America the Beautiful

Ohhhh I am SO looking forward to this !!!!!!

Now, totally off the subject - just caught your PBS interview from the Corrado link. Fabulous interview, now I absolutely have to see the film, but the thing that just totally caught me off guard - your VOICE !!!!

It's just fantastic, a walking, talking echo chamber. PLEEAAASSSEEE tell me you've made a fortune in VO work.

Anyway, Thank you thank you thank you for sharing here - can't wait to hear more !!
 
Pixel, you are right on. That's exactly the first thing I thought.

I think anyone who see's Darryl on tv will immediately like him and be drawn to it.

Daryyl, I doubt anything is going to happen to your doc career but if it does you'd be a great TV personality.
 
Thanks fellas for the compliment. Over many posts, I will recount the marketing and distributuion expose of my documentary "America the Beautiful." It has been one of the most interesting journeys that I've ever been on. But what I learned from it was there's more than 1 way to skin a cat.

PART 1

It started the early part of 2007 when I applied to the Toronto International Film Festival. One of my editors knew the programmer of the festival and got our film submitted with the fee waved. At the same time I submitted the film to the Sundance Film Festival and Slamdance. I figured I had a 1 in 3 chance of getting into one of them.

To further bolster my chances, I sent the film to John Sloss' company Cinetic Media, Josh Braun at Submarine Entertainment, The Film Sales Company, Roger Kass, a producer's rep that calls himself "the dude." "The Dude," actually said he'd rep the film if we paid him $5,000. I decided to follow the advice that I give to models. When an agency really believes in you, they don't charge you any upfront money.

I also sent the film to William Morris, CAA, ICM and UTA. I figured if we got a producer's rep or a Hollywood agency, they could coerce one of the festivals to let us in. I'd heard all of the rumors of how John Sloss gets 6 or 7 films in Sundance because he's friends with Geoff Gilmore.

Well all of the agencies and producer reps except one turned down the film. The only reason that was given to me was that because I was Black, the film had no commercial value. I have this reasoning in an email. Wow!

Now the agent at UTA said he loved the film and he'd like to work with me on it. He sais no one was paying any money anymore for these small films, I mentioned some films that were sold 3 or 4 years ago and he told me the climate had changed. He said he sold the movie "Once," which had played at Sundance for $125,000.

I said fine we'll see. I asked him to call Sundance and push for the film. He said it didn't work that way and if we got into Sundance we could devise a full strategy...I suggested while we waited to see if we got into Sundance, maybe we could come up with a strategy in case we don't. I mean the film has to go on with or without Sundance. He told me that if we can't launch the film out of a major festival, then the film was dead.

A light bulb went off! I was a hip pocket client. He'd keep me close in case I got into Sundance and if I didn't he dump me quicker than Tommy Lee drops his babes. I then figured that most of the sales reps did this. Once they knew that a film got into a major festival, they repped it and until they find out for sure, they just string you along.

The moral that I got out of this was, noone wants to do any hard work. The just want to exploit your hard work. And if you're enterprising enough to put yourself in a good position, they'll be right there to exploit it.

So on that note, I had to wait to see if I got into Toronto, Sundance or Slamdance.

As you all know, I have a major league grass roots marketing background. So I decided to see if I could get everyone excited. I did the impossible. I got the LA Times to do a full page story on the film. When I told people what my plan was, I was assured that I would fail. They said the LA Times isn't about to do a story about an independent documentary with no distribution.

Well it happened! Complete with 4 pictures, with one of them being on the Calendar section.
You can read the story here for yourself:

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/apr/22/entertainment/ca-taylor22

I sat back and waited for the agents and film festivals to call. They didn't. But what did happen was I got a million dollar offer for the film which would have ended up in it being released by a major distributor.

The details of that offer and the verdicts of the film festivals coming soon in PART 2

With this update I giving you the story from beginning to end. I also have an email blog that I send out once a week that will let you know what's going on right now. We're in the middle of a 60 city tour. If you'd also like to get the current email version, then go to my website at www.americathebeautifuldoc.com and sign up to be on our DVD release update. The button is on the homepage. You'll get current updates starting next week. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Great! I remember hearing about this now. The girl is beautiful, amazing she was "Too fat" supposedly. I went to SMHS too.

