GH1 Can a dvx member compete against a hollywood film?

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Indyreel

Well-known member
I did... using a GH1! and the 600 people that attended were blown away... and my film even beat out the new "Dracula" movie at the huge cinema we premiered at, that Saturday. I've been a member of DVXuser for years and using the techniques I've learned from Barry's videos and my fellow DVX members, I was able to produce an action thriller from start to finish that can go head to head with anything out there.

Viewers were wondering why it hasn't been picked up by a major studio. The reason? because I'm an unknown.

I'm tired of knocking at the doors of stuffy executives. It's time to launch this film worldwide and let the public decide. That's why I'm releasing "Dark Disciple" on DVD this January, 2015.

See for yourself what a DVXuser can do!

MAJOR UPDATE - The title of Dark Disciple has been changed to Valor Rising.

See the trailer at www.valorrising.com

Valor Amazon Instant Video Poster.jpg
 

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Haven't seen the movie and I feel from what you've posted that it isn't my kind of flick. But put me down for a DVD, if only because I want to support what you are doing!

I'm serious. Let me know when they are available......
 
Thank you so much! I do, however, think it will be your kind of film once you see it. It comes off as a slasher film, but is much more of an intense action thriller with the first iconic villain to hit the screen in over a decade.
 
Indyreel said:
I'm tired of knocking at the doors of stuffy executives. It's time to launch this film worldwide and let the public decide. That's why I'm releasing "Dark Disciple" on DVD this January, 2015.
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With the cost of DVD production and distribution, wouldn't Online/VOD distribution be more favourable and fiscally viable in this day & age? For such a limited market you would probably be better off putting that money into marketing and promotion.
 
Russ.W. said:
wouldn't Online/VOD distribution be more favourable and fiscally viable.
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Would it? I mean, to get the product onto the living room television (which I consider the bottom line goal of 'home video' distribution), then there really are only three choices - Netflix, Amazon and Hulu+. I'm not so sure that'd be easier (or cheaper) than selling physical disks.
 
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I hear your pain. Back in 2007. When I released one of my feature. It was overwhelmingly well received and it was ripped but a sales agent and sold worldwide, I got my money back, however, I didn't ger domestic distribution, bottom line, it was my us contacts changed jobs and I lost that windows of opportunity. Most of the time, it's who you know than how good your film look... An actor friend of mine that was listed as one of the upcoming talent in 2008 starting producing his own features and got nowhere, no Hollywood studios willing to back him up... One reason was he didn't want to play their games (smooching)

btw, do you have a sales agent that would take it worldwide to get distributors?
 
Have you looked at VHX or other VOD type places? They make it very easy and the split is pretty nice. I was able to sell a few thousand DVDs but I had a BIG email list and my doc film caters to older people who like and trust DVDs. better yet as it is a niche product I was able to charge more than $20 for the DVD plus S&H.
Even after the FREE on HULU email blast / LA Times story I sold a bunch more DVDs - go figure.
 
Actually, I spent all my time researching how to make a movie, but now need to know how to market it. I am open to any advice anyone can give. Thank you.
 
Jim Simon said:
The problem with those is how do you get them on the living room TV?
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Chromecast or just plug the computer into the TV or I now know a LOT of younger people who do not have a TV - they
watch everything on laptop or iPad.... that would only work for content that skews to the 15-30 type demographic.
 
VIMEO also has a Pay-per-Stream feature. I never knew that until last week - I streamed the new Tim Wise documentary film "White Like Me" for $4.99
Pretty cool to have options like that available to us now.
 
Indyreel said:
Actually, I spent all my time researching how to make a movie, but now need to know how to market it. I am open to any advice anyone can give. Thank you.
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A few suggestions: check out some sales agent and see if they would like to take your films to film markets and try to sell it there for you, that's one option that would still work. 2. use vimeo.com pro version so you can sell it yourself online (self distribution can take forever as you will have to market like crazy, just like doing a crowdfunding effort). 3. Take it to film markets and sell it yourself. 4. do the four wall thing (you book theaters throughout the country and sell it through these). 5. submit to film festivals and/or award competitions, the more festivals/awards it's getting, the greater chances for people or sales agent to want it. 6. Get it reviewed, the more positive reviews or seen being reviewed on blogs/website, the more chances it can succeed.

Send me a pvt and I will provide you two sales agents that I've worked with that may be helpful.

Regards to sales agents, if they ask you for $ upfront, they usually means they are using your $ to travel to film markets...

Have patient. A lot of Hollywood films are shot but shelved away due to timing or a break down of negotiations, so it never get seen or released later, so happens to many independent films, if your film is not dated, then it can continue to have a life of it's own. Make compelling one sheet and comp cards, also get a trailer made that shows production value than story, this is a trailer that is typically used at film markets to 'attract' people to turn their heads and look at your stuff...

Johnny
 
I was just advised NOT to release my film on DVD first, but instead, to release it on VOD. I was told that this would inhibit pirating, as VOD is streamed but the DVD can be duplicated. Does anyone have any insight into this?
 
