The post below by Scott Berkun was recommended by IndieGoGo’s Danae Ringelmann (follow her on Twitter — she’s @gogodanae). It’s a kick-ass how-to that filmmakers can use when creating pitches to:
- convince financiers to fund your project
- convince name talent to cut their rate and star in your film
- convince theatre programmers to book your film
- convince your wife to let you go skiing with your high school buddies (did I think that or write that?)
Here’s the link:
I’ll be speaking at two different terrific events this weekend in Los Angeles:
On Saturday, at Scott Kirsner’s and Peter Broderick’s DISTRIBUTION U at USC’s Davidson Conference Center. I’ll be attending all day and leading a lunchtime discussion group on digital distribution. This is an event not to be missed, from two of the absolute authorities on independent distribution and audience-building.
Some tix are still available. If you’re on the fence, get off and join us!
Sunday, I’m moderating a panel at AFM for the International Documentary Association called, “The DIY Distribution Playbook - What’s Working Now, and What’s Coming Next.” Joining me on the panel will be:
Lisa Smithline, Producer; Marketing Strategist, Trouble the Water, Crips & Bloods, Dirt!
Matt Tyrnauer, Director, Valentino: The Last Emperor
Sacha Gervasi, Director, Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Scott Hamilton Kennedy, Director, The Garden
This one’s at 2:00pm at Le Merigot Hotel in Santa Monica.
If you’re in town, please stop by either event (or both) and say hi! They’re both sure to be chock full of actionable information.
Here’s a nice video morsel from my friends Scott Kirsner and Peter Broderick on ho independent film distribution will look in the future. Incidentally, if you’ll be in L.A. next week, I’ll be joining Scott and Peter for their Distribution U on the USC Campus. Click here for more info.
Here’s the video:
The Future of Indie Film Distribution: Peter Broderick on Vimeo
Jim Barratt at Bigger Picture Research has a nice roundup of how home entertainment is shaping up. I think this is where fortunes will be made: in predicting the consumer’s preference in the “converged” living room. Will we be watching movies via our Wii? Or will it be through our cable company’s “On Demand” menu? Or will it be through iTunes on our browser-enabled Best Buy Tv? Stay tuned…
IN today’s IndieWire, the great Peter Broderick gives us another lesson in DIY:
Declaration of Independence: The Ten Principles of Hybrid Distribution - indieWIRE.
On Digital Video’s DV.com last week, none other than the DIY authority Jon Reiss himself recommended www.Distribber.com as one of three companies for filmmakers to keep an eye on when looking to self-exploit digital rights.
Exciting to see the word getting out…!
DIY distribution hits the big time! This article was on the front page of the NY Times today:
As Studios Cut Budgets, Indie Filmmakers Go Do-It-Yourself - NYTimes.com.
I just finished my second reading of Scott Kirsner’s terrific Book, Fans, Friends & Followers: Building an Audience and a Creative Career in the Digital Age. It’s a compilation of interviews with lots of artists who are making a living right now by utilizing the latest audience-building techniques to get paid, without relying on middlemen, traditional distributors, or anyone else but their fans. Some great tips and lessons come from novelists and cartoonists, as well as filmmakers and musicians. It’s so full of must-read examples, all I can say is, you must read it.
This was a big week for Distribber.com! Our first two films went live on the iTunes Store:
Distribber's first title to go live on iTunes!
The terrific Sundance doc about Arthur “Killer” Kane, former bassist for the NY Dolls, turned Mormon church volunteer, called, appropriately, New York Doll,
And…
Runners High, the inspiring doc about an Oakland high school program that trains teens to run the L.A. marathon. It made me stand up and cheer.
I couldn’t be more proud of this milestone, and that we reached it so quickly and with such wonderful films and filmmakers. Thank you Justine Jacob, producer/director of Runners High, and Gary Rubin, CEO of First Independent Pics! You are both the class of our industry. Looking forward to working together on these and more projects for years to come.
I’ve been busy busy busy talking with several of the major digital delivery platforms about aggregating quality films for their sites, and should have 2 or 3 announcements to make in a few weeks.
I’m getting ready to overhaul the Distribber site to accommodate the needs and wants of… you! If you have any suggestions about how to improve the site, please either make a comment here or email me. Thank you everyone who has already weighed in on the Distribber site (I personally reached out to many filmmakers for frank input by phone and email, and I got clear, wonderfully helpful suggestions).