Congrats! You clearly deserve all the success you're getting. I wish I could see your movie, but I can't because you're Black.
 
roberts321 said:
A light bulb went off! I was a hip pocket client. He'd keep me close in case I got into Sundance and if I didn't he dump me quicker than Tommy Lee drops his babes. I then figured that most of the sales reps did this. Once they knew that a film got into a major festival, they repped it and until they find out for sure, they just string you along.
Click to expand...

Hey Darryl,

Like I had said in my email to you about Cinetic Media. I had sent them a copy of the film (Drawing With Chalk) around the same time I submitted to Sundance. 3 months had passed with no word and suddenly within 3 hours of Sundance making their official selections (I didn't get in of course) I received an email from Cinetic Media "thanking me for submitting my film, it was good and there is a market for it but they couldn't rep me at this time and to please consider them again in the future." Hip Pocket for sure. I sent them an email following theirs saying 'yeah, I know we didn't get into Sundance but there are a lot of other 1st tier festivals we are waiting on. Would you be willing to talk to us then about representation?' I never heard back...

I love what you're doing Darryl and I can't wait to hear more. :)

Todd
 
What a great writep, Darryl. Can't wait to hear more.

The more I read, the more I see your way was very different than my plan for Corrado, but so very effective for the type of film you have. You've succeded in doing something very difficult with me; making me see the value of another method.

Great job!
 
Actually I think what they mean is that they are scared of "Black People".

You are "Black" the "Filmakers" you list and show pictures of are "Black" and there are several several "Black People" in your testimonials.

That's what they really mean.

They mean you have it all "Blacked Up" and that they sell to a "White" audience.

Your film appears to be all full of this substance stuff and devoid of any real "Blackness" like violence or shuck'n n jivory.


All I can say is that from what I've seen in your promotional material I would most definitely part with my $10.50 x 5 (whole family) to see this and if it is half as good as the promotional material I would buy the DVD too!


Don't sweat this condescending nay saying.


Just keep doing you and you've got a winner!
 
DCP said:
Hey Darryl,

Like I had said in my email to you about Cinetic Media. I had sent them a copy of the film (Drawing With Chalk) around the same time I submitted to Sundance. 3 months had passed with no word and suddenly within 3 hours of Sundance making their official selections (I didn't get in of course) I received an email from Cinetic Media "thanking me for submitting my film, it was good and there is a market for it but they couldn't rep me at this time and to please consider them again in the future." Hip Pocket for sure. I sent them an email following theirs saying 'yeah, I know we didn't get into Sundance but there are a lot of other 1st tier festivals we are waiting on. Would you be willing to talk to us then about representation?' I never heard back...

I love what you're doing Darryl and I can't wait to hear more. :)

Todd
Click to expand...
they did you a favor. the cinetic "sales rep" deal blows and the length of the terms are too long and too exclusive -- no advance, 50/50 gross receipts, 10 year term, and you can't do anything else with your own film. they can assign rights to whoever they want and you have no say in it. that's not exactly "repping" your film. truth is, they are likely buying up a library of content for peanuts to sell to a larger entity in the near future. it's a good deal for filmmakers if you hate money.
 
Zak Forsman said:
they did you a favor. the cinetic "sales rep" deal blows and the length of the terms are too long and too exclusive -- no advance, 50/50 gross receipts, 10 year term, and you can't do anything else with your own film. they can assign rights to whoever they want and you have no say in it. that's not exactly "repping" your film. truth is, they are likely buying up a library of content for peanuts to sell to a larger entity in the near future. it's a good deal for filmmakers if you hate money.
Click to expand...


:beer: !!!
 