Indyreel said:
I was just advised NOT to release my film on DVD first, but instead, to release it on VOD. I was told that this would inhibit pirating, as VOD is streamed but the DVD can be duplicated. Does anyone have any insight into this?
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Can anyone help me with this question?
 
Indyreel said:
Can anyone help me with this question?
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Not sure who informed you of this but it is pretty easy for a hacker to steal a video stream. Thing about streaming video is once they have it it can be streamed for free to millions of people from millions of pirate sites within seconds. Try doing that with a DVD. Sure maybe mom and pop crook can make free copies to sell out of a van in a Wal-Mart parking lot but here you are talking a handful of pirated copies.

Yes for the average person hacking a video stream may be harder then grabbing a $0.42 DVD and burning a copy but my point is that if it does get hacked then kiss any profits goodbye. Can this person offer the utmost level of DRM and security for your streamed movie? Ask them for details on their DRM and what kind of streaming protocols they use. Don't just take Joe Blows word for it. Really hound them for proof and details of the security they use. There are dozens of levels of video streaming security and most of them are laughable garbage that at best make it so my Grandma cannot steal it. Also look into the cost of this. You are likely being told this as part of a fear tactic to make a sale. In very rare circumstances video streaming can be more secure but it is never 100% secure. Nothing in this world is and any company that tells you it is is completely full of it. Internet security is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves every day.

I did live video streaming for five years for huge fortune500 pharmaceutical and financial companies with the most insane security you could ever imagine and it still wasn't deemed very safe. We used all sorts of DRM methods including some of my own that I developed. In the end our saving grace was obscurity because it was B2B communication. Since it was live you really had to be at the right place, at the right time in order to see it. Still we had to implement a combination of a lot of security methods to get the companies to agree to it.

What kind of VOD distribution is this? To what devices? How and when is it delivered to the widest range of people? Not only how much does it cost the customers but how much will it cost you? How much of a cut is the VOD platform taking to piggy back off of your work?

I have nothing against streaming video. I worked with it for five years and developed our own streaming hardware and software platform. I made a pretty solid career out of live and VOD video streaming. We even had live audio translation in up to eight languages for global companies. So I happen to have a lot of respect for streaming video. Streaming requires a lot of questions and just be sure to do your homework before you sign a contract. There are a lot of morons out there to put it bluntly. Streaming has become a new big thing and every idiot who doesn't know a packet from a wrapper thinks they can start up a streaming video business. Just be sure you are really getting what you pay for. Also be sure to have a "good" lawyer look at the contract and make sure you do not sign over the rights to your movie. These streaming companies can sometimes try to over complicate contracts
 
I largely agree with Thomas above. Any format can be hacked if someone wants to. I'd also say DONT pay extra for DRM on DVD or streaming... it is an extra they overcharge for that can be cracked if someone wants to crack it.

I also feel like most of the people who will want to see your movie will pay for it. Those that want it on DVD will pay the DVD cost and the S&H. Those that want to stream it on their iPad will buy it on VHX or Vimeo or whatever you pick. Like I said before when the story came out about my doc being free on HULU I got a bunch of sales on DVD and VHX. In fact the VHX people have stats somewhere on their site that says when some Monty Python stuff went up free on YouTube the same titles on VHX sold some new enormous amount.

As far as the other post re Vimeo's pay service I did not like it because it forced you to sign up for an account. I hate having to sign up for an account with yet another password and I felt like that was an extra step that might turn away buyers. If I remember they also did not take Euro at the time - only US dollar. If they have changed that then I'd look at them again.
 
First let me say congrats on putting all your skills together and making a feature. That is no easy task! As far as marketing goes there are a lot of viable options with technology permitting you to venture out and try different possible revenue streams. There are a lot of good suggestions on here as far as how to go about getting your film out there. One thing I would suggest is also driving traffic to your website. Using the pay what you want model on your website while using steaming revenue as an alternative source of income wouldn't hurt. This obviously is just my 2 cents but I would offer it in as many formats I could as long as the contracts you sign are not violated.

As far as pirating goes I think you are going to find that no matter where you go. I still pay for movies, games, and other forms of entertainment even though I know how I can get a free copy. I prefer the convince of quick and people this day and age also are willing to do that.
 
Harry Pallenberg said:
Chromecast or just plug the computer into the TV.
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Those aren't very good solutions. Ideally you want something that does NOT require a smart phone or a computer. You want this to work with the standard living room equipment. That means a TV, DVD or Blu-ray player, and/or some type of streaming device (like a Smart TV, a Blu-ray that streams, a Fire TV or Roku, etc.).

If you go the streaming route instead of disk, you want to use a service that will be available on every streaming device. That means Netflix, Amazon, Hulu+ and YouTube. There may be other streaming services, but I'm not sure I would consider them ubiquitous enough to be used as a primary outlet.
 
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