Filmmaking Stuff Filmmaking Stuff provides resources for independent filmmakers. The website includes articles on how to take a story idea from script to screen, including articles on scriptwriting, producing, finance, shooting, editing, directing, marketing, distribution and how to build an audience. Filmmaking Stuff also has articles detailing how to make money making movies – including interviews with Hollywood Producers, Directors, writers and other filmmaking professionals.

In the following FREE 100 page filmmaking action guide, TEN very well known filmmakers provide insight to the ever changing world of Independent filmmaking.

“Here’s a Brief Overview Of What’s Included In This FREE Filmmaking Action Guide!”

Posted under INTERVIEWS

I can’t go into details. I won’t mention names. But as a filmmaker, it is emails like the one quoted below that make me go bonkers. I can’t believe something like this can happen… But it does:

“…I finally spoke to the (confidential television network) today and as it turns out the contract was never signed.  As you know without a signed contract we can’t argue anything. I’m sorry that I mislead you, but it was never my intent.”

Now before I go further, I want you to know that there are GOOD sales agents. And there are GOOD traditional distributors. But before you go into business with any middle-man, my advice for all filmmakers is to ALWAYS conduct your due diligence. And if later, you find yourself working with someone who supposedly makes a deal with a TV network – but forgets to get a contract signed (please note: we think this is very fishy), then at the very least – you should never work with that guy again.

It is not part of my character to bad mouth. I really, really want to. Because I’m pissed. But this is part of the business. It’s the part most people experience but try to forget. And as a loyal reader of Filmmaking Stuff, it’s probably better for both of us if I continually expose the good and the not-so good.

Feel free to comment. I like comments   >>

Posted under DISTRIBUTION

Independent Movie Distributors are great if they offer you a deal. The problem is, many filmmakers do not get a great deal. Instead, many filmmakers end up with a lot of empty promises.

Now, thanks in part to a shrinking DVD market, many traditional distributors have shifted focus to partner with, or become a  movie aggregator. For those of you new to the concept, a movie aggregator exists  to collect a whole bunch of movies, and then serves as a middle-man between YOU and the marketplace.

The result of this DVD to VOD distribution transition has created a new sales pitch for filmmakers:

“Give us your VOD rights for a gazillion years and we’ll get your title onto iTunes.”

If you’re like a lot of filmmakers, this pitch is all you need to hand over your VOD rights for many years. The result of which allows you to tell all your friends: “Our movie was picked up by [insert bottom feeding aggregator here] and now we are on iTunes.”

Any time I hear this, I want to PUKE.

Why? Because treating VOD distribution like DVD distribution is the difference between lighting and lighting bug (I think that is a quote from Mark Twain.) But you get my point. It can’t be treated the same.

WHY DO I SAY THIS?

I say this because many traditional DVD distributors will add NO VALUE to your VOD strategy.

They will simply get your movie into the marketplace and suck your profits for the extent of your contract. And since most traditional distributors can not monopolize the VOD marketplace (like retail DVD), they will grab any title they can and hope for the best.

Think about it. It doesn’t cost them anything. All they gotta do is get your movie encoded and uploaded into the market – and if it makes money, they make money. If it doesn’t make money – OH WELL!

Like I said. That makes me PUKE.

You see. The problem isn’t your ability to access a VOD marketplace. Your problem is SOURCING an audience.

In retail DVD distribution, it was different. Retail DVD was a predictable sales channel. In the old days, you licensed your retail DVD rights to a distributor. Then your distributor made a few phone calls and got your movie into video stores. People drove to video stores and walked around the store. So if your DVD was on the shelf, your odds of making money increased.

But with VOD? We are talking about people sitting in front of their computers. The marketplace changes at the click of a mouse.

So far, we know that iTunes, NetFlix and Amazon are popular. You should get your movie into those marketplaces. But that doesn’t mean you should give up your VOD rights to get there.

“In this modern era of moviemaking, YOU can get your movie into all the popular marketplaces without locking up your rights!”

