Distribution

Denise, true.

Jose, is there anyway to check out 1 1/2 Hora? do you have subtitles yet?

Adler wants my movie 27 Matches, they have hit me up twice now. Has anyone received a payment from them?

Everything over 20-25K in marketing - you are screwed!. 60K-80K - you will never, ever see money again. That is how they all make money on desperate people looking for distribution. Adler, shoreline and etc. I always go for 50/50 deal on a first dollar in. I let them recover their 10K -15K (they never spend more than that anyway) and then go 80/20 split. The moment those SA recover their hefty expenses from a couple of big foreign territories they usually dump your film and pick another sucker, it just too much work and expensive nowdays to go to little territories to recover pennies. This is the biz.

David, it would be a huge mistake to go with them. Vitaly is right, Adler offers anyone/everyone "distribution" so they can build their catalog bigger, getting perhaps 10K to 15K for your product from a streaming business which goes in THEIR pocket, not yours, then move on to the next sucker. You'll never see a penny yourself, nor will your investors.

And I just want to add another important thing to remember when it comes to distribution - never ever sign those 10-15 years agreements. This is a legalized slavery and there is no way out without paying high price penalties. I only sign not more than 18 months contracts with SA and always have a termination clause for non performance.

If you're looking for syndication, you might want to reach out to Shout! Factory TV or Get TV. They handle classic TV material. It's probably too obscure with very little subscriber-boost for services like Netflix or Hulu, who are mostly interested in newer content or very well known brands that improve their subscription base. I know that there are companies like Stadium Media who have That Girl and Danny Thomas material on their streaming service with ad content, but that company doesn't really generate much traffic.
The other option, which may be more directly lucrative is to consider putting it up yourself on your own YouTube channel with ads or iTunes and Amazon streaming for minimal fees. It takes time to cultivate viewers, but at least you're not being gouged by a third party distributor.
Good luck with it. 100 episodes is a lot of content and should interest somebody.

I sent you a message and request. I have a couple ideas for you, depending on what you're looking for.

Robert, there is a Master Delivery Schedule. You'll need depending on what the medium the film was shot and edited on separate M & E tracks, music license, releases (talent), story rights agreement, E & O policy (which you mention), etc. DL.

Glad to have you back in the community Robert. If you're asking about sales agent deliverables, then that means you're done with a film - congrats! Bradley & Blake touches on some theatrical deliverables here, but it's not entirely in depth: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/OK-You-Made-Your-Film-Now-What-2 and https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Under-a-Million-What-I-Learned-and-How-.... And, Zahida goes over VOD deliverables here: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Understanding-Indie-VOD-Distribution-an... Not sure if any of that helps, and if not maybe there's someone in my network who can help lend you some advice? Good luck with the process!

Every SA has its own list of deliverables. Prepare to spend up to 10K on that.

Every company is different. Here are some of the more common things I've been asked for (this only applies to low budget, non-theatrical):
1) Video: A 24P Digital file in the best available format (HD, 2K, 4K). There should be a leader at the head with a sound spike at -2 seconds for synching audio and video files. The distributor may specify a certain format. Most requests I've experienced are for ProRes 422.
2) Audio: Three separate audio files: one full mix of English (or native) language track with Music and Effects. One Music Only. One Effects only. As with the video, you should have an audio spike at -2 seconds for synching.
3) A Timecode based Dialogue transcript (for foreign dubs and subs).
4) A synched Closed Caption file (.scc).
5) Music Cue Sheet and SAG-AFTRA, DGA and WGA (if applicable) contract material.
6) Errors and Omissions insurance.
7) Chain of Title (Copyright registration for script and finished film, contract with writer, any other releases).
8) Promotional material (Production stills, Cast photos, anything that can help promote the film)
9) Letter of access to original masters and "negatives." This is a holdover from when prints had to be made, but they usually still require it.
Most distributors have pdf's with their Delivery requirements. Sometimes these include old technology that doesn't apply anymore, but hasn't been removed (like Betamax).

Thanks David Trotti and Vitaly Kozlov!

That is indie rights' marketing expenses? 10, 20, 30K?

Rahim, all I know is I could not entice anyone to pay to watch a feature length movie of mine on Vimeo On Demand a few years ago. There isn't much of a fee - I think it was $200 - but I would look at the Comments sections for other movies there, WITH well known stars, and the Comments sections were always blank. To me that is a BAD sign. There did not appear to be much consumer activity or enthusiasm at the site, period. I'm early in the process with Indie Rights - assembling all of my deliverables - so I can't speak to how effective they ultimately are. But everything I'm hearing from the industry is - Comedies do not sell without star names. There are no exceptions - unless perhaps you have festival success at major festivals. So, your best hopes are: Indie Rights, Gravitas, or Indican - smaller distributors where you will receive no MG up front but at least a slim chance of revenue down the road. The hope is your film will find a small but appreciative audience and you can live to fight another day.

FWIW, Indican made an offer for my comedy Craig Quits His Day Job earlier this year, but we could not agree to terms. Their communication style was haphazard and unprofessional, which didn't help. Gravitas wasn't interested but gave me some helpful advice. Indie Rights seems like the best, and probably, only real viable option.

Thanks for your insight Eric, it's very helpful. I do see what you mean about Vimeo. Though I do like the split, it would have to be a viable option. I hope everything works out for your film on indie rights, I'll be looking out for it.

Eric Paul Chapman Thank you so much for your thoughtful and insight filled answer - that's exactly what I was looking to hear - resources! I too noticed that Vimeo does not have any comments. I'm looking into your suggestions now!

