FEATURE: STEP OFF (was "Battle") - Narrative Feature

Okay, while I'm thinking of it, here's a little tip on Foreign.

Assuming you've split your rights into Domestic and Foreign and they are separate:

Remember that some deliverables may vary. We had massive deliverables ready when we needed to deliver to Lionsgate and figured that we were set on them for any foreign deals. Well, they weren't major but there were slight differences in materials needed.

Also, of note, we had our sound mix re-done for the domestic release and needed to obtain it and re-synch it for our foreign master. So, this was a little time consuming coordinating with the west-coast post house and our local post to insure we got the right mix and could re-synch it for our foreign master. It did work fine and wasn't really a major issue, just time consuming working out all the details.

We needed more materials on our master as well because the foreign sales rep wanted to use elements from our "original" trailer and requested we put it on the master with separated tracks just like the movie itself (so, textless titles etc. for the trailer just like the movie).

The key to remember about this particular process is to have even more patience. I mean, it took us a long time to make our Domestic deal. Now, imagine that process starting all over again for more than 30 territories. That is a major reason we decided to go with a Rep. as we were thinking about trying to handle it directly. However, we were already putting our next project behind schedule as it was so we were happy to partner with a Rep.

So, I expect some news will surface early in the new year and I'll definitely report on how specific deals are handled.

Oh, one more tidbit, be ready to handle an additional agreement for foreign. There's the Sales Rep Agreement that is very similar to the acquisition agreement we made for domestic (it covers Reimbursement splits, term, etc.) but we also needed to enter into a Third Party Agreement as well between ourselves (producers), Sales Rep (distributor), and a third party payment administrator who will handle the transactional piece when deals are made and $ comes in from foreign territories. They will pay out to us and the distributor based on our agreement and take a small fee for their services, which include changing currency, etc.

So, be ready to study that as well (of course, lawyer up if you can).

Anyway, glad that y'all are still watching.

Be sure to keep up with blackhats too... blogpost coming soon.

-Martin
 
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Martay,

I see you're still hard at work during this holiday season. Thank you for the continued distro education. I'm hoping that it's worked out they way that you've wanted it to and hopefully the entire experience this year has you feeling that your team is better off than it was at this point last year. Also hoping that things are getting better for indies as a whole. More cameras are coming out month to month but they aren't necessarily getting any cheaper. Yet the less expensive tools are out there already and the means of making movies are there for the taking. In Houston, I won't say that much has changed. Still a lot of talent here but most people seem to be waiting for other people. Waiting for resources...Waiting for other people to initiate business. I'll stress that it's MOST people and not all. I teamed up with a guy and we had fun creating Superbowl ads for 7 days. He's pressed a few DVDs and distro'd through Best Buy online and Swisherhouse so he's definitely on the grind. Thus far, we both can learn from each other. By this time next year, I hope that we all have more positives than negatives. I'm still listening for your worldwide acceptance.

I think that I missed something about Black Hats. Did you decide that it is your next proj? Tieuel Legacy! in Motion
 
Martay,

I think that I missed something about Black Hats. Did you decide that it is your next proj? Tieuel Legacy! in Motion

Yeah, definitely. We're in Production right now. I've got a threat about it here and will be posting links to the blog in that thread but since you know me on facebook. Check my status...I got a pic up of us starting it off Sunday with a RED camera "in a boat" on the river.

I will definitely keep up with more Beat Battle (Step Off) news as it develops as well.

We're definitely better off this year than we were last year, still a hard grind to make indies but we're in better shape than ever at the moment and 2012 will be BIG for us in many ways I believe. blackhats will be 1st but we've got other plans as well. I've got hands in many pies at the moment and if even 33% pop off, I'll be a happy camper.

Thanks,

Martay
 
...Did I mention Patience? :)

Still awaiting completion of talks with several territories. Hope to have news soon...and can't wait to see foreign DVD covers :)

Thanks for continued interest...oh, and for those new...you can still get STEP OFF on Netflix and iTunes, Amazon, and more :)

-Martin
 
Black Hats

Black Hats

Without knowing anything about it, the mystery of it takes over. I'll head over to that thread.

I'm a month behind but I see the shot on Facebook. All of that weight...on a boat...in the water...in December. As Red says in Shawshank. "Brave souls."

It's exciting to hear about your journey in the other territories also. There's hope for indies past the Atlantic...or Pacific...whichever way you care to look at it.

Tieuel Legacy! in Motion
 

http://www.starz.com/titles/stepoff

Just found out that "Step Off" is on STARZ this month!!

I just missed a screening this afternoon (ended at 4:45pm) but it'll screen twice on 2/27.

So, please be sure to TUNE IN, DVR it!, or order it On Demand from STARZ!

Let's make it more popular than "Spartacus" this month :)

Anyway, that's the latest!

Thanks for those who've tuned in and supported this thread!

