Have you ever had this thought: If I make my movie, I will sell it at Sundance and live happily ever after?
If you have, you are not alone. The vast majority of first time feature filmmmakers dream of fame and fortune. It is what motivates them to make the impossible, possible. And while these delusions of grandeur coupled with advances in affordable production technology has made filmmaking accessible, it has also flooded the market.
The supply of these cheaply produced movies has surpassed demand. The days of HUGE upfront cash advances are over. Hollywood does not care about your movie and neither does the traditional sales agent who claims he can get you into iTunes.
Three Steps For Filmmaking Success
To garner success, YOU are now responsible for sourcing an audience and building a platform for YOUR projects. And this reveals the next major challenge. How does a filmmaker succeed in this changing business?
Here are THREE essential filmmaking skills you need to master:
1. Become an Internet marketer: Or team up with someone who is. Why? Because the time is fast approching when there will be no delineation between the Internet and your television. Or your mobile device. As a result of these changes, you will need to drive targeted Internet traffic to your desired point of sale and convert these visitors into customers.
2. Find Out How To Crowdfund: Running a successful crowdfunding campaign requires social networking, real-world networking and Internet marketing. Aside from raising money, your goal is to test all your movie concepts before you dive in both feet first. And if successful, your goal is to snowball your supporters into one giant mailing list so you can gain their support for your next projects.
3. Your Audience Is Your Business: Marketing nerds have a saying, “The money is in your list.” It is now no different to filmmakers. Your ongoing goal is to create work that encourages people to sign up for your mailing list and become a fan of you and your movies, for life. Then with each project, your ongoing goal is to continually grow your list.
While what I am suggesting will require hard work, I believe this is an AWESOME time to make movies. Between crowdfunding and non-discriminatory distribution, you have an opportunity to build and run your own mini-movie-studio. Think about it. The future of filmmaking is not Hollywood. It is the thousands of independent filmmakers (just like you) who are empowered by the digital revolution. You can now make, market and sell your movies from anywhere in the world!
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.