Maybe the most definitive and consise article on DIY step by step distribution (that of course, still includes film festivals). Filmmaker Magazine does it again, this one being from the latest edition with Medicine for Melancholy on the cover. Here it is below:
Setting up DVD distribution: Yes, you can still make money doing this.
BY JON REISS
Following — or perhaps instead of — your independent film‘s theatrical release is its release on DVD. While sales of DVDs released by all content providers, studios included, are dropping at the moment, home video is still one of the most lucrative stages of a film‘s distribution. And while much has been written about filmmakers self-distributing their films to theaters (see, for example, part one of this series in the Fall 2008 edition of Filmmaker), filmmakers‘ options when self-distributing their work to the home market have been less well covered. Rest assured, however — the same grassroots marketing strategies and cost-saving economies can be brought into play.
I don‘t think it was clear in part one of this series, but I was offered quite a few theatrical/DVD offers for my graffiti doc Bomb It. Like most deals independents are faced with these days, these were very low-money offers in which the buyer wanted all rights for at least 10 if not 20 years. While these companies were offering a small theatrical release, my producer and I were savvy enough to realize that theatrical releasing expenses would be cross-collateralized with DVD and cable revenue. Translation: The likelihood that we would see any additional money beyond the tiny advance was small. Plus we would lose all control of the film and its revenue streams for many years.
When evaluating a distribution offer that‘s less than the amount needed to recoup your production budget, I recommend filmmakers ask themselves the same two simple questions I asked myself. First, is the film good enough to put all of my energies into releasing it? If you can answer “yes” to this question, then ask yourself, is the distributor offering to pay me what I think I could make from the film if I exploited it myself? If “no,” I highly recommend not taking the deal.
I realize that, exhausted from your film‘s production, you may want to take the deal. After all, you‘ll have a distributor! And you‘re sure they‘ll give your film the release you feel it deserves. But remember that having a distributor often doesn‘t obligate the distributor to actually distribute your film — or, at least, to do a good job of distributing it — unless guarantees are written into the contract with very clear guidelines, dates and penalties. And there is never any guarantee that you will see any money beyond your advance.
Regarding being exhausted — tough. Why did you make the film in the first place? For it to sit on a distributor‘s shelf? You are the best marketer and proponent for your film because ultimately you are the one who cared and bled the most for the movie. You made this film to be seen by an audience, and your belief in it is all that can guarantee that this will happen.
Filmmakers must understand that finishing the film is half the battle. Or, to put it another way, when you have finished your film, your job is half done. In order to take back your power as a filmmaker, you need to think about splitting the rights to your film and parceling those rights out to whomever you feel can best deliver in each particular platform or territory. When it comes to DVDs, there are still many companies who will take your DVD rights only. It is up to you to research whether or not these companies are reliable, trustworthy and financially solvent.
Full article Here:
http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/winter2009/bombit.php
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