Zak Forsman said:
they did you a favor. the cinetic "sales rep" deal blows and the length of the terms are too long and too exclusive -- no advance, 50/50 gross receipts, 10 year term, and you can't do anything else with your own film. they can assign rights to whoever they want and you have no say in it. that's not exactly "repping" your film. truth is, they are likely buying up a library of content for peanuts to sell to a larger entity in the near future. it's a good deal for filmmakers if you hate money.
Click to expand...


Well, d*mn... I didn't know that! Glad to hear the truth behind the scenes. I definitely wouldn't call that repping your film. It's more like reaping (or to go a bit further 'raping').
 
As far as cinetic goes, that does sound like a bad deal - but I highly doubt that's the deall all these bigger films are doing that have used Cinetic. I'm wondering how hard these people negotiated. I've been offered better deals from bigger companies than Cinetic and turned them down. What they intially offer you is only the starting point.
 
brianluce said:
Congrats! You clearly deserve all the success you're getting. I wish I could see your movie, but I can't because you're Black.
Click to expand...

LOL. It's true Hollywood is so full of it. They think they "know" what everyone else likes.

Zak Forsman said:
they did you a favor. the cinetic "sales rep" deal blows and the length of the terms are too long and too exclusive -- no advance, 50/50 gross receipts, 10 year term, and you can't do anything else with your own film. they can assign rights to whoever they want and you have no say in it. that's not exactly "repping" your film. truth is, they are likely buying up a library of content for peanuts to sell to a larger entity in the near future. it's a good deal for filmmakers if you hate money.
Click to expand...

Yeah, avoid this crap like the plague it is.

-Nate
 
Last edited:
Zak Forsman said:
...friend of mine recently turned them down. http://insearchofmovie.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/good-deal-bad-deal/
Click to expand...

Good read. I was always aware of the acting scams out there (as an actor I actually fell into one when I was young. Never made that mistake again), but I guess I never realized how much of it existed on this level. I guess these guys think we are so desperate to get that 'big' break that we are willing to sell our souls. Boy, according to the deal Cinetic Media was offering your friend, he could have made more money selling copies of his dvd to family and friends than he would have ever seen from Cinetic Media's deal.

I like Darryl's approach. He put those gloves on and he's ready to fight! I am definitely ready for part 2...

Todd
 
Zak Forsman said:
they did you a favor. the cinetic "sales rep" deal blows and the length of the terms are too long and too exclusive -- no advance, 50/50 gross receipts, 10 year term, and you can't do anything else with your own film. they can assign rights to whoever they want and you have no say in it. that's not exactly "repping" your film. truth is, they are likely buying up a library of content for peanuts to sell to a larger entity in the near future. it's a good deal for filmmakers if you hate money.
Click to expand...

Zak,

Are there better deals out there for indie's? If your movie sucks that is one hell of a deal and I'd take it in two seconds.

I'd give 90% away for the right deal.
 
ChipG said:
Zak,

Are there better deals out there for indie's? If your movie sucks that is one hell of a deal and I'd take it in two seconds.

I'd give 90% away for the right deal.
Click to expand...

if your movie sucks you don't get offered the deal.

and there are better deals for a sales agent service like this. IndieFlix will do the same for you as the Cinetic deal but with a 70/30 split in your favor. http://www.pr.com/press-release/106559

I believe they only require that the film be vetted by other festivals first.
 
No one needs to pay 30% to distribute movies to: iTunes, Amazon VOD, Hulu, Joost, Netflix, and on top of that Amazon will take 50%+ so your left with something like 50 cents when your dvd sells?

You can do all that yourself, I thought you ment for something like a deal with Wal-Mart or Borders, brick and morter type dist outlets.

They sound like crook's...
 
that's what i'm saying. cinetic is offering to do things you can do yourself, and locking you into an "exclusive" contract. indieflix has its advantages. amazon takes 50% if you go thru their createspace site. i have to look at my contract, but I believe indieflix has negotiated a better split there. i have a unique deal with indieflix, same services and I retain 90% gross revenue. so for 10%, they have done it all for me and I didn't have to lift a finger. besides, there is no way Hulu.com would take a short called "I F*cking Hate You" without indieflix's help. :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top