Yesterday I sat in on a conference call hosted by Adam Chapnick over at distribber. Many of the modern moviemakers from filmmaking stuff were on the call. There were a lot of good questions.

For those of you who don’t know, distribber is a movie aggregator. But unlike the bottom feeding variety mentioned earlier, distribber works on an upfront payment model. This means YOU pay a little over a thousand bucks and you can access iTunes and many of the other popular marketplaces without locking up your rights!

Now I know what you’re thinking – why would any filmmaker pay to get a movie distributed? It’s a good question. But I think the better question is, do you think your movie will garner more than $1300 in VOD sales? If so, then you might consider distribber or a service like it. Otherwise, you’re going to end up paying a LOT MORE to a traditional bottom-feeder.

And if money is the only issue, you’re in luck there too. Since Distribber is part of indie gogo, filmmakers are encouraged to create a crowdfunding campaign to cover their distribber fee. Creating an indie gogo crowdfunding campaign will not only allow you to raise money, but you’ll also benefit from the social networking aspects of the site – Your contributors will tell their friends. And this inturn will will help you source your audience.

[IMPORTANT: If you do not think your movie will make more than $1300 dollars in VOD sales, distribber is NOT a good fit.]

In full disclosure, I have an affiliate relationship with distribber. They pay me to promote them. But I would still recommend them or any companies like them even if I wasn’t getting paid. The reason for my passion is this: I have watched too many of my friends get burned by crappy distribution deals. And I want to help you avoid this.

The secret that traditional DVD distributors don’t want you to know is this: Getting into the marketplace is easy.

The TOUGH part is getting people to watch (and buy) your movie. For that I recommend The Indie Producer’s Guide To Digitial Distribution or at the very least, read some of my other articles on movie marketing and distribution.

And if you’re just getting to know me, make sure you grab a FREE copy of my filmmaking book. Click Here   >>

In a future article, I’m going to show you how to leverage VOD distribution for your business plans. Stay tuned.

Posted under Uncategorized

If you want to sell your movie on iTunes, quit waiting for some sort of middle-man sales agent to give you permission. Seriously, most producers still base their ROI on traditional distribution deals and I think that is really OLD SCHOOL thinking.

If you are a producer trying to raise money – why wouldn’t you plan a worst case scenario?  What if VOD is the only distribution deal you get? Then I ask you – how many VOD downloads will it take to recoup the initial investment? How do you plan to do this? And if you happen to be a feature producer, with a few titles collecting dust – here is how you sell your movie on iTunes:

1. Visit my friends at www.moviesalestool.com and enter your movie information. (They pay me to promote them. But I would promote them, even if they didn’t pay me.)
2. Grab a copy of the Indie Guide to Distribution.
3. Then follow each step of the guide.

If you need me to help you market and sell your movie, contact me. Depending on the scope and scale of your movie, I’m sure we can work out a deal.

Posted under DISTRIBUTION

If you’re already a seasoned feature filmmaker, take a moment and think back: Do you remember when the idea of making movies seemed like a far away dream?

Do you remember when you first got the idea for your movie? Do you remember Your first day of production? Do you remember your first screening and how well everyone loved your work?

That happened to me with my first feature. Like you, I thought our movie would get into Sundance, play well, build buzz and if we were really lucky, we had hoped the movie would garner us a 3 picture deal. But that didn’t happen.

Sure, we got some offers, but they were not “deals.” (A deal actually pays money!)

So instead of exchanging our movie for an empty promise, we decided to try selling our movie on the internet. Little did I know, this one decision has changed the course of my movie making life. That was five years ago…

And since that time, the internet as evolved. If you’re a filmmaker with a movie, you need to get it selling in all the popular internet marketplaces, including Amazon and iTunes.

You don’t need a middle-man to make this profitable. I am going to show you my internet marketing secrets…

You can check out my “How To Sell Your Movie” system by visiting the website here.

Posted under DISTRIBUTION

I’ve written about Adam Chapnick and his company Distribber before. For those of you just joining the modern moviemaking party, Distribber is one of the cutting edge companies responsible for democratizing the entire movie distribution process.

