Trials and tribulations of distribution...

Absolutely, things are moving along. Early August pickups and final filming, then we will have every piece of the puzzle done pretty shortly after that. There are some graphics to create as well. From that point we should have picture lock by late August I hope, honestly. I don't want to fuss with it forever. I have seen it a number of times already, and honed the scenes that needed some work, there is definitely more to do and I don't think we're that close to a final cut or picture lock yet, but in 5 weeks? Yeah, for sure. Then it'll go to sound, music, and color correction. We are working on finding a composer now and I'm told we have a meeting with a good one this week, so we'll see how that works out.

Our goal is finish it all off sometime in October, have it ready for AFM, but also it would be nice to get it done so we can send it to some festivals and get it out there. It really is a good, fun, funny film. It turned out so far very close to my vision for the film, which is tough to do on a small budget and with just a 12-day shoot.

This is our Facebook fan page, we haven't promoted it much yet: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amy-Alyson-Fans/132247883467797?ref=ts
 
Yes, we have distribution tentatively. I cannot speak publicly about it right now, though, as we're still in negotiations and have options open. We're trying to raise some P&A money, and have a tentative "yes," but again, don't want to jinx it, lol. If that's the case, if we raise the money that the investors say they can bring to the table, we could have a limited theatrical release. It's too early to talk about that, though, I'm still focusing on finishing the film.

We will have picture-lock next week, which is exciting for me. It has been an extremely tough last few weeks pulling together final elements, including some YouTube personalities who do video blog segments for the film (long a part of the script and concept, but hadn't been executed until recently, it was tough getting people on board for no pay!), then a lot of graphical elements including an opening title sequence I had to script myself, and a number of other graphics that were revised or added last-minute over pick-up footage we shot, etc. It has come together great, and I'm super excited, but also exhausted and ready to be done with it so I can relax a bit / reap the rewards down the road, haha. When we lock picture, we need to be done with the final cut by mid-November for American Film Market. At the very least, we will have a great trailer by that point, but the goal is to finish the film by then as well. The composer is doing some cues now, but without locked picture it's tough of course, so we are trying to nail that down by Wednesday of next week.
 
Jonathan ---Updates?

Jonathan ---Updates?

Jonathan,

Just curious how it is going. With respect to everyone, you seem to be one of the guys who is working on a type of project that is rubbing elbows with some players. In other words, your project has a chance to get some theatrical release, etc. I didn't know how quite to word that, but I think you get where I am coming from.

Any luck on theatrical or sales? AFM I heard is this week, right? Will you be there?

Thanks for the sharing!
 
Any feature can achieve limited theatrical release. There are service companies that depending on the project will charge anywhere from nothing to upwards of $50K to put you into two or three major regions for at least a week.
 
Awe i don't know about the 75k all said and done remark. Its all relative to the deal as far as im concerned. I mean you could just as easily apply that logic to the unending cost factors that ensure the profitability of distributers (to the 'so called actual' cost of the film.)

In my reality, the cost of the film is relative to the deal it wins/profit it makes me as a producer. As soon as it becomes a product within a byzantine system of profits/accounting and so forth, then real world costings vanish.
 
lawriejaffa said:
Awe i don't know about the 75k all said and done remark.
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Was this a response to me? That's pretty standard for theatrical releasing through companies like Freestyle Releasing. The point of that exercise isn't necessarily to make money theatrically. In fact, if you break even you probably did well. It's to build buzz for other channels like DVD, TV, and Cable VOD sales down the road.
 
Hey Snazzy - my response was in relation to the idea that El mariachi's real budget being 75k. As regards to your point about theatrical release (on an entirely different point in fact) then sure, yep thats what a lot of indies do as we know! It makes sense to me too.
 
I'll jump in as I had participated in this discussion some.

I missed the AFM this year as I was busy delivering on the U.S. & Canada deal we made for our movie "Battle". However, we're now courting companies with an eye toward having a foreign distributor or sales rep in time for Berlin's market as we still have all foreign territories available to us.

We won't go theatrical with "Battle" but we will be release through Lion's Gate on DVD and other outlets on March 15th...as "Step Off".

I have another film that is supposed to see limited theatrical early in the year from Roadside Attractions but I'm just the writer and got an Associate Producer credit. I haven't seen the firm date for that though. That film is called "Immigration Tango".

AFM is an important market for U.S. titles to find foreign distribution partners/deals...definitely hate to have missed it this year but delivering for a major was a chore.

-M
 
congrats Martin on your deal with Lions Gate. By any chance did you see any advance money upfront? seems to almost be an anomaly these days with the current economy.
 
FilmBoy77 said:
congrats Martin on your deal with Lions Gate. By any chance did you see any advance money upfront? seems to almost be an anomaly these days with the current economy.
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Yes we did and thankful for it. As it does seem to be an anomaly.

thanks,

-M
 
Martin is my hero!

I can't wait to join in this discussion after Superseeds is finished. We're halfway done with principal photography and then it's on to the dreaded post production schedule!

Talking about budgets is a hairy game: maybe one day after it's all said and done I can reveal the number.
 
Kholi said:
Talking about budgets is a hairy game: maybe one day after it's all said and done I can reveal the number.
Click to expand...

No need. Better left a mystery. Filmmakers you can wink at and hint at how low...everyone else needs to think it costs as much as it looks like it costs.

-M
 
To get distribution as an Indie is probably 50% self generated hype then 50% contacts/logistics and skilled presentation. Having a watchable movie is a minimum requirement. From experience i can tell you that your film does not require Oscar winning material to get signed but what it does require is a focused target demographic and all the elements that that particular demographic is interested in.

Film makers tend to make a drastic mistake in the assumption that the majority of film watchers are technical experts and anal carrot processing art critics. The truth is, Michael bay and Jerry Bruckheimer sell a lot more tickets than the average Oscar bait movie. they know what their audiences want and they give it to them in spades! critics HATE Michael Bay, yet he still gets to make Gazzillion dollar movies because he gives his target audience - teenage boys and older teenage boys (like me) - exactly what they want! Explosions, cool effects and maybe a bit of a story in there somewhere.

Back to 50% hype:
Distributors are not non-profit organizations. They couldn't give a Rat's Ass about the plight of the Indie film maker, they are focused on one thing and one thing only - PROFIT.

My first movie was average at best, some sexy cars, an FHM model or two and a couple of local celebs with a very weak story. We signed the distributor before we started shooting. After the first screenining, they informed us that the movie was crap. Then they proceeded to explain to us that they were still going to roll it out and would just spend more money on marketing because the opening weekend is not determined by the quality of the movie but by the quality of the marketing hype. Then they explained to us that if the movie did ok at Box office, people would buy the DVD out of sheer marketing pressure.
"If the marketing campaign says the movie is cool and it has all the elements desired by the target market, it will sell."

In essence, these guys generate their own hype!

So:

If you want your movie to be picked up faster and easier by distributors, don't bother sending them footage until you have spammed half the webisphere with trailers, press releases, EPK's (Electronic press kit with behind the scenes etc.) and generated at least a hundred thousand Youtube views on your teaser/trailer.

Make sure that your trailer has the bits your target market is interested in and FOCUS ON YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE! Don't waste your time trying to impress the chick flick lovers and art critics with a flash of your "epic writing skilz" and "holy crap thats awesome character development" moments. The target audience don't care and they all think critics are idiots just as much as you do. People read critical reviews in the same way you rubber neck at a traumatic accident scene. If critics had any kind of impact on box office, Michael Bay would be living in poverty. but they don't, so he aint!

If distributors can see that you understand your target audience, are generating hype directly at that audience and will not be slowed down by negative reviews, they will see you as a worthy investment.

My big shocker in dealing with distributors came when the CEO said to me: "We don't distribute movies, we distribute Actors, Directors and Genres".
She explained to me that people choose one of those three factors when deciding on physically getting off their chair, driving to the Cineplex and actually paying for a movie. They go to watch their favorite Actor, or a movie by the same guy who made the other movie they liked or a movie with all the elements they like.

If your name as a Director doesn't work, or you have no big name actors, then work like hell on the genre part and build hype around all the good bits.

The 50% Logistics:
A film maker who does not become a scientist at every level of pre, principle, post, marketing and distribution is like a blind man looking for a dollar note in a thorn bush!
Research, find mentors, offer your body if you have to! Do everything in your power to know the laws and principles involved in production, distribution and marketing or you will be poorer than Vanilla Ice (and just as clingy to 'old school principles')
Nuff said.

Contacts:
Dude. Don't burn bridges!
Suck up, be generous, be courteous, be respectful, be humble, be wise! Distributors love the 'Next big thing' attitude but they hate the 'Trust me, I know better' attitude. What you think makes a movie sell and what they KNOW makes a movie sell are two vastly different things. Humble pie might taste like poo but it makes great fertilizer for an amazing career! Contacts are everything in the business. Who you know and who they know can make your life a LOT easier!
 
Okay, just for a general update. "Step Off" was released yesterday. It can be found for online purchase at all major retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, FYE, etc.).

It can also be downloaded from your On Demand cable service providers such as COMCAST, Time Warner, Cox, Direct TV, and more.

It can also be downloaded in several formats from iTunes as well as rented at Redbox, Netflix, Blockbuster Online, and many independent movie rental stores.

So, please use your most convenient option and check it out if you can.

Thanks,

Martin Kelley
 
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