Welcome, aspiring filmmakers of the New Hollywood
Generation.
My name is Orlando Delbert.
This is ‘Hollywood, Unapologetic!’
Today I want to speak about Filmmaking Essentials:
Film Distribution – Distributors as Digital
Rights Managers, and the New Hollywood Generation.
If you haven’t watched, Filmmaking Essentials:
Film Distribution Basics, Distribution Strategy,
and the New Hollywood Generation, I’ll have
a link at the end of this episode for you
to check out.
Want to succeed in filmmaking?
It’s an honest question.
I ask this because so many filmmakers I’ve
known and met over the years don’t develop
a distribution strategy during the Development
Stage of film production.
When looking at your distribution options
for your film, it’s important to understand
film rights and content licensing before signing
off on any distribution deal.
Not knowing or fully understanding these crucial
details is probably the biggest mistake I’ve
seen over-and-over again that aspiring filmmakers
make with their first and even their second
and third finished films.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret;
as part of your distribution strategy, you
should plan for possible distribution opportunities
being split up.
I did mention this in the Film Distribution
Basics, Film Distribution Strategy episode.
If you haven’t seen it and want to know
more about having a distribution strategy,
go check it out after this episode.
I remember being part of a group of filmmakers
shooting feature films with what was available
and what we could afford and ran with it decades
ago.
When the DV video format was launched in 1996,
we learned as much as we could about the technology
at the core.
We ripped apart our old Apple computers, rigging
up anything and everything to make the limited
technology available work.
The lossy compression was a challenge.
But it was just another part of problem solving
inherent with filmmaking.
We recognized shooting digitally was the way
the motion picture industry would be headed,
and created strategies that got our films
distributed decades ago.
We were shooting digitally before even George
Lucas and the Lucasfilm Ltd. guys were.
Fast-forward decades later and the technology
and the related costs have changed dramatically
for the better.
It really gets under my skin when so much
focus on shooting 4K today is pushed on aspiring
filmmakers that have never shot a film of
their own.
For most of you watching this, you really
don’t need it.
But more importantly, a lot of time is simply
wasted that can have been used on producing
your own projects, today.
I mention all of this because we realized
early on in our filmmaking careers, to work
with what was available and what we could
afford is far more important than what it
was shot on.
The strategies made towards distribution were
considered early on in the project’s development
stage.
Technology will always change.
With that said, you should be mindful of how
content is being produced today is changing,
and has been changing rapidly for some time.
Anyone today can create a film using their
smart phone that’s sitting in their pocket
or purse.
Film today is largely thought about as the
“moving image” or “moving picture”,
over the format of film itself.
Some see the power and authority of documentaries
losing some of it’s stature to the “documenting
of reality”, such as what can be found on
television programming of “reality” shows
and on digital platforms like YouTube today.
This has caused some film distribution companies
to rethink how they approach their distribution
strategies.
More progressive distributors identify today’s
viewers as not being passive, but more being
active participants, due in part to their
influence through social media and their ability
to use their smart phones to share their thoughts
immediately to the world.
Think about it.
The message has far more weight than what
was used to capture it.
This has caused distribution companies to
act more like digital rights managers.
The goal of any distribution company is to
create a distribution strategy for their clients
to maximize audience viewership and revenue.
This involves taking advantage of current
and future technology, on a client-by-client
basis.
No two film launches will ever be the same,
because of the fast changing digital trends,
and the specific intended audiences may be
influenced by global influences.
The younger the attended audience, the more
likely they are creating their own content
themselves to some degree.
Plus, the limitations many filmmakers and
studios still have today that they only see
legacy forms of distribution as the primary
way to go.
Yes, having a broad release for a film studio
makes a lot of sense, when they have millions
of dollars to use just for the promotion of
their summer tent-poles.
But for most independents, a broad release
is just not a possibility.
Most independent films lack the exposure Hollywood
studio films have.
The studios have the resources for on-air
ad time, and in-person interviews of their
on-camera talent on nationally broadcast TV
shows.
When a producer decides it’s time to reach
out to distributors, it’s important to actually
know what a distributor does.
Like I’ve already mentioned, they create
a distribution strategy for their clients
to maximize audience viewership and revenue.
A big part of that is a marketing strategy.
And it’s very expensive.
Distributors are being paid to engage your
target demographic, through outreach and engagement.
And the film distributor has to begin promoting
your film from scratch.
That can be through social media or buying
ads in magazines and newspapers.
A theatrical release gives your film the opportunity
for critical exposure in newspapers and public
attention.
The more public attention your project has,
the perceived value of your film goes up.
And distributors have a formula they run.
In it’s simplest form, they look at the
possible perceived value of your film with
an attached dollar value to it.
They look at how much the operating cost would
be to run a marketing campaign, including
a theatrical release, and what the expected
gross revenue would be.
There has to be enough of a surplus of funds
after their associated operating costs and
their set profit margins are reached.
As a filmmaker, you have to be clear on what
your delivery options and what the markets
are when you speak to a film distributor.
You have to be clear on what your distributor’s
strategy is, and the specifics on your film’s
digital rights across each digital platform
would be.
You have to be clear on the specifics of the
marketing campaign, how much lead-time they
need, costs, and the coordinated efforts across
the various digital platforms.
One of the things mentioned throughout this
series, Hollywood is about making money.
What that truly means, you and I are of little
significance to the bean counters and check-signers
unless we are able to produce something that
can be monetized in their best interest, not
ours.
This is certainly true in the distribution
side, because billions of dollars every year
come directly from distribution.
Many creative artisans don’t fully understand
or are open to that line of thinking.
This only hinders his or her chances of success,
unfortunately, when it comes to deal making
and negotiating.
So many filmmakers get burned once they are
looking for distribution options, because
they don’t always fully understand what
they are signing off on.
These details can be somewhat confusing or
even daunting for some.
Believe me, I get it!
By this point, you should have an experienced
entertainment attorney representing your deal.
An experienced entertainment attorney’s
job is to be your advocate.
You want someone who is able to negotiate,
or better said, improve a distributor’s
offer.
Getting an entertainment attorney on board
ensures you and everyone involved gets the
best deal while protecting your project, legally
and financially.
As members of the New Hollywood Generation,
we are all in it together.
Be safe.
Be smart.
And don’t forget to be great!
More on success in filmmaking, success in
life, can be found in, Pollyanna’s Tear
Soaked Battlefields of Hollywood: A Survival
Guide Against the Cynicism and the Hypocritical.
I’m going to add a link at the very end
to the episode, Filmmaking Essentials: Film
Distribution Basics, Distribution Strategy,
and the New Hollywood Generation.
Go check it out.
Are you ready for the challenge?
