore available options with people who have experience with this and can help you. This is our mandate, to help. Consult with someone who is up-to-date with industry standards, guidelines and rights definitions but most of all, someone who is experienced with revenue models, windows and all the possibilities in negotiations. And no one should get exclusive rights without paying properly for them.

Did you know that The Film Collaborative has a social networking platform for filmmakers called The Film Collaborators? Visit the site to set up your free account.

July 12th, 2010

Posted In: Digital Distribution, Distribution Platforms

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Platforms like YouTube, Snag Film and Babelgum are all based on ad supported revenue (though we recommend using it to drive transactional and for PR). YouTube is the SECOND LARGEST search engine in the world with 2 billion views per day and is monetizing over a billion views per week globally.

Did you know that The Film Collaborative has a social networking platform for filmmakers called The Film Collaborators? Visit the site to set up your free account.

July 11th, 2010

Posted In: Digital Distribution, Distribution Platforms

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Popular rental platforms include iTunes, YouTube, and Virgin Media. Caution: Rental in due time. New Video, for example, notes seeing a clear cannibalization of DTO when Rental is turned on too soon. The number of people who will buy, just have to have it, are stronger if a rental release is delayed. If released at the same time, those that would have bought will rent if they can.

To keep up with all of our latest updates and news relevant to the world of digital distribution, check our Facebook business page.

July 9th, 2010

Posted In: Digital Distribution, Distribution Platforms, iTunes

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Download-To-Own (DTO) is a transactional platform. iTunes, Playstation, Xbox, Amazon VOD are all DTO sites.  iTunes and Xbox account for the majority of the non-cable revenue in the digital space, for now.

Several Hollywood studios have announced that they are doing deals with a new download-to-own store from DivX  and the site FreshFilm.com such that their movies will be playable on millions of DivX enabled devices.

To keep up with all of our latest updates and news relevant to the world of digital distribution, check our Facebook business page.

July 7th, 2010

Posted In: Amazon VOD & CreateSpace, Digital Distribution, Distribution Platforms, iTunes

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