TFC December 2019 Newsletter

• Check out our End-of-Year Tips.
• And, in the spirit of holiday giving, please consider supporting TFC’s Educational Resources, or one of our many Fiscal Sponosrship projects.

End-of-Year Tips for 2019

Stories and resources that resonated with the film community in 2019

• The US Justice Department is seeking an end to the Paramount Consent Decrees, which required that studios in the 1950s divest themselves of theaters. This has sparked fears of a dramatic increase in prices for consumers at theaters, which may push out indie films in favor of studio tentpoles.
• Mark Ruffalo suggested that a system of subsidizing film in the US should be considered.
• The saga of the Laemmle’s Theater chain illustrates the challenges of theatrically released independent films.
• Filmmakers heard from festival programmers about the secret world of the festival screening process.
• Werner Herzog voiced his reluctant support of film piracy, calling it “the most successful form of distribution worldwide.”
• 30 indie filmmakers divulged the myriad of ways that they make a living, from selling real estate to being a live animal keeper at the American Museum of Natural History.
• A giant database of film festivals and submission dates was compiled by Michael Forstein and another was created using The Takes, a project management tool designed specifically for film and TV production.
• Looking ahead, here are predictions from our friends at Film School Rejects about what the next 10 years will look like in film. Hint: there may be many more reboots, Taylor Lautner will become a surprise indie darling, and a documentary could one day be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

What TFC is thinking about

• Do we have an Originals problem? It’s great that docs are increasingly going straight to big platforms nowadays, or, is it? How do we balance the need for building profile, public screenings, public discourse, educational outreach, and in-person cultural exchange? Here’s to addressing that in 2020!
• With the platform content wars in full swing, especially for episodics, it’s fascinating to see the new work-for-hire opportunities for documentary filmmakers. Reserving judgment for now whether it’s a blessing or curse for original indie content!
• In the context of TFC’s hit doc Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street, there’s a growing consensus for a fabulous budding genre of LGBT horror films. We’re so ready for the first GET OUT with queer themes!
• While there have never been more series in development and production, it’s never been harder to sustainably and successfully produce and distribute an indie feature film without big names attached.

Overall Distribution Tips

• Filmmakers, you’re still signing all rights distribution deals without (i) making sure the distributor can handle all those rights properly and directly; (ii) reading the actual contract and understanding it or having an attorney who actually understands distribution; (iii) making sure all your goals and the reasons you are signing with a distributor are satisfied via contractual commitment; and (iv) recognizing that most distributors won’t market your film or push as much as you will. Please stop blindly giving your rights away without fully understanding your realistic options.
• Consider actual distribution potential before making your film, unless you don’t care about stuff like that (in which case you will probably have not read this far).

Tips on Digital Distribution

• Good news, bad news. Good news: Many filmmakers are scared to do DIY Digital Distribution through an aggregator… between Distribber imploding, the arrival of Apple TV+ and a new interface for iTunes, which makes it even harder to find indie content, and the high cost of aggregation itself, it can be a tough decision to take the plunge. Many filmmakers, however, are still surprised when we tell them that one can do Amazon for free. (Vimeo On Demand, as well.) Bad news: TVOD is one thing, but Amazon’s SVOD rev share, which used to be 15¢ per hour (and 30¢ for its now-defunct Amazon Film Festival Stars program), then was reduced to 6¢ per hour, then to as little as 4¢ per hour, in a new model called a “Customer Engagement Ranking,” and, as of January 1, 2020, is now down to as little as 1¢ per hour.
• Could 2020 be the year that filmmakers embrace AVOD? Distributors, it seems, already have, and filmmakers probably won’t be able to stay away forever…We’ve heard that TubiTV is a key source of revenue for some films.

Tips on Delivery and Exhibition

• 2019 was the year that full digital delivery of content to festivals and other public venues came fully to life. It’s finally time for filmmakers to stop worrying and learn to love the cloud! That’s the subject of an upcoming TFC blog so look out for that in mid-January!

Tips on Fiscal Sponsorship

• It’s year end! This is the perfect time to reach out to potential donors, who may be looking to top up their charitable giving before this fiscal year ends and the next one begins.
• Looking for potential funders? Watch films with similar subject matter to yours and stay ’til the end and watch the credits …are the funders that are listed there potentials for your project? Do some research and find out? (And if they only grant funds to non-profits, have us be your fiscal sponsor.)
• Keep track of your expenses all year long—it will make year-end reporting on funds received much easier!
• Run across a funding opportunity for a later phase in your project (i.e. you are in development and just found a perfect grant for post-production)? Create a grant calendar so you don’t forget when the time comes!
• Grant funders want to know who is going to see your film to help them determine if your project will help them further their mission: identify your audience early on. Remember, no film is for “everyone”—not even Star Wars! Be specific and narrow it down!
• Has a funder asked for a credit in your film? Tempted to give away credits as crowdfunding incentives? Review these helpful guidelines first:
  
  • Documentary Producers Alliance Guide to Best Practices in Documentary Crediting
  • Producers Guild of America Feature Film Crediting Guidelines

Yes, yes, we know that Giving Tuesday has already passed!

But won’t you please help us get to our goal of an additional $5,000 to help maintain and grow our year-round educational activities and programs, including our Digital Distribution Guide (part of Distripedia™), ResourcePlace, and our information-rich blog? We would also like to produce a new cross-section of useful case studies and to launch a distribution lab.

TFC has been providing educational resources to filmmakers at no charge since 2010; yet it is only this year for the first time that we have received a partial grant for these resources. With your added support we can continue to pursue our mission of empowering and educating independent filmmakers, helping them to build sustainable careers and audiences for their films.

TFC also provides all categories of distribution without taking rights, with a slate of films that predominantly address social justice, environmental, and other critical issues.

Thank you for your generosity and for any support you can offer.

If you’d like to make a donation, please go to our #GivingTuesday page.