When you sign up, you have the ability to get your movie seen and selling in the popular video on demand marketplaces like iTunes and Netflix. But now, in addition to these wonderful outlets, a few days ago, Distribber made a deal with Brainstorm to bring filmmakers flat-fee access to cable VOD. The deal includes Cable, Satellite and Telephone Platforms.

Adam Chapnick said the deal is, “The obvious next step in Distribber’s promise to provide filmmakers across-the-board distribution services with no hidden costs.”

Producer Ted Hope said, “What filmmaker doesn’t want to access tens of millions of viewers? To know you can to do this for a set and reasonable rate, while keeping all your rights, should make many an investor happy too. Filmmaker Direct is a game changer. Thank you Distribber. Thank you Brainstorm.”

The flat-fee model has proven successful for artists and investors in some Music-focused distribution companies and changed the face of distribution. Many prominent artists are seeing it as an important, empowering element of a “new world” of distribution.

To find out more about distribber, go here: www.MovieSalesTool.com (This is the Filmmaking Stuff affiliate link. You can ignore it and go to distribber directly too. www.distribber.com)

Posted under DISTRIBUTION

Image via Wikipedia

Like many first time filmmakers, our first feature was met with empty distribution promises and crappy deals. So by necessity, we started selling our title on the internet as both a physical DVD and a video on demand download. At first, none of the producers liked that idea.

I mean, even if a traditional deal sucks, at least there is still validation in seeing your title on the shelves at the local video store. But then we made our first sale. We thought it was an anomaly. How could we possibly make money with our movie? We had no movie stars, our production value left a lot to be desired and most people on earth had never heard of our title (including you.) But then we made another sale… And the a third. And then a dozen…

That was 2006 and since that time, my enthusiasm for video on demand distribution has only increased. These days filmmakers have a gazillion options for reaching their audience, creating community and building buzz. As your own VOD distributor you can finally get your title seen and selling without waiting for some middle-man to give you permission. And assuming you have all the necessary legal documents, releases and (possibly) E&O insurance for your movie, the following seven secret steps will help you get started today!

Step 1 of 7 – Sharpen Your Hook

One of the first questions people ask is, what is your movie about? While this seems like a pretty easy question, if you find yourself rambling on about a complicated, character driven story, full of people reflecting on life’s moments of love and loss, STOP! A long description is confusing. And a confused mind doesn’t buy your movie. So in order to sell your title, you must communicate your movie in a distinct and memorable way.

To do this, ask some trusted friends to watch your movie and describe it to you in one concise log-line. For example, let’s say your movie is described as “A boxer fights for the title.” Obviously this is succinct, but lacking detail. So your next job is to incorporate some flavorful elements into your log-line. Here is the same example with added detail: “An impoverished boxer is given a once in a lifetime chance to fight for the world heavyweight title.” (Sound familiar?)

With this example you can see how the extra detail adds sizzle to the description. This will help you in two arenas. Firstly, with this description, your prospective audience will immediately understand how your movie differs from all the other boxer movies. And from a marketing perspective, the words “boxer,” “fights,” and “heavyweight title” will help you to target your core audience and later, these targeted keywords will help you jump-start your internet search engine optimization campaign.

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In my next article, I will show you how to target your target audience.

Posted under DISTRIBUTION

Exceptionally sharp, focused and insightful, Jason Brubaker knows how to squeeze profits out of a film release. When I have to deal with marketing – whether it’s getting a film released or setting up a panel discussion – Jason is on my team. He knows how to do the job and he knows how to explain the process.”

-Norman Berns; Emmy-Award Winning Producer

Film Festival Panel Discussions: If your regional festival would benefit from insights related to modern moviemaking, Jason Brubaker is happy to participate. His primary topic is Video On Demand distribution and sharing ideas on how filmmakers can make, market and sell movies without the middleman.

2012 Sundance Film Festival -- John Rustin (BnY), Jerad Anderson (Watchbox Media, Inc.), Jason Brubaker (Filmmaking Stuff), Danae Ringelmann (IndieGoGo), Moderated by John Corser

Jason Brubaker speaks about modern movie distribution. If you are a meeting planner or film festival coordinator, Jason Brubaker is available for speaking, workshops and panel discussions.

