Do you ever wonder why filmmakers fail at film festivals? I have been speaking at quite a few film festivals. And what I find is, many filmmakers are still stuck in an old paradigm that no longer exists. In the past, most filmmakers dreamed of getting their movies seen and sold at festivals, followed by a 3 picture deal. But the reality is, these types of deals are rare.
What is more likely to happen? Nothing.
The biggest reason filmmakers fail at film festivals is because they are waiting for someone else to give them permission to start marketing and selling their movie!
I know this type of filmmaking article is not as sexy as telling you: “You can do it!” Or “Go make a movie and get rich!” If you want that sort of thing, you should probably just ignore me and tune into the gazillion other filmmaking websites that outright fib to you. I would rather see you make a movie and actually have a shot at quitting your day job.
The truth is, there are nearly 50,000 feature films made each year. Out of those titles, only a very small hand-full get picked up by a traditional distributor. And many of those traditional deals promise iTunes, Hulu and Amazon – Marketplaces that you can access yourself!
So what can you do to create a solid plan for your own filmmaking success? That was a question asked of me by Nic Baisley at the First Glance Film Festival. Here is the video of my interview:
My ongoing goal is to help you help yourself. Due to increased competition as well as the demise of retail distribution, the world of indie filmmaking has changed. There are a lot of movies competing for eyeballs out there. As a result, you have to change the way you make, market and sell movies.
Repeat after me: “My audience is my business. Without an audience, I have no business. As a serious filmmaker, I am responsible for sourcing my own audience.”
Also – if you know a film festival director, ask him or her to invite Jason Brubaker to speak.
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.