-Martin

 
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http://www.starz.com/titles/stepoff

Just found out that "Step Off" is on STARZ this month!!

I just missed a screening this afternoon (ended at 4:45pm) but it'll screen twice on 2/27.

So, please be sure to TUNE IN, DVR it!, or order it On Demand from STARZ!

Let's make it more popular than "Spartacus" this month :)

Anyway, that's the latest!

Thanks for those who've tuned in and supported this thread!

-Martin

When you click on that link, it doesn't look like anyone has rated it yet. You have to register to rate it but you may not have to be a starz customer to register.
 
When you click on that link, it doesn't look like anyone has rated it yet. You have to register to rate it but you may not have to be a starz customer to register.

Good idea. I didn't think about that. Thanks.

Also, found out it will play again twice on April 7th!

-Martin
 
Starz should be a good look. Are they promoting it with trailers? Did LionsGate cut their own trailers or still using your deliverables? Have they lived up to what they promised? Ya'll considered doing a part 2, right? Has LG mentioned a sequel? Tieuel Legacy! in Motion
 
Starz should be a good look. Are they promoting it with trailers? Did LionsGate cut their own trailers or still using your deliverables? Have they lived up to what they promised? Ya'll considered doing a part 2, right? Has LG mentioned a sequel? Tieuel Legacy! in Motion

Haven't seen any STARZ trailers yet.

But, yeah, Lionsgate cut a new trailer for "Step Off" if you compare our original trailer at our site www.battle-movie.com with the OFFICIAL STEP OFF trailer on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDPZS-dBbB4 you can see that they followed a similar format to ours but changed it up some as well especially adding the cool "Trailer Voice" guy to it. They also use music from the film in it whereas we created a special score for our original trailer which we'd done before we had a rough cut of the movie. When we first did the trailer we didn't know exactly what music would make the final movie so our composer did special music for the trailer itself.

Well, thus far they've lived up to it, we'll see as time goes by, we wish they'd get behind it even more but can't really complain as they've taken it where we wanted it. I mean, RedBox, Nationwide On DEMAND, now cable etc. I mean, it's definitely hitting the goals we had for the movie.

We have considered a Sequel, there hasn't really been any talk from them suggesting they are dying to have us do one though. We'll see on that note.

http://www.starz.com/titles/stepoff Looks like STARZ has added several APRIL showtimes thus far as well.

Remember to catch it MONDAY Feb. 27th at 1:05pm and 11:40pm and then in April on the 7th (2 showings), 8th (1), and 17th (2 showings).

-Martin
 
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Haven't seen any STARZ trailers yet.

But, yeah, Lionsgate cut a new trailer for "Step Off" if you compare our original trailer at our site www.battle-movie.com with the OFFICIAL STEP OFF trailer on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDPZS-dBbB4 you can see that they followed a similar format to ours but changed it up some as well especially adding the cool "Trailer Voice" guy to it. They also use music from the film in it whereas we created a special score for our original trailer which we'd done before we had a rough cut of the movie. When we first did the trailer we didn't know exactly what music would make the final movie so our composer did special music for the trailer itself.

Well, thus far they've lived up to it, we'll see as time goes by, we wish they'd get behind it even more but can't really complain as they've taken it where we wanted it. I mean, RedBox, Nationwide On DEMAND, now cable etc. I mean, it's definitely hitting the goals we had for the movie.

We have considered a Sequel, there hasn't really been any talk from them suggesting they are dying to have us do one though. We'll see on that note.

http://www.starz.com/titles/stepoff Looks like STARZ has added several APRIL showtimes thus far as well.

Remember to catch it MONDAY Feb. 27th at 1:05pm and 11:40pm and then in April on the 7th (2 showings), 8th (1), and 17th (2 showings).

-Martin

April 23rd (2 showings) too!

Sorry, it's not getting old to me yet :)

-M
 
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Have to bump this today! Monday Feb. 27th has arrived...Check out Starz in Black in your area at 1:05pm and 11:40pm :)

Thanks,

Martin
 
Man, you're on Starz?!! That's crazy-cool!! That's definitely major, so you should be stoked. If they got it in redbox, what about the other major retailers?
 
Man, you're on Starz?!! That's crazy-cool!! That's definitely major, so you should be stoked. If they got it in redbox, what about the other major retailers?

It was at all major retailers online stores but only consistently on shelves in places like Brandsmart, Frye's, and Movie Stop. Walmart it seemed to be in Rural Supercenters but not in average or urban area stores.

-M
 
I've been asked to speak on a Music Supervisor/Licensing Panel at the Atlanta Film Festival next week. Should be fun. I'm like the official "music in movies" producer in town after the Music Doc Beat Makers and the Hip-Hop Themed Step Off...hey, get in where you fit in, right?

If you're in the ATL, the festival has a really cool line-up this year starting Friday...you should look into it.

www.atlantafilmfestival.com

-Martin
 
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