Distribution

Doing proper due diligence is so important. I made an indie film years ago and got caught up in the excitement and came so close to signing with a few distributors I learned later were predators like Gregory refers to. I now always recommend finding out what exactly a company has distributed and reaching out to the producers of the films and ask them about their experience. Listen to your gut and try to talk to your fellow filmmakers and producers and get their direct feedback because they'll know and are usually more than happy to share intel and support other artists.

I agree, Sam Sokolow. Doing proper due diligence is crucial. Glad you didn't sign with those distributors. Thanks for sharing the tips.

I have nothing negative to say about Gravitas, although is disheartening to hear about anyone’s bad experiences.

It’s been hard to make profit on our film, but I attribute that more to its budget and its saleability, not any bad practices.

thanks Maurice Vaughan , this is GOLD!

You're welcome, Alessio Bergamo.

Sam Sokolow thank you so much

Shane Taraschke - I'd be interested in learning more about your company.

Hey I sent you a network request. You should get caquainted with the FilmPod and the MRT if you want to know the next wave of distirbution.

Hey, Shane Taraschke! Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Welcome, Shane Taraschke! What part of Indiana are you from? I grew up in Lebanon!

"A blackout would have been ill-timed for both parties, given that Paramount carries the NFL and other marquee programming. The company’s flagship broadcast network, CBS, is slated to broadcast the Super Bowl in February, with cable sibling Nickelodeon providing an alternate telecast." I don’t think Comcast or Paramount Global would risk losing out on Super Bowl money, Debbie Elicksen.

Maurice Vaughan A blackout would have made The Purge real life.

We've seen these blackouts happen recently. Disney and Spectrum didn't reach an agreement by September earlier this year and a ton of NFL football was blacked out in NYC. My mom - a gigantic NY Giants fan - almost lead The Purge. Thankfully, they made a deal before too long and just as thankfully Comcast and Paramount got this deal done.

You're giving me pieces of a script idea, Debbie Elicksen.

Geoff Hall what fun are easy questions ha! But yes, I get it there isn't an easy solution but I'm an out of the box thinker myself and even if it's a few steps in the right direction I love to hear people's perspective about what that looks like!

Geoff Hall do you think pressure comes from the financier or from the producer to get an easy win? Or is it because the producer is the financier? Who needs to push this in the right direction?

It'll definitely be interesting to see where and how distribution will change. It has to, right? Demand is there it's just understanding the new audience segmentation as it shows itself.

Dalene Stuteville I think the answer is to know what the story is that you are telling and where the film’s demographic hangs out. If you are going to direct your script (that would be my choice) then very early on there needs to be clarity about what your expectations and hopes are for the film. This should help with your decisions and yes, don’t just think of a linear process, but look for wider opportunities to exploit the film in.

Like you say, the whole of the distribution world is changing so why not take advantage of that flexibility?

Geoff Hall that's definitely our goal.

Dear Geoff Hall thank you so much! I hope our series gets noticed.

Have you been to any sales markets? The American Film Market (which I've attended) is every fall in Santa Monica. It's an opportunity to meet with dozens of distributors and sales agents in one week. There are other market events, most notably Cannes in the spring.

Dear Mike Boas I understand that we cannot compete with the budgets of the American market.We are from a very small country, but I believe the story could be interesting in other markets as well.I'm hoping to find a sales agent who can bring this story to smaller countries.

I've already been contacted by two agents after this post, but we'll see if I can come up with anything later.

Lelde Kovalova keep us posted on what happens with the sales agents, please Lelde.

Lelde Kovalova I just found this thread again and wanted to clarify. When I mentioned the AFM (American Film Market) it wasn't to suggest you should compete with American shows with high budgets. The AFM is an event where sales agents, distributors, and aggregators get together and make deals with producers who have product they want distributed in many territories. There are similar markets at various times around the world, most notably Cannes in the spring.

Thank you for sharing!

Great share! Distribution deals are sometimes looked at as a mysterious system only understood by sales agents and buyers, but its really not that mysterious. Great chance for producers to educate themselves and understand this part of a project's financial life.

Kay is a rock star.

She really is, Debbie Elicksen. K-Dawg! That's her blog name.

Thank you for sharing!

You're welcome, Benjamin Elliott.

Great share. Good to see the key points of making it an ongoing campaign covered, as thats when a lot of crowdsourcing initiatives begin to lose steam.

Going to the movie theaters was one of my favorite things growing up, Debbie Elicksen. Looking at the movie posters, playing the arcade games, the concession stands, the previews before the movies started, and of course the movies. Sometimes we went to AMC, sometimes we went to smaller local theaters.

Awesome read. To this day, seeing WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT at the Ziegfeld Theater in NYC is one the great memories of my life.

I still love going to the movie theater as often as possible. I honestly don't even care if the movie is great. I could happily see anything in the theater, I just like getting lost in it all.

Debbie Elicksen “ “Of course, we all go to multiplexes, and they’re mostly black boxes with seats,” Filho comments. “You never remember if you saw a film on screen 3, screen 14, or 11. It’s meant to have no personality, which is a very strange business model, but it seems to work for them.” “

That’s a very interesting perception, Debbie, with the anonymity of the multiplexes as opposed to the grandeur of historical cinema.

I haven't seen any J Dramas, Debbie Elicksen, but I've thought about writing one. The J Drama market looks huge. If I end up writing a J Drama, I'll watch J Dramas first to see how they're usually structured. I might even write a J Drama/Horror.

@maurice J Drama/Horror would be a winner. The Days is based on a true story, but wowza it tells the story compellingly well. Even did a TikTok on it. :) https://www.tiktok.com/@debbielelicksen/video/7241302882610334982

I reference Winter on Fire, a doc taking you right to ground level of Ukraine and Kyiv when the Russian terrorists invaded Crimea. Not a J drama but a worthy watch.

Thanks for the link, Debbie Elicksen. The poster for "The Days" has a Horror vibe to it. I'll have to check out "The Days" and "Winter on Fire."

Maurice Vaughan Tell me what you think when you see either or both of them.

Ok, I will, Debbie Elicksen.

Eha Urbsalu Hello my lovely student! I am so happy to hear about this! DM me, and I will fill you in, but a well-known European actor is a smart choice and it would indeed help the distribution/sales agency onboarding process. I would also have a list to show your top sales agent choices and let them decide as you don't want to be in a position where you lock in someone and find out they have little value.

Amy Leigh McCorkle I remember your project. If it's based on what you told me about, the social media following will make a difference. And target the indie crowd- US like Neon, Roadside Attractions, A 24 once it's shot.

M LaVoie test scores mean nothing internationally but domestic would help.

Thanks, Alexia, for all your answers!

I would love to know what is the toughest part of getting into Film Sales nowadays?