If you spent 6 month on that festival circuit with success or no success its time to get out and start approaching SAs with your material. AFM is a good place to look for SAs and show your film. Start setting up meetings in September-October. Be prepared - trailer, one sheet, look book. Work on your sales and pitching skills, you will need it if you decide to do it there on a fly.

Thanks for the advice. It's only been on the festival circuit over the course of the summer as of now. The film has been selected to a few festivals and won best feature film in one of them. I'm still waiting to hear back from a handful of festivals including some of the big ones (Austin Film Festival and Slamdance). I've gotten my film in the hands of an A list directors assistant, and have a meeting planned next time I'm in LA.

Once that is done I'll look into all that.

Right now I'm currently in post production for another project; a short film. I am also in pre-production for two other projects to be completed by end of year. I'm just focusing on working as much as possible, while festivals get back with their submission status'.

Jim, only Tier one festivals count and mean much in the biz. SAs and buyers go only to those festivals. Don't spend much money on other festivals focus on packaging your projects instead!!!

Austin Film Festival and Slamdance are both 'tier one' festivals, my budget for festivals was economical. I contacted both of these festivals (as well as others I ended up not submitting to) and had good conversations with their programmers about the types of films their festivals accept / screen and the exposure they give to said films.

I watched the video. Great job. It has a really nice film look, especially for 15,000 Euros. And the actors all come across as professional. I especially like your two young guys. You should be able to find a buyer or certainly get in some festivals.
Have you tried contacting Film Factory or Filmax in Barcelona? They handle a lot of Spanish material. As a European film you already have a leg up, and they have good Latin American distribution partners.
info@filmfactory.es +34 933 684 608
filmaxint@filmax.com +34 933 368 555

Distribber may also be a good option for you to look at, but Spanish language material is a tough sell in the US, though Netflix seems to have a pretty robust selection.

If you start with the festival route, check out Without a Box. They're the primary resource for submitting to festivals. It's free. You upload your film to a secure sever and submit and pay submission fees to the festivals you want to apply to through them (they make money off a percentage of the submission fees). Almost every festival uses them.

Don't share the 15,000 budget with potential buyers. You're proud and rightly so. But it will immediately influence what they think about the film and how hard they have to work to sell it. If pressed, you made it for under a hundred thousand. Brag about the budget after it sells.

Hello David,
Thanks for the tips.

You have good and great visuals, good choice of music and that is your main strength but I would shorten some of your lengthy dialogs, you just continue on spinning your wheels in places where it should end. There are lots of parts that can be cut out of this film. No illusions - Potential buyers and SA/Distributors will know a price and a real production value of your film. And they will be dead right on the money! There is no special lighting, FX, set dressings, costumes, very simple locations, no name cast... You should approach some meaningful festivals with your film and see what kind of publicity you gonna get but don't be there too long - max 6 month. And at the same time start approaching SAs with your work. AFM is a great place to go in November. But before doing your dance re-cut your film, make every scene tight, cut a couple trailers - short and long versions, key art and one sheet should be in place. Film in Spanish and a lack of names, so you will have a challenge in English speaking territories and in territories that pay! Try that approach first, if you are not doing well than next option is DYI. Good luck.

Another suggestion to you as a director/writer - affectively use inserts. That will separate you from students films and films made on the back yard with friends. That trick will allow visually cut away from your characters and better digest your dialog heavily driven scenes. You definitely have potentials as a filmmaker. Keep going!!!!

Hello Vitaly,
Thanks for watching the film.

Only Tier one festivals matter and this is where SAs/Distributors are going to make deals. The rest of festivals do not mean much in the biz and a waste of money. If you need a vacation go but you will not achieve much there as a filmmaker. Spend your money on better packaging!!!!!

Hi Ben, I had distribution "luck" with my short via SHORTS TV network (on Directv and others) - not a ton of money but licensed for 3 years... I also used Distribbr for iTunes and Amazon distribution (you pay them $ against future sales)

Thanks both for the ideas.

Is the Amazon direct you get access to via self distribution the same as what aggregators like Distribbr get you on? I was under some impression there were a couple different implementations of Amazon's services. But it's not very clear.

Damon, do you mind filling me in a bit more with your experience on SHORTS TV? Maybe in a private message? Just wondering how many views you reached, if it drove traffic at all, what kind of deal you got, etc. Did iTunes and Amazon work well for you? What tools did you use to find audience and get engagement? I assume just having something on iTunes and Amazon itself doesn't do a whole lot unless you are really pushing awareness?

Hi Ben, I have been in your position and can sympathize. I would like to share two things I have learned the hard way. First, monetizing your short (iTunes, Vimeo On Demand, Amazon, etc.) may get you a couple hundred bucks, but will not bring eyeballs to your work. People just don't want to pay for shorts. They just don't. Second, you put three years of your life into this, this is your calling card, your portfolio. The money you put into it is a tax write-off. Take what you learned from the festival circuit, chop it down to under 15 minutes if you can, (or maybe split it into two parts) and release it on YouTube and Vimeo. That's where the eyeballs are. Reach out to podcasters, online bloggers and reviewers to drive traffic to your film. AIn't it Cool News, Short of the Week, etc. Advertising on Google will dramatically increase the traffic on YouTube. The bottom line - if you want eyeballs - give it away.

The 25 minutes length 1000% hurts in the festival circuit. Takes nothing away from your film which is pretty well made. Great demo to help secure $$$ for your next project.

-Ben, didn't see how to email you, so feel free to contact me via my link(s) in my profile and I'll try to shed some light on my distribution experience

He's a disruptor.

I'm really interested to see how this goes. More transparency in accounting is certainly a positive movement.