I have had the good fortune to be involved in IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs for the past several years now and I have seen innumerable benefits to the films and filmmakers who participate.  The Labs provide an opportunity for first-time filmmakers to not only …]]>

Jon Reiss at the 2012 IFP Narrative Lab

I have had the good fortune to be involved in IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs for the past several years now and I have seen innumerable benefits to the films and filmmakers who participate.  The Labs provide an opportunity for first-time filmmakers to not only receive feedback on their films from their peers and experienced filmmakers but it is the first lab to prepare filmmakers for the essential work of distribution and marketing.

This year we launched the IFP PMD LAB (Producer of Marketing and Distribution) the first of its kind.  This year, the PMD Lab worked in conjunction with the Filmmaker Labs, with all the participating PMDs attached to a film in the Filmmaker Labs.

Since the end of the year if full of 10 best lists – I thought I would compile the 10 best results of the inaugural year of the PMD Lab.

1.  Defining What A PMD Is. I think this is of critical importance as this nascent crew position develops.   A PMD is not just a social media manager.  To be a PMD a person must be involved in all aspects of a film’s distribution and marketing, including audience identification and engagement, creating a distribution and marketing plan, budgeting that plan, creating marketing elements, creating and managing other assets to help promote the film, etc. All of this in concert with the filmmakers.    See this post for more.  I think the PMD trainees were amazed and excited about the scope of this position.

2.  Learning how to identify audience.  After understanding the goals of the team, the first assignment for the trainees was to identify the audience for their film.  Many of the films had already started this process in the spring Filmmaker Labs sessions.  But rarely do first-time filmmakers fully understand their audiences in the first go round.  It also takes time for the notion of niche vs. core audience to sink in – and how to view how audiences can expand from a core.

3.  Learning how to engage that audience.    This is a career-long process and can be daunting at first.   It is important again that it is not just about social media – we stress that it is crucial to know how each particular audience learns about films and then to target that source - influencers, social media, organizations, traditional media – whatever works.

4.  Develop marketing tools for the film (after understanding who the audience is).   We have the PMD trainees (and in fact all Lab films) create initial marketing materials most of which are essentials for a press kit: logline, one line synopsis, short synopsis, key art, website and, if possible and appropriate, trailer and social media sites.

5.  Workshop those marketing tools.   One my favorite parts of the Filmmaker Labs and PMD Labs are the Marketing Labs held right before IFPs Independent Film Week.  Each team presents the marketing plan for the film and it is workshopped with a panel of professionals.  Some heated discussions result.  The process either helps crystallize the beginnings of a plan for the team – or makes them realize they have a ways to go.  Either way I find that they are so much further along than most filmmakers by starting this process in post.

6.  Writing a distribution and marketing plan for their films.  The last assignment for the PMDs was to write a distribution and marketing plan for their films.  I am a broken record on this: every film is different and needs a unique plan.  It is essential that PMDs learn not only how to write these plans – but to understand all of the aspects contained within.  It is hard to teach this in a crash course (which we had in September and December).  But what I found most instructive was:

7.  Evaluating different distribution options.   In the December Distribution Labs, we had the opportunity to see each of the 20 filmmaking teams present their distribution plan, and to have that discussed by incredible experts in emerging distribution models. It became very apparent what types of distribution options are available to filmmakers and how those can be crafted for each individual film.

8. Learning how to budget that plan.   In order to execute a plan you have to figure out how much money you need to execute the plan.   Going through an extensive distribution and marketing budget can be daunting – but it is also important to know what you need to pay for in order to achieve that film’s goals.

9.  Creating a community of PMDs.  The trainees told me that one of the best outcomes of the PMD Lab was the community that they created amongst themselves.  While we had monthly phone sessions and 2 separate Lab meetings, the trainees would contact each other on a regular basis, which has continued even after the Lab’s completion.  They are even supporting other films from the Labs that did not have PMD trainees.   Several of the trainees have been so excited by the concept that they will be participating in the PMD website that we intend to put on the IFP site next year and to determine a way that PMDs around the world can find community (stay tuned!).

10.  Learning how to develop a career as a PMD.  This was a strong interest for the trainees – naturally.  What I stressed is that the PMD is just like any other film position.  You have to start small to build your way up – finding any way to gain experience.  Little by little filmmakers are realizing that they need to budget for this crew position.   One of the goals of the above mentioned site is to provide a centralized place that filmmakers can find PMDs for their projects.

If you think you can be a PMD please feel free to contact me so that I can keep you abreast of these developments.

Jon Reiss is a filmmaker, author and strategist who wrote the book Think Outside the Box Office and is the Director of the IPF PMD Lab. Follow  Like

I’m very fortunate to be friends with many accomplished independent film producers–people whose films have screened at the best festivals, won significant awards, gotten picked up by major distributors, earned healthy gross receipts, and …]]>

Summit of independent creative producers hosted by MoMA, Indiewire, and Zipline Entertainment in December 2009.

I’m very fortunate to be friends with many accomplished independent film producers–people whose films have screened at the best festivals, won significant awards, gotten picked up by major distributors, earned healthy gross receipts, and received accolades in the mainstream press.  We hang out sometimes, one-on-one or in groups, to catch each other up on our projects, share recent experiences, exchange opinions on companies and people we’ve worked with, etc.  But essentially, we get together for emotional support against an industry and an economy hostile to our work.  At any given time, half of us will have one foot out the door, ready to escape an occupation in which the appreciation and financial rewards we get have zero correlation with the insanely hard work we do and intense emotional stress we endure.

I was recently struck by three things I read that echoed some of these sentiments: Ted Hope’s forlorn blog post in which he catches up an old friend to where he is now, Brian Newman’s post about how YouTube stars are disrupting the old indie film model, and the Huffington Post article on Jay Van Hoy and Lars Knudsen.  I deduced a common theme running through all three: innovate or die.

