So, you have an indie film and you want to find
distribution.
Never have so many options for distribution been available;
never has it been so confusing to decide what is right for
you and your film. The industry is experiencing a
transitional moment; everyone knows online downloads are
the future, but nobody knows exactly how it will play out.
As well, distribution has gone online too, offering a
plethora of choices for the indie filmmaker and producer.
What to do, what to do.
This article is the first of a 5-part series that looks at
all of the avenues open to you as a filmmaker and
distributor. We'll offer some tips on how to find your film
a home.
Regardless of your film's ultimate destination, your goal
is to find a license buyer for your film. Who are film
buyers? We're talking about broadcast TV (cable, satellite,
and terrestrial), home DVD companies, VOD service
providers, and mobile content providers.
Let's start this series by examining the psychology of this
rare and overworked professional. Here are five things you
should know about Film Buyers and 5 tips for putting the
best face of your film forward.
1. Film Buyers want a 'story'. This little bit of
terminology here might create some confusion. We're not
talking about the plot of your film or the subject matter
of your documentary, but a story that will sell the
film--on paper. You should be doing everything in your
power to create that story. To do this, you have to
distance yourself from the film you know and love and ask
yourself: What will sell this film to somebody who does not
know and love it the way I do? The answer to this question
is the 'story' you will use to sell your film.
The most obviously valuable raw material for a sales story
is...star power. Film stars often fail to attract their
audience, but nothing makes film buyers feel more peaceful
than the presence of some known names in the mix. If you
are bereft of any bona fide name power, do not fear, you
have other options. Festival play and any press generated
are also incredibly important. You should be knocking
yourself out to find some kind of festival and press
exposure for your film. Even if it's not a top festival or
a top publication, festival and press play will take your
film from having no story at all to having a first chapter.
Hype is over-hyped, but your film is going to look more
valuable to buyers if it has a story. If you can say, "This
film already had some exposure. This film has been
reviewed. This film has played at a festival. This film has
a response. This film has an online presence. This film has
the beginnings of an audience or a niche audience," then
you have a story buyers will want to cuddle up with.
If you are looking for ideas you should check out the
industry trades. Look at how distributors market their
films, and figure out how to do this on a small scale. You
want your story to be a comfortable and familiar one. "But
my film is original, beautiful, heart-breaking,
unique...and my marketing must be the same," you say. This
brings us to the next point...
2. Film Buyers think in dollars, not passion. When selling
your film, don't rely on your own enthusiasm and passion to
make the sale. Again, channel your enthusiasm into a
narrative the film buyer can understand, a narrative about
how and why this film is going to attract people to it. Has
this genre of film had any recent notable successes? Does
your film intersect with any issues or topics that are
garnering attention? Save your passion for your
filmmaking, and focus your remaining energy into crafting a
professional marketing campaign and learning the highly
efficient language of film buyers.
3. Film buyers are overextended, have short attention
spans, and don't want to waste time. Film buyers are
professionals. Hook them fast with a comprehensive one
sheet (or sell sheet). The circumstances in which you are
pitching your film are going to vary, but one thing that
everybody will need at some point is a one sheet as part of
their promotional package. Here is the crucial thing: your
sheet should be short and to the point. This sheet is a
cliff notes to the strongest features of your film. Do you
have a few positive reviews? Great, use them in the press
kit, but on the one sheet just use the best line from each
one. Do you have some seasoned talent? Stick their names on
the one sheet with 1 or 2 of their best-known films, but
save full biographies for later. Any film can create a ton
of paperwork, but nobody is going to go through it all.
Don't bury the selling features of your film and assume
buyers will get to it. With that in mind, don't assume a
buyer will watch a screener. Most buyers accumulate
hundreds and hundreds of screeners every year and many of
these remain unwatched. Save your screeners for buyer's who
show interest, or even for buyers who you have a good
feeling about.
4. Film Buyers want to work in their comfort zone. To save
your time and your buyer's time, you should always do
research beforehand, especially if you are making the first
move. Are you targeting a buyer that makes sense for your
film? Why do you think so? What else had this buyer/company
done that makes you think the company is right for your
film. Again, these points can be, if not part of your one
sheet, an introduction to the story of your film. You will
look professional and on the ball, you will stand out if it
seems like you have done the research and are personally
addressing a buyer's specific skills, past successes and
proven strengths.
5. Film Buyers are freaked out. By and large film buyers
are a worried bunch, cowering in the ruins of the decimated
music industry and wondering if their business is going to
disappear out from under their feet. Film and music are
different animals, and the future of film in the era of
online exhibition is still not completely foretold, but the
mood is certainly wary. The film industry is in transition
and everyone is handling it in their own way, some better
than others. You'll see conservative streaks, but also
canny entrepreneurs looking to exploit the changing
terrain. Overall, though, most buyers want to minimize
advance spending. This practice, in itself is not
suspicious, but for your own protection do your homework
and make sure you are dealing with a reputable company and
a company that is in a stable financial position.
----------------------------------------------------
Daniel Lafleche is the COO of IPEX TV, the leading
multiplatform B2B Film and Video online marketplace. Daniel
has over 25 years experience in film distribution,
combining film and video licensing with internet media.
IPEX TV specializes in helping indie producers and film and
video distributors take advantage of the web and reach out
to international film license buyers. You can learn more at
http://www.ipextv.tv
