no name film

T

thesammyshow

Member
Okay, so to put it simply my question is, can a film be picked up for distribution, atleast a dvd deal, without any use of a name actor, only actors who are good at what they do but have yet to break. Considering the story is a good one of course and everything in the film is as good as it would be with a name actor.

can it be done and is it common?

thanks
 
Yes, but it's not common.

By "film" you mean feature film.

And if by picked up you mean a distributor paying you back your budget, no, it doesn't happen.

If the movie is good, a distributor can be found to pick up the film for no money upfront, and most likely you won't see a dime afterward.

Such a film, if you can make it for very little money, may become your calling card to distributors in the future, if the film is good. If it doesn't meet expectations of the industry, you can learn from the mistakes.

Also, such a film is the best way to learn about how to make movies.

Good luck.
 
there are lots of examples of `no name' indy movies making a splash. and many more examples of `no name' movies going nowhere (mine included) I always seem to get involved with people with some money who want to make their script without regard to genre or market, and that I think is the key.
If you have a big name star you can shoot anything you want and probably get a release and set the market. Otherwise I believe you have to feed the market.
when you provide the market with the type of product it wants you have a good chance of selling it. I'm firm that you need to do what any other manufacturer has to do, you need to look at whats selling and what the market is doing and go for that.
without a star or other production element you have to go with a genre.
so the short answer is yes you can.
 
thesammyshow said:
Okay, so to put it simply my question is, can a film be picked up for distribution, atleast a dvd deal, without any use of a name actor, only actors who are good at what they do but have yet to break. Considering the story is a good one of course and everything in the film is as good as it would be with a name actor.

can it be done and is it common?

thanks
Click to expand...

As filmman said, Yes. but it's more common than you think. Read the 24 Diary and it'll go more into depth. but the main thing is, small niche genre films get picked up all the time with no-body actors. But the larger the movie, the more payout - the more you need a name. And truth is, for your first feature you need to spend the smallest amount you can, make the best movie you can and please stay away from dramas and romance films! That will definately hurt you in the long run on your first movie with no-body actors.
 
thesammyshow said:
Okay, so to put it simply my question is, can a film be picked up for distribution, atleast a dvd deal, without any use of a name actor, only actors who are good at what they do but have yet to break. Considering the story is a good one of course and everything in the film is as good as it would be with a name actor.

can it be done and is it common?

thanks
Click to expand...

It can definitely happen. Now, making a deal and making money are two different animals as some have alluded to.

If costs were kept down enough and the film is marketable enough on its own merits, then money can be made.

It's pretty tough to find the right distributor fit though. Having "names" makes the movies more attractive to more potential distributors which enhances the odds of them "seeing" the market and taking it there.

When you've got a servicable film without names, it really takes an astute distributor to maximize that movie's potential.

You really have to ask what you would value?

Film A: No names good Drama, low budget (and shows not blatantly but you can tell)

Film B: Two Name Leads, Good Drama, decent budget (you can't see a difference from a studio film)

Which one are you renting? Honestly?

That's the choice of every consumer when it comes to your film without names. So that's the challenge of getting it out there.

-M
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top