The Mystique of Distribution
Movie Distribution is like one of the 7 wonders of the world. They are usually located not close to where you are, a lot of people want to see them, and there is no guarantee that you will ever get to see one. So how do you break through the clutter?
Get the word out
The more press or “buzz” you can generate about your film, the better. It is especially effective if you can somehow generate a lot of positive reviews about the film prior to a film festival.
Film Festivals
A film festival is probably your best shot at getting a distributor to randomly view your film. Different film festivals attract different distributors.
Get lucky
This is the part where you rub the belly of the fat guy or the rabbit’s foot or wear your favorite gym shorts under your clothes. It is tough to tell what an audience is going to connect with in an independent film and if they do with yours and you get noticed, you may be on your way.
Tip#1:
Watch out for shady deals. Many film distributors will try to take all the profits from your film, especially if this is your first deal. Don’t fall for that offer. You need to get paid too! Work for a deal that benefits the both of you. Don’t just take a deal to get distributed.
Tip#2:
Watch out for deals offering you a percentage of the net, unless all the net expenses are defined up front. These expenses could greatly eat into your profits delivering you almost no money in the end from all your hard work. A percentage of the gross deal is always better than a net deal.
Tip#3:
Hire yourself a good entertainment lawyer who will read through the contract from a distributor and help you cut out the mess because you can guarantee that there will be a bunch of unwanted junk in the distribution contract.
Plan your next film
If you do get lucky enough to have a signed contract, build on that by planning your next script and film while the success of this one is in the minds of everyone.
Tip#4:
Hollywood doesn’t sleep and there is always someone out there trying to move in on the next deal. Make sure you have another script in your back pocket and ready to go on a moment’s notice.
Content sponsored and created by Studio Smithy, Inc. A Film and Commercial Production Company.
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