Ted’s post lamented, “It is very frustrating watching what I love crumble away. I see many people with their fingers in the leaks, but few that want to build a new city higher up on the hill.” Brian said that filmmakers need to find innovative ways to connect to their audiences before the latter start to liken Sundance to the Metropolitan Opera, “a place you go to see a wonderful artform that you know you should respect, but that no one cares about anymore and which very few can afford to make or attend.” And the HuffPo article quoted Jay and Lars saying that too many indie producers “are too busy adapting when we should be innovating.” Film may be the new theater (or Metropolitan Opera), TV the new film, online streaming the new TV, but any way you frame it, the world of content creation, distribution, and consumption is changing–dramatically.

Independent producers are entrepreneurial by nature. Each feature film we undertake is a distinct startup, with rounds of financing to raise, a team to build, development and production phases, a launch (premiere), and an exit strategy (sale). We are, essentially, serial entrepreneurs, except–as a matter of survival–we have to run multiple businesses simultaneously, being in some combination of development, production, post, and distribution on different films, all at once. So why don’t we take our creativity, penchant for hard work, and entrepreneurial chutzpah, and put it all toward innovation?

Let’s figure out how to reconcile the artfully crafted 100-minute narrative with the public’s growing appetite for cheap and quick content.  Let’s make sense of the confusing array of social media and alternative distribution tools out there.  Let’s build on the examples set by folks like Louis C.K. and Ed Burns (except let’s try to remove the “be famous already” prerequisite to their success). Let’s see if we can’t operate outside Hollywood’s lottery system, outside its control, and sustain ourselves as “middle-class filmmakers” who continue to make films that speak to people.

If we don’t innovate the way we make and sell our movies, the independent film space will become further dominated by two groups: young first-time filmmakers who are willing and able to work for free (and who haven’t yet maxed out the favors they can call in), and filmmakers who are already rich and don’t need a paycheck or a return.  Writers, directors, and producers who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, those who are older, those from immigrant and minority groups, and those who are trying to make their second, third, fourth features (to which they could apply the expertise gained from making their previous ones) will leave the business–and the scope of stories being told will become severely limited.

Fellow producers, I know you’re busy. I know it’s hard to tread water in a vast sea of emails, calls, contracts, scripts, screeners, budgets, schedules, financing plans, accounting statements, tax filings. I know you’re juggling so many projects, you sometimes confuse the names of your protagonists. I know you wish you were doing a better job of absorbing the continuous stream of industry news. I know there are a ton of writers, directors, composers, actors, cinematographers knocking at your door, hoping to introduce you to their work and pick your brain (and I know you’d love to meet with many of them). I know you waste a lot of time talking to “potential financiers.” I know dealing with agents, managers, and lawyers exhausts you. I know it’s maddening to hustle for paid short-term gigs in the midst of prepping, posting, or delivering your feature, or traveling to festivals and markets. I know you never get enough sleep or have enough time with your loved ones.

But, my dear producer pals, the next time we meet up to kvetch about work and life, let’s put our  heads together and figure out how to sustain not only ourselves, but ultimately, the art that we love so dearly, and the diversity of artistic voices that make it. There is a better way, and we’ve got to find it soon.

I’ve been in theatrical distribution for 5 years (a short time by some standards), and have already seen the playing field shift dramatically.  5 years ago, I interned at a reputable distribution company that no longer exists. 3 years ago, I placed trailers in art house theaters that …]]> By Sara Kiener

I’ve been in theatrical distribution for 5 years (a short time by some standards), and have already seen the playing field shift dramatically.  5 years ago, I interned at a reputable distribution company that no longer exists. 3 years ago, I placed trailers in art house theaters that have since changed owners multiple times or…no longer exist. Throughout, I worked on great films that wouldn’t find their way to a theater today and I worked on campaigns that were banking on ad buys and (fingers crossed) strong reviews. Those days are over, for the most part. And I’ve joined the band of noisemakers encouraging filmmakers to consider alternative means of marketing and exhibition.

But my heart still belongs to the independent theaters, so I’m a bit torn.

That’s why I was so thrilled when I first read about Tugg in indieWIRE. Their mission couldn’t be more straightforward: “Tugg brings the movies you want, to your local theater,” yet its’ approach is up to speed with cutting edge social media tactics (crowdsourcing and crowdfunding are at the heart of their model).  Here’s how it works in a nutshell: a promoter or a hardcore fan can create an event at a theater, pick a date and time, and then they have to pre-sell a set number of tickets in order to lock-in the event. Everyone gets a percentage of the ticket sales (the filmmaker, the theater, Tugg and even the promoter!) so it’s win win. As an outreach gal, I was particularly interested in how this new model could lend itself to documentaries and niche issue narratives. So I put it to the test, and helped set up an event for Julie Wyman’s new film STRONG! about U.S. Olympian Cheryl Hayworth. I am thrilled with the results and can assure you that there are more screenings in the pipelines.

STRONG! Directed by Julie Wyman

So should you be thinking about TUGG? Does it make sense for your film? Here are some questions you should ask yourself before pulling the trigger:

*Does your film have a regional audience that is locatable and reachable?

*Do you feel confident that you and your team can locate regional partners and engage them?

*Do you have partners on board who want to help you spread the word but can’t support you financially (i.e., help pay for traditional theatrical distribution and/or pay rental fees)?

*Do you have your theatrical rights?

*Is your film being distributed in NYC and LA?  Do you know what to do with it regionally after that?

*Do you believe there’s a home and an audience for your film outside of or in addition to the classroom and the community center setting?

If the answer to most of the questions above is yes, then you should probably start looking into Tugg! Some other films are already hip to the approach and doing rather