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Some of my independent filmmaker friends consider independent film to be sacred and they avoid the studios like the devil. Other friends think studio movies are the ONLY movies that count. And they discount indies as a passing fad or a calling card to simply get noticed by the studios. But for me, I don’t care if my movie is produced by my team of indie producers or a studio – as long as my movie gets made.
Let me tell you a story: A few years back, long before I lived in LA and before I produced my first feature – I had written a screenplay with my friend Jared Tweedie. It was this coming of age comedy about bowling called Seven-Ten-Split. I was still living back east at the time. Anyway, after writing the script, I sent it to my actor buddy Jimmi in Los Angeles.
Weeks went by and I didn’t hear anything.
Then one day I got this call. It was Jimmi. He read the script. Loved it. Jimmi offered to get a bunch of his actor friends together for a reading. Asked if I would like to visit Los Angeles. (Twist my arm.)
So the next thing you know I was flying across the country. At the time, it was only my 2nd time in LA and I was super excited. And on the day of the reading, Jared and I walked into a room full of “known” actors we had only formerly seen on TV. (Jimmi is one of the most talented actors I know – and he’s in a lot of movies and TV shows.) Anyway, to say it was a surreal moment would be an understatement.
As these actors read the script and acted out the characters who had (up until this point) only existed in my and Jared’s imaginations – Well, during that time I was transported to a world full of possibilities… A world where my work meant something and had merit with people I respected. I envisioned myself flying all around the world to watch screenings of our movie. I envisioned flashbulbs and fame and fortune… (Come on, you’ve had these thoughts too. Admit it!)
Having someone appreciate your work is a drug. Having some “known” Hollywood players appreciate your work is a better drug, offering a higher high. And when this happens, intense idealized imaginings of success can be your biggest addiction. That was 2003. And I was hooked on getting my movie made.
So what happened to the project?
Nothing.
The truth is, I was too inexperienced. I had a business plan and a private placement memorandum. I had an initial breakdown and a budget… I was even good enough to cold call rich people and get meetings. At the time, I was trying to raise a mere 250K – and my prospective investors kept asking me the same question:
“How do you plan to recoup our money?”
I didn’t have an answer. Back then, the only distribution strategy I could offer was something like this: “My friends are actors on well known TV shows. When we make this movie, we will take it to festivals and because we have name actors, our probability of garnering a distribution deal is pretty good. If we get into festivals and create buzz and get noticed by a distributor, we might have a chance at recouping the investment.”
So why have I decided to share both the good and the not-so-good?
Because, unlike 2003, thanks in part to companies like iTunes and Amazon, you can now incorporate both a marketing plan and a solid VOD distribution plan into your movie business planning. You do not need festivals, name talent or some 3rd party distributor to give you permission. You can make your movie now! And just as importantly, you can sell your movie now, too.
Does this mean your movie is guaranteed to sell? NO WAY! But it does mean you can finally have a solid business conversation with a prospective investor – in his or her language.
Does this new era of filmmaking mean filmmakers are now responsible for their own marketing, distribution and sales? Yes it does. And while this extra responsibility adds another heavy hat for most of us, it is also extremely liberating to the entrepreneurial filmmaker inside of you.
Think about it – if you can create a plan and answer the “how are you going to recoup my money” without depending on traditional distribution, then talking the talk just got easier. And that should be super inspiring. Because under all the glamor and promise of fame and fortune, the most important part of this process for all of us is the work. And speaking from experience, making movies is a lot more fun than talking about making movies.
And just in case you’re wondering – every-so-often I pick up Seven Ten Split, read a few words and once again experience the “high.” And that is all the motivation I need to pick up the phone, make another call, get another meeting and cultivate another relationship.
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Jason Brubaker is a Los Angeles based indie producer and an expert in Video On Demand Distribution. If you like his articles, you’ll love his book – which you can grab for free by going to www.FreeFilmmakingBook.com
Posted under FILMMAKING