Wilbur Eddings
Well-known member
First off, my disclaimer:
This works for me, it might not work for you.
Nothing is easy. Ever. Deal with it and get your ass ready for an uphill climb.
Rejection and criticism are standard operating procedures for anyone who sticks their neck out, you aint special.
When you feel discouraged, you aint the first and you won't be the last to feel that way.
There. Now let's move on.
Ok, narrative purists please stop reading now.
This strategy will offend every anti-capitalist, anti-Michael Bay and anti-Vin Diezel bone in your body!
Ok... here we go.
For me, independent film making has become more about staying out of investor hell than anything else.
I have committed to making movies that are accessible to me until I have the resources to make the movies I really want to make.
I still write the screenplays as passionately as I can and try to make the best movies I can, but I do what I can with the tools at my disposal so that I can live to fight another day.
Before we start, it is very important that you have shot a few shorts so that if anyone asks what you can do, you have something besides big promises.
You can even practice this strategy with a short and a local green grocer if you like.
Local TV:
1) Take your short, show it to whoever determines content procurement and guarantee them your first feature at either a very reduced rate or for free.
2) Doesn't matter what slot or time you get, just get it on TV.
3) Let them know that you will be trying to get it on the local big screen first but it will come to them within 4 months of Cinematic or DVD release.
4) Don't be pushy on your first project, you are a Lion cub for now, don't pick fights you cannot win. Your time will come soon enough.
Take the deal that gives you leverage for your product placement and gets your movie in the public eye.
5) if you are turned down, get your ass back to the drawing board and shoot a short worthy of worship!
6) Which TV station? Any one. Even if 5 people watch the dam thing.
luckily for me, our local TV is viewed by millions and has REALLY crap content so it's easy peasy
Product Placement:
1) Keep your pen away from the synopsis until after step 2.
2) Walk around your town or city looking at which stores, food places and accommodation places pop out at you.
3) Now write your first draft with those particular stores in mind.
Let your character be staying at the accommodation, eating at the restaurant, shopping at the store, drinking a particular brand of coffee or soda or wine etc.
4) Try and track down what amount of money would be affordable for those places and products to give an easy 'yes' and make sure you know what that product placement will actually be worth. This will also determine how much product and brand placement your movie will need.
5) Once you have a working one page synopsis and a (well below market) pricing structure, make appointments with either the owners or marketing departments of the stores and show them how cheap the marketing opportunity will be for them.
6) For every 'No', ask for a referral list and see everyone on the list. All that is needed is a change of name for the accommodation or restaurant...
7) Sometimes you will find that a client is very excited about your project, ask that person to introduce you to any of his/her contacts/suppliers etc.
8) Treat your clients like gold, spoil them rotten, give them special 'passes' on set. Send them photos to keep them in the loop and introduce them to your cast and crew as if they were royalty!
Important tips:
1) Don't be greedy - Set yourself a realistic target (I usually aim for 15k on my own projects and 200k on bigger ones with Cinematic guarantee).
On average, I ask for $500 for less than 30 seconds of product placement and 5k for product or brand 'write in' - where a character actually works at the company and thus has scenes shot there.
2) Try as hard as you can for cash, but don't be afraid to barter for goods and services! A catering or accommodation barter can save you massive amounts of cash!
3) Don't be greedy! Too much product placement will make your movie look like a flea market!
4) Reputation and track record are the foundations of your future! Give them what you agreed to give them. Don't pull a 'Art first' move on your clients unless you want to be a struggling 'Artist' for the rest of your life.
5) View your entire project as an important door to your future and shove your ego in your pocket. Deliver excellence and be super meticulous in keeping your promises.
Presentation Tips:
Take a laptop and nicely branded, printed copies of your presentation for everyone in the room to follow as you speak.
Answer these questions:
Who you are and what you have done.
What is it?
What's in it for the client?
How much will it cost?
What do we do next?
Make sure you have an account with your project or production company name for bank transfers.
Always take cash upfront or at least a 50% deposit. Once you have shot a scene,you no longer have leverage.
Make it as short and to the point as you can, most business owners are very busy and will make the decision within the first 5 minutes of your arrival.
Don't take 'No' answers personally. Make sure that you leave on good terms so that you can swing by for another project later.
Remember that they have financial and life pressures just the same as you and usually cover up their weaknesses with bravado etc.
Be sure to test your presentation on friends and family though. If it sux, you will be wasting your time and misrepresenting your production!
Hope that helps someone.