The American Film Market (AFM) going strong this week in Santa Monica, California. The conference offers filmmakers the opportunity to hob-nob with over 8,000 other industry professionals. If you never attended AFM, it is like no other industry trade show. In most industries, you at least wait until the evening to party. But at AFM, it is common to spot industry pros walking around drinking beers and making deals.
Aside from slamming down a few cocktails with Hollywood hotshots, the primary reason for attending is to meet someone willing to distribute your movie. But be cautious. Out of the “1500 buyers with billions of dollars in buyer power,” AFM is also attracts a lot of slimy bottom feeders who will promise you the world and never deliver.
Five Tips For Navigating AFM
- Have an objective. Create a list of people you want to meet, and why.
- Refine your pitch and make sure it sounds interesting.
- Only pitch your movie to people looking for your type of movie.
- Have a nice business card. But don’t give it out unless someone is interested in your pitch.
- Don’t do a deal without due diligence. This helps you avoid the bottom feeders.
My goal for attending AFM this year is to find some finished feature films that I can help shepherd into the various VOD platforms. As many of you know, I have been working for Distribber. The goal of the company is to help filmmakers get their movies into the popular VOD platforms, while allowing filmmakers to retain copyright.
If you plan on attending AFM, let me know. I would be happy to meet up and find out how things are going with your movie projects. And in the event you are looking to forgo traditional deals in favor of internet self-distribution, you might want to check out my sell your movie system.
About Jason Brubaker
Jason Brubaker is a Hollywood based Independent Motion Picture Producer and an expert in Video On Demand distribution. He is focused on helping YOU make, market and sell movies more easily by growing your fan base, building buzz and creating community around your title. He is also available for speaking engagements.