Maximize Movie Profits Without The Middle Man: With an independent movie market saturated with competition, finding a traditional distribution deal for your movie is increasingly challenging. Nobody knows this better than Jason Brubaker. After failing to garner a traditional distribution deal for his first feature, he figured out how to market and sell his movie online. Five years later, his original movie is still selling (and he’s still cashing checks!) In his easy to follow, step-by-step presentation, Brubaker shows independent filmmakers how to maximize movie profits without the middle-man!

Jason delivered a terrific presentation at The Business of Entertainment IV networking event. His topic was “How to Sell Your Movie Without a Middleman” and featured insights and tips on how students and independent producers can leverage Internet distribution for a profit. Jason was informative and entertaining; and he received excellent reviews from the participants. We will definitely engage Jason again and look forward to more of the same professional and personable observations and advice!”

Von Johnson

Keynote speaking: Do you have event, such as a film festival, film club screening, or dinner where your audience would benefit from a no BS update about modern moviemaking, and how to prosper? LA based independent producer Jason Brubaker is available for keynote presentations.

Thanks again for participating in the festival panel on marketing and distribution last month. It was a phenomenal success!

Regards,

Dan Hannon
Co-Founder/Panel Director
New Hampshire Film Festival

Filmmaking Workshops: Jason Brubaker conducts workshops where he teaches filmmakers how to market and sell movies through new methods in movie distribution.

Contact us: If you would like more information on Jason’s topics or availability, please use the following form to contact us:

Posted under

Filmmakers can now sell their movies on iTunes - Image via Wikipedia

As a filmmaker, uploading your movie to iTunes is a pain in the butt.

And if you’re new to feature filmmaking, let me explain a few things. One of the biggest challenges you have is getting your movie seen and sold.

Assuming you’ve traveled the festivals, you probably know that the distribution deals that once fueled your filmmaking dreams have dried up. And these days, even if you get a deal, one of the selling points of the deal will probably involve some distributor touting the wonders of iTunes.

Now before you protest, I’m not saying that better deals aren’t out there. They are. And I’m also not saying that you can’t get a dream distribution deal – you can. And great job if you land one!

But for the other 98% of filmmakers, if getting a return on your movie is a goal,  some choices will have to be made. Typically your choices are:

1. Do I take the crappy deal with the shady distributor? (If you have one.)
2. Or do I just market my movie myself?

If you’ve been reading this Filmmaking Stuff long enough, you probably know where I’m going with this. So let me take you there… If your deal does not pencil, it is NOT a deal! Period.

It simply comes down to this: do you want 3rd party validation? Or do you want cash without the middle man?

If you picked the ladder (and I hope you did), then your next order of business is to focus on a marketplace. And if you haven’t gone down this road before, let me tell you that there are only 3 TOP markets for your movie.

1. Amazon – They own a company called CreateSpace that will assist you in getting your movie into the Amazon marketplace as both a DVD and a VOD streaming option.
2. Netflix- This is a mail order movie rental house that also offers VOD streaming.
3. iTunes -I probably don’t need to tell you what iTunes is. In fact, I saved the best for last (and it is the focus of this article). But did you know you can now sell your movie through iTunes?

When attempting to get your movie seen and sold, if you do not get a deal, and you are not on those sites – then as a filmmaker, y you have cut your potential for revenue significantly. This is because the big 3 provide a marketplace full of hungry customers ready to buy movies.

“OK, Jason Brubaker – That’s great. But how do I get my independent movies on iTunes?”

Great question.

I am pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Distribber. They are owned by IndieGoGo and as a company, the service provides a one stop shop for filmmakers working to get their movies on iTunes, Amazon and Netflix. You simply pay a 1 time fee (which is reasonable, especially if your production team decides to buck up and each pay a little.)

Then assuming your movie makes the cut (there is a screening process), you get your movie on the Big 3. And unlike traditional distribution deals, this movie sales tool offers 24-hour access to your sales stats and your money. So once you’re set up, all you gotta do is log in to your account, check out your sales and view your cash balance.

