There is A LOT of confusion floating around on the internet about self-distribution of films. We see it. Its on your blogs (and at one time was on ours too), your marketing, your profiles, your faces. But no one seems to really feel they have a grasp on HOW to effectively self distribute. This is a link to a recent post by our new friend Sujewa Ekanayake:
"We raise money & budget for & or talk people into being in the Production Crews for our movies - but when self-distribution time comes it's just the filmmaker & if he/she is lucky, a couple of volunteers that may or may not have the skills & the experience needed for the job.
A better way to go would be to prepare for distribution the way we prepare for production. Including raising a distribution budget & or recruiting the best possible people who can help us with publicity, booking, DVD creation, mail order, etc. that needs to get done for distribution."
Full piece HERE:
http://diyfilmmaker.blogspot.com/2009/02/distribution-crews.html
This would be a perfect idea in theory except for the fact that it again, puts you at the mercy of an "angel investor" - you or someone else who knows that there is a very slim to no chance that they will ever see a lot of money from it (and if you do, you better be prepared to give 'em half). Also, when it comes to true DIY filmmaking, isn't the idea to free ones' self? We cant build a network of collaborators to help us without paying them close to regular full rates (or a discount) just like every other production or indiewood film? (I would think that throwing money at every single thing after post-production is cheating in a way but thats just me). If an investor or corporate structure gives you money to make a movie, then by all means, do the right thing. Pay as many people as you possibly can, and save some money for promotion and distribution. If that is not the case, and you haven't been handed a bunch of money from an angel, then consider an alternative.
Take a look at our catalog on the left - if you think it is good business for us to pay for a publicist for all 10 of these titles, you should call me personally and pay me to publicize your film - I will definitely appreciate pocketing your dough and using it to make another feature - or better yet we would just do what Arin Crumley and our friend Susan Buice did, what we continue to do - create an audience ourselves (notice the our). If you can't build a network of friends or collaborators to work with you to build your audience and self distribute films yourself without paying everyone, then either there are issues of a lack of interest (or respect) for your work, you are simply not thinking creatively enough, or you may just not be the best person (for our earlier post on how to network effectively you may want to check this out: http://onewaytv.blogspot.com/2009/02/movies-smovies.html). Throwing money around on specific DIY projects with no name actors and investors to help is not only expensive, it can cause your networking efforts to become ineffective and leave you ultimately without a solid one.
Also, there are structures in place like createspace (in association with Amazon) that have made all of the shipping, packaging, and reproduction of your media so much easier, and FREE to set up. Why spend money??? Why hire a bunch of people?
Again, most people who blog or talk about this are our friends so this definitely isn't an attempt to be challenging to their methods or theories of making films and self distributing them (we like what they do). This simply is a very cost effective and ultimately rewarding alternative.
So with that, I offer this; Im almost quoting myself - feel free to use it if you'd like:
There should be no more mystery about how to tackle self distribution when one considers the step-by-step methods utilized by Four Eyed Monsters, in one of the greatest implemented self-distribution strategies of all time.
This is to hopefully put on pause all of these talks and ideas of corporate or advertising structures in an attempt to create a giant machine for the distribution and advertising of DIY films. If a method has proven solid, effective, artistically pure, and ultimately successful, why try to reinvent the wheel? Make it easier on yourself, by following the old and tried method for any business venture which is following other successful models and implementing them, and expanding on them in your own plan.
Four Eyed Monsters went to Slamdance knowing that they might not get a huge distribution deal out of it and decided to create a story around that within itself - finding a distributor, in the midst of trying to maintain their day to day sanity and constantly evolving relationship. They were likable, and extremely non-pretentious, which made it easier to route for them. It didnt come off as some scheme or plan to make money, but instead as a real work of sincere art. They even state that they never even thought about distribution of the film while they were making it - it came much later.
A tier 1 or 2 festival premiere can also be extremely useful (although not crucial and a tier 3 screening can be a great alternative), and should be used strictly to launch the availability and interest in your product at one time - a very cost effective way to kick off your marketing plan (Susan Buice herself told us recently that the festival screening was the key element to creating awareness for the feature because of so many people covering the event, plus the fact the festival itself had such a built in interest, that anyone coming out of it could have drawn at least some kind of an audience). The idea behind self distribution is actually to create more content, and have the feature be the last thing you have to sell. Your story (or stories around your theme) comes first. Filmmakers must realize that when they are done with the film, the creative work is actually just beginning. You have to make the online audience literally demand to see your feature.
After receiving millions of views of their content and their web profile pages, they were able to cultivate deals with some corporate structures to assist them, but still kept control of a lot of their rights, before giving them to IFC. Had they continued to keep everything in their own control, the outcome could have easily been 6, maybe 7 figures directly to them (also dont forget they spent less than 10k on the film but racked up 100k in credit card debt for the cost of living so for films that cost significantly less to make, and if you dont use credit cards for rent, you stand to end up in the black much quicker).
Let us know what you guys think about all of this.
Here is Arin Crumley detailing just how he and Susan created their audience:
For more details on this film and its story of self-distribution, simply go HERE:
http://foureyedmonsters.com/category/news/
- Princeton
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