Need distribution for your completed films?

Televista said:
...if we like the project but the price is too high we DO NOT negotiate we simply pass on the deal...
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This is the only part I find disturbing. If you like the project I would assume you would counter in order to retain the project you want. This feels disshonest to me. I mean, why would you not say, your offer is too higjh for us, but we really want your film, so here is our counter offer?

Something here is fishy. Could be wrong though.
 
Be nice if you had a web presence to list. Looking up on froogle does not do it for most of us. A "physical" web presence with contact info and list of distributed movies makes for more credibility.
 
alveraz said:
Something here is fishy. Could be wrong though.
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I wouldn't call it dishonest, but I know what you mean; it all basically means they want films for peanuts.

I wonder too though, if during the first time they watch it, they have a legal team comb through it also; as there's be the issue of rights/releases and all those good things. There's simply nowhere near enough info on either the company nor the process.
 
alveraz said:
This is the only part I find disturbing. If you like the project I would assume you would counter in order to retain the project you want. This feels disshonest to me. I mean, why would you not say, your offer is too higjh for us, but we really want your film, so here is our counter offer?

Something here is fishy. Could be wrong though.
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It's not really fishy not at all dishonest...personally I just am not into the b.s. way many independent distributors of films try to hawk their projects. Many sellers purposely overprice their film thinking the buyer will barter it way down in price. There's one very big seller at AFM that always asks 10 times more than what the license deal is worth and then immediately shaves 50% off...then 75%...and keeps getting cheaper until he's in the correct ballpark. That to me is dishonest. I'd rather just know the price upfront and be prepared to buy or pass. Think of it this way, when you go into a store or restaurant for the most part prices are posted...you'll know the can of coffee will set you back $4.99...I'd hate to have to negotiate back and forth on every item I buy at retail. The strategy may work for Taiwan street vendors or at a flea market but I'd rather know going in what the project will cost me. We've also sold at the markets like AFM and when I quote a potential buyer a price I always price it to be fair and for the most part, non negotiable.
 
Televista said:
Think of it this way, when you go into a store or restaurant for the most part prices are posted...you'll know the can of coffee will set you back $4.99...I'd hate to have to negotiate back and forth on every item I buy at retail.
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So we're just another Tall Latté to you guys...
 
Just one more point I'd like to make ten I'll keep quiet for a while...another big reason that we like to know the price upfront is also not to be time wasters...if I devote 90-120 minutes to watching a film only then to learn that the producer of the no-name, shot on DV film wants a million dollars for it I may have enjoyed the movie but business-wise I've just killed 2 hours. If you think my point is extreme, try going to Cannes sometime as a potential buyer. Lots and lots of films I've seen were great but the producers or reps just had unrealistic financial expectations for them. Contrary to what some on here might think we aren't in the business to buy films for peanuts -- our motto is that the films we do acquire the producers set the price on. Obviously if we buy it we are happy with the price and if the sellers came up with the price to begin with thn they should be happy as well.
 
-zach- said:
Okay. Fine, I agree.

Why were all those movies made over 20 years ago? (some over 30)
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Not all were but our company has had pretty good success releasing older films that people grew up with and know.
 
Televista said:
Think of it this way, when you go into a store or restaurant for the most part prices are posted...you'll know the can of coffee will set you back $4.99...I'd hate to have to negotiate back and forth on every item I buy at retail.
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See, it's exactly these sorts of rhetorical games that are not instilling confidence. That analogy is quite far from what is going on here.
Most here, as I am sure you must know, have no idea what their film is worth; you do. The worth of a cup of coffee is general knowledge.
There is unequal knowledge of the products worth - always a misfortunate outset going into any price negotiation.
Which, of course, is exactly why some here are calling it "fishy".

If you'd post some examples of what you paid some film's creators in the past with access to the films, one could gauge value.

You might have a great thing going on, but we can't tell.
 
vidled said:
See, it's exactly these sorts of rhetorical games that are not instilling confidence. That analogy is quite far from what is going on here.
Most here, as I am sure you must know, have no idea what their film is worth; you do. The worth of a cup of coffee is general knowledge.
There is unequal knowledge of the products worth - always a misfortunate outset going into any price negotiation.
Which, of course, is exactly why some here are calling it "fishy".

