Rise of the Filmtrepreneur: How to Turn Your Independent Film into a Profitable Business by Alex Ferrari

Author:Alex Ferrari [Ferrari, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: IFH Books
Published: 2019-12-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Getting Your Film into the World

The legacy distribution system is not designed with the best interests of independent filmmakers in mind. It is designed to keep the pockets of the studios and film distributors full. Don’t forget they are a business and are generally designed to protect their own interests first and foremost.

Indie filmmakers have been told that the only way to make money with an independent film is to use a traditional film distributor, or even better, get purchased by a mini or major studio. If you have read this far in the book you know that is not true at all. Most filmmakers have no idea what to do when they get into distribution of their film.

Does a Filmtrepreneur need a traditional distributor? It depends on how you structure the deal. Traditional distributors generally have a large and established network of potential buyers for your film and multiple possible streams of revenue.

The problem is always the deal. Most distribution agreements are set up completely in the favor of the distributor. This makes sense, right? Distribution companies want to make as much money as it can from your product by giving you as little as they legally need to. Some of the agreements I’ve read are outright robbery.

If you approach a film distributor as if they were your only way to make money from your film project, which is how most filmmakers enter these deals, then you have no leverage at all. But if you approach a film distributor as a Filmtrepreneur and set up the deal as a partnership, which it should be, then you have a much better chance of being successful.

Having a film distributor be part of your larger Filmtrepreneurial strategy can be extremely helpful. If you have a hot film that the distributor knows it can make money with they might offer you an MG or Minimum Guarantee, which is an upfront payment to secure your film paid against future revenue. Don’t get too excited about this. MG’s are becoming harder and harder to come by.

With the oversaturation of film projects in the marketplace distributors don’t have to put out any cash to license films. To get an MG, your film has to be a surefire moneymaker in the eyes of the film distributor. If you are getting this type of offer that is a very good sign. Be warned that many times if you get an MG, that will be the last money you will ever see for your film. Again, it’s all how you structure the deal.

There are many benefits with working with a traditional film distribution company. Depending on the distributor you work with they can release your film theatrically, pay for advertising, through their contacts get you cable and paid television deals, DVD and Blu-Ray revenue, streaming offers, and generally get your film project out there in a bigger way than you could do alone.

If you are making the bulk of your money from other revenue streams you have created

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