Distribution : Short Film Distribution online. by Jon Jed

I personally don't have experience in this, but maybe someone in my network does? Since I commented on this, it will show up in the home streams of everyone in my network...hopefully someone can help and provide you some insight!

Thanks!

Hi Jon, I've had a film on IndieReign and Indieflix. If your trying to get paid for your short film I think Indieflix is the safer choice as it is subscription based so if anyone looks at your movie, you get paid. IndieReign is a transactional video on demand so they would have to purchase it meaning you would have to promote it. Hope this helps.

Thanks Kevin very helpful!

Makes sense

Monetizing shorts is still a pipe dream – but some of us are working on it. The fact of the matter right now is that anything you post on YouTube,Viemo, IndieReign , IndieFlicks or any of the others; I can get for free or nearly so. (I downloaded last year’s short Oscar winning film for $1.99) Obviously you, the filmmaker, is receiving peanuts for your hard work. How to change this? I have an idea… maybe good/maybe not. We bundle shorts into a package (I’m producing a half hour “showcase” ) for television distribution (on a local cable network right now). If there’s enough quality films out there, I can build this into a full hour show for sale to one of the major networks (yeah, we’re talking). Then we’re talking some economic return for the small-time filmmaker.

Thanks Doug. I was actually considering the 'package' option as well for the future, once I have a little more material. I'd be curious to know how you're distribution deal works out for you for informative purposes.. Let me know when the time comes in a PM

Jon – no need to PM you – what I have to say needs to be read and understood by every small-time filmmaker out there. I have an intro and an outro to the program that leaves me with 24 minutes to fill. I prefer to run 2 shorts, giving the filmmaker some time for his/her personal intro (not all filmmakers can make it to the studio – so I, or someone they specify can do it [I’ve used Skype, phone…]) Right now, I’m producing under a community access program under a 501 c 3 non profit umbrella with direct access to a modest local cable station (about half a million demographic) with connections to our state public broadcasting studio. I’ve pitched it to one of the national broadcasters (they’re interested) – I can’t say which one (it’s named after a small forest animal.) The biggest stumbling block is the filmmakers themselves – they don’t deliver their films. I can only come to the conclusion that small filmmakers do not want anyone to see their work. Quality is another issue.

John I am having great success with my 30-minute minifeature: 1) Won the HBO/Cinemax film contest and received distribution on HBO/Cinemax On Demand & Max Go 2) Just received a distribution deal for my DVD to go into some of the Chain stores. 3) My film will play in 20 theaters in February in the UK. 4) Already have 2,500 DVD pre-orders. Official Black Salt Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOiXjgk4f1M

Owen, obviously congratulations are in order for your success. My question remains: “How much economic benefit has resulted from your success?” Most filmmakers I know are creative types who make films “because they want to.” But setting all that introspective emotional touchy-feely stuff aside.. What is your economic return? (Is it hundreds of dollars, thousands, tens of thousands?) I’d like to know so that as I pitch TV wrapper packages, I’d like to know how much to charge so that the filmmaker receives a fair value for his/her efforts.

Looks great Doug congrats. Got some talent there. I'm sure winning something from HBO helped. Doug..if I understand you correctly you have approx 20 mins to fill on your gig? Or is that just one show?

Jon – in the industry, these are called “wrappers” I decided to start with half hour shows to begin with. So I have a total 28 minute hole to fill. I do a show intro and credit roll out crawl that accounts for about 4 minutes. I look for short films with an 8 to 10 minute run rime so that I – or the filmmaker can intro their film and still get to run two films. I can run one 24 minute film or even three shorter films but the biggest hang up is that small indie filmmakers seem unwilling to allow me to exhibit their films and promote them. Go figure! I can only assume that they’re ashamed of their work.

Gotcha. Well I'd send mine along but one is 31 mins and the other 39.

Doug, You don’t look at how much economic benefit has resulted from my success in the short term. This is a long process. Want is the value of the HBO/Cinemax distribution deal were millions of people will see my film and be able to purchase through download that will help my DVD sells. From that deal I have investors contacting me to see my feature film business plan and TV series. This project is a comic book franchise and I am building a brand. Secondly, with your 28 minutes you should do 20 minutes of short films and 8 minutes of movie trailers!

Both Owen and Robin; first off, I'm an old retired guy who doesn't need or desire to make any money from my endeavors – basically, I promote young indie filmmakers for lack of a good provocative hobby. It's called paying it forward. The reason I inquired as to the economic return is to have some standard by which some new filmmaker can measure his success. As to my expenses in promoting others work – I have none. I mentioned earlier; I do this under a 501 c3 non-profit and I use it to educate and train young folk about various career paths in the film industry. My personal gain is that I get to be the local big time movie producer with my own TV show (WHO-HOO!). It's fun for me and it helps others. I don't have to help others – I can just lay in the hammock and drink beer all day.

Lol....everyone on this thread is way ahead of me. Been fortunate enough to wrap up a couple projects in the past year and now plan to just keep plugging away and act on what I know.

Robin HBO is just a stepping stone to kept moving froward. Since I got the HBO deal I have more investors contacting me to see my business plan for the feature film and TV series.