And the cool part? No waiting for checks. No more “creative Hollywood accounting.” With this movie sales tool, you may withdraw your funds at any time via Paypal. To learn more, check out the site at: www.MovieSalesTool.com

If you have questions about this service, you’re welcome to email me. jason(at)filmmakingstuff.com

Posted under DISTRIBUTION

Filmmakers can sell their movies on Amazon. Image via Wikipedia

Recently a question posed by filmmaker Ben Rock over at Neptune Salad gave me a good reason to think about (and share) my filmmaking business philosophy in detail.

Here is the question: “Is there a way to make enough money on any kind of self-distribution that a filmmaker can repay investors and eek out a middle-class existence?”

I felt like this question required a detailed response. So for Ben and other folks with similar questions, I broke it into 2 parts. Here we go…

1. Can any form of Self Distribution make you enough money to repay investors?

This depends on two factors. How much investor money did you spend? And how much of your investor money do you have left to reach your targeted audience?

Getting money to fund independent movies has always been a challenge regardless of what technological innovations have taken shape. But the big difference now is more emotional than factual. These days, whenever filmmakers go out to shake the money tree, their confidence is considerably lower. I mean, in the past, you could at least present speculative opportunities to to prospective investors with a measure of excitement: “Look what happened with The Blair Witch Project! Paranormal Activity! My Big Fat Greek!..”

But what do you say now?

“We are going to sell DVDs on Amazon!”

Yippy.

And even funnier is this. Let’s say you get the money, make your movie and get a (more traditional) 3rd party distribution deal – your deal probably won’t involve theatrical distribution. Add the demise of video sales outlets and video stores, and it is a good bet that your movie will end up on iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon.

Given these outlets, I now wonder why any filmmaker would even approach a 3rd party distributor. I mean, if filmmakers can simply set up shop and reach those outlets on their own, why pay a middle man? Do filmmakers really need 3rd party validation?

So my suggestion is this: If you’re trying to make a living as a filmmaker, you need to care less about traditional validation and more about your bank account. If the numbers don’t work, you nave NO DEAL!

“Ah… Filmmakers should be MORE excited to approach prospective movie investors!”

Unlike years past, you can finally eliminate much of the speculation from your business plan – and you can finally present a deal built on a measurable framework that YOU control. In other words, as a filmmaker you can now pick and choose your sales outlets and come up with an entire step-by-step system for reaching your target audience and then getting your movie seen and sold. Investors like that. It’s less risky!

From this perspective, you can create a reasonable plan and work backwards.

What? You can’t figure out how to repay 1,000,000 dollars in 5 years? Then you have two choices. Change your plan or change your budget (which may involve changing your screenplay and schedule).

And onto the second part of the question…

2. Can a filmmaker eek out a middle-class existence (with digital self distribution)?

Yeah. But like I was saying, you can not think about distribution in the traditional sense. In the past, filmmakers made a movie, got lucky and ended up with a BIG paycheck with incremental increases on the back end. These days filmmakers need to think about their movies in ways akin to how traditional investors think about dividends from bonds – once you make the investment, it’s a long term game!

In other words, you create your movie product this year, get it selling and then you repeat the process. Conceivably in 10 years, you’ll have a library of 10 movies. And with luck each movie will passively pay you thousands of dollars per month.

Moving forward,  if you want to make movies and make money making movies, your strategy has to include oodles and oodles of cash for marketing. I heard one colleague talk in terms of  applying 3/5ths of the budget for the marketing, 1/5th for “name” talent and 1/5th for your below the line costs. I’m sure there is room for variation – but we can all agree that your marketing (more than movie making) is going to provide you the difference between pocket change and profit.

What are your thoughts?

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This is a huge topic. So I will break it into a series. My next article will pick up where I left off. And we can get into a systematic approach to how to make a living through your filmmaking.

In the meantime, get my filmmaking book FOR FREE. Just follow this link: www.FreeFilmmakingBook.com

Posted under FILMMAKING