If you'd post some examples of what you paid some film's creators in the past with access to the films, one could gauge value.

You might have a great thing going on, but we can't tell.
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I understand your points. Let me explain, much of what we have bought to date have been films from established sellers or independent producers who have shot more than one project. You are probably correct in saying that many here on the forum may be unaware of what their film is worth. I do realize that now. If there is anybody here that even has a mild curiousity as to trying to sell us a film, but does not know the value or price to ask I will very gladly look at it and let them know what we think a fair price would be. We aren't going to screw anyone over. We're in the business of making money but we want to be fair to the filmmaker as well. If you want and if the filmmaker agrees I will even post my comments and offer here (if there is an offer) on the forum - then if anybody here thinks we are offering too little or too high they can comment.

Unfortunately the prices we have paid to other filmmakers is privileged knowledge so I can't give specific details. I can safely state though that I'm sure everybody is happy because a lot of what we acquire is from sellers who sold us one film, then approached us with a second project and then a third. When we find a seller we like we tend to stick with them for the long haul.
 
Televista said:
If there is anybody here that even has a mild curiousity as to trying to sell us a film, but does not know the value or price to ask I will very gladly look at it and let them know what we think a fair price would be.
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That is a sensible, realistic and fair suggestion.
:thumbsup:
 
Televista said:
We aren't going to screw anyone over. We're in the business of making money but we want to be fair to the filmmaker as well. If you want and if the filmmaker agrees I will even post my comments and offer here (if there is an offer) on the forum - then if anybody here thinks we are offering too little or too high they can comment.
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Now that you've got my attention... where do the films you distribute usually end up? I mean, just on the internet? In video stores? Could I see them being sold on a shelf and be like, "Hey, that's my movie! I'm not making any money for it anymore, but that box has my name on it!"
 
-zach- said:
Now that you've got my attention... where do the films you distribute usually end up? I mean, just on the internet? In video stores? Could I see them being sold on a shelf and be like, "Hey, that's my movie! I'm not making any money for it anymore, but that box has my name on it!"
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They end up on the internet such as amazon, netflix, etc. and in video stores and other retailers - Borders, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Fry's, FYE, Virgin and the like.
 
Televista said:
They end up on the internet such as amazon, netflix, etc. and in video stores and other retailers - Borders, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Fry's, FYE, Virgin and the like.
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I'll keep looking for your company when I'm in those stores. If I happen to see one, I'll seriously consider using you guys.
 
While I'm not familiar with the Televista company, I've known a few other distributors that offer a one time, up front payment for the rights to your work, opposed to receiving quarterly payments from sales as long as your product is selling.

$5k vs. $50k? what do you want?

sure those figures are just thrown in, but that's the kind of difference you could possibly see. [each case varies of course]
 
Call me crazy, but I don't see anything wrong with this deal at all. It's sort of like buying a car. I hate going to a car dealership where they start from the sticker price and we go through a lot of haggling back and forth until we finally wear each other down to a price that doesn't really make either of us happy. I much prefer to buy a car from Saturn or Carmax, where the seller says "This is how much I want for the car", and you either buy it or you walk away. It's simpler, more elegant, and less stressful all the way around.

Of course, there are people out there who simply hate to buy a car that way -- they want to haggle. And that's fine for them. There are certainly plenty of dealerships biting at the bit, waiting to play that game.

As for me, when I get 'Afterlife' completed, I'll certainly give Televista -- among others -- a crack at it.
 
Doing a Google search, I do see several films released by your company... but how is it that you don't have a website?

I don't care how legit a company is, I won't ever trust a non-retail operation until I can read all of their terms and conditions. Without a website, it takes a constant run-around to get information.

Don't mean to accuse you of anything, Televista, but you haven't given us a website, your name, a phone number, or really anything at all to work with.

Even on eBay or Craigslist there is a certain amount of info to consider when deciding to trust someone or not.
 
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