Trials and tribulations of distribution...

Why4009 said:
anyone having any luck with distibution? love to hear about it.
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Other than the movies previously discussed? Step Off has had luck...you can see several threads in Userfilms that have distribution angles, several different models. Stricken, Deuce of Spades, and No Greater Love and others. Also, several movies that will likely see Distribution...Superseeds among the more recent and popular discussions.

-M
 
Are distributors expecting microbudget films to arrive with a final sound mix these days? Or is that an expense best left for negotiations?
 
shutterspeedfilms said:
Are distributors expecting microbudget films to arrive with a final sound mix these days? Or is that an expense best left for negotiations?
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I think it depends but Distributors want a fully delivered feature whenever possible. However, larger ones have facilities that can handle some post-related functions but you will be charged. If they aren't paying for the film, then they may likely not be inclined to want to spend $ on a sound mix. If they are, then they'll be docking any up front movie for the expense of the sound mix or any deliverable items that you aren't able to provide.

-Martin
 
Hi good people. Just thought I would share an extended trailer to an indy feature I wrote and directed some years back but only got the funds recently to complete. There was a small distributor interested in releasing it on dvd but looks like they're all going to jail for embezzlement. Now starts the proccess of trying to find a distributor for this little film of mine.

http://vimeo.com/26183660
 
kevin baggott said:
Hi good people. Just thought I would share an extended trailer to an indy feature I wrote and directed some years back but only got the funds recently to complete. There was a small distributor interested in releasing it on dvd but looks like they're all going to jail for embezzlement. Now starts the proccess of trying to find a distributor for this little film of mine.

http://vimeo.com/26183660
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Kevin,

Good luck with finding a new distributor. You got some great press quotes for it. Should find a home.

Shoot me an email if you don't have luck soon: martin@cinematl.com

Looks like an interesting movie. I will say the trailer is a bit long though. You may want to cut one that is less than 2 minutes for ease of consumption by distributors you're going to target with your queries.

-Martin
 
Loving all the helpful info on here! For those of you still seeking distribution, I'll keep it plain and simple and get right to the point.

MouseTrap Films is a new distribution company based out of L.A., and we are currently seeking film festival selections that are in need of distribution. If you have a completed project that's screened at any festivals, we might be just what you're looking for. Check out the website for our submission form and contact details & swing by our Facebook page to say hi!

www.mousetrapfilms.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/MouseTrap-Films/271085326241295

Cheers!
 
Ben@MouseTrapFilms said:
Loving all the helpful info on here! For those of you still seeking distribution, I'll keep it plain and simple and get right to the point.

MouseTrap Films is a new distribution company based out of L.A., and we are currently seeking film festival selections that are in need of distribution. If you have a completed project that's screened at any festivals, we might be just what you're looking for. Check out the website for our submission form and contact details & swing by our Facebook page to say hi!


www.mousetrapfilms.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/MouseTrap-Films/271085326241295

Cheers!
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Thanks. Do you accept international submissions?
 
Why4009 said:
anyone having any luck with distibution? love to hear about it.
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We got distribution for The Return of Johnny V via Indican Pictures we sent a general inquiry for acquisition and mailed them a physical printed DVD Screener. In addition we sent them both a professional printed presskit and pdf version in our first email. There were no notable cast members and this was clearly an interest to the distribution company because it was a genre film. Action/Grindhouse. Overall I think the presentation caught their attention and the killer trailer. Also they already had a market they could exploit Grindhouse fans and Mexican-Americans. So they automatically knew they had an audience.

p.s. We were informed that the film would be promoted heavily at Comic Con which for a geek like me is pretty awesome.
 
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So far this process has been quite uninspiring. All mostly due to the very very dirtied pool of information. On one hand you hear things from filmmakers first hand that conflict with each other, and then you've got the consultation bloggers that conflict with each other, and sometimes contradict themselves.

It's so hard to find information from more than one source that reflects another.

The only consistent things are the same ol' "get a name".

And I havent' even really started yet....
 
distribution is hard for no named actors films, but it's feasible, my sales rep Phil Gorn recently did a low budget action/martial arts film and it got distributed many places (obviously it's a bit bias since it's his own movie and he would sell it more than any others). :) I have produced 4 features, 1 was never finished, the other 3 was repped and only one got several distribution deal (the latest was UK). I had 3 of my short films repped and synidacated world wide... but short film is just that, short, only one that made me profit so far.

With features, it was a long process and it is still going, I just went back and look at the film and lol I hated the look of it (mind you, it was shot in 2005 and finished in 2007), so I am doing some minor color corrections (now that i have better computers) and going to take it to a friend to do upres conversion and pal conversion for UK, this way it would get more attention in the future with other vendors (we lost a lot of opportunities due to a lawsuit - please do not ever hire friends that don't deliver and yet sue the heck out of you and then wanting to settle out of court after piling up over $250k in attorney fees)... An expensive learning process.

Making movie is just one of the battle, getting it shown is another, then getting it sold is the 'hardest' part, not only you have to deal with different territories and deliveries, you have to make sure they will not reject your film due to 'some technical issue that they can't resolve' ... (even though they've watched the film before buying it).

Also, sign up with good sales agent that will sell, I have two sales rep that I go to, and both have been extremely good to help me get some sales and I can actually see some $ coming in.
 
Yea, this is a tough issue. I finished my first feature when I was in college—this is 2010—got an agent in 2011 after a few festivals; he made a deal with Maverick Entertainment. The movie is called "Emulation," and it's now on Amazon. The difficulty is in getting the people who are "distributing" it, to take action. Most distributors are looking for a slam-dunk. You'll hear the excuse, "we're having a tough time because there are no stars in the film."

I'm starting to see that marketing involves a lot of creativity. Maybe even more than the film. Anyways—here is the trailer for "EMULATION." I made it for under $500.00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EvDy0ptChg
 
Distribution is a much harder road to travel than getting the movie made (hard to believe, but true). Theaters are all but impossible at this level, you are looking at DVD (now in the process of fading away). My target demographic, the faith based audience, primarily watches the disappearing DVD medium, not Blue Ray or VOD. If you do get DVD distribution (which we have done so far on all projects), there is the very distinct possibility that lots of stores will acquire your DVD, then it won't sell well, and many will be returned. If you've already been paid, or an advance has been made, you have a real problem. This is happening more often than not. I know of a recent situation where a half million dollars of a distributor's inventory were returned to the wholesalers by that big box retailer we all go to. You can imagine what this does to the bottom line.

Wish I had something more positive to say about the situation, but it's probably going to get worse before it gets better.
 
TomGetty88 said:
Yea, this is a tough issue. I finished my first feature when I was in college—this is 2010—got an agent in 2011 after a few festivals; he made a deal with Maverick Entertainment. The movie is called "Emulation," and it's now on Amazon. The difficulty is in getting the people who are "distributing" it, to take action. Most distributors are looking for a slam-dunk. You'll hear the excuse, "we're having a tough time because there are no stars in the film."

I'm starting to see that marketing involves a lot of creativity. Maybe even more than the film. Anyways—here is the trailer for "EMULATION." I made it for under $500.00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EvDy0ptChg
Click to expand...

Good trailer! I assume you mean you made the trailer for under $500, not the movie itself -- right?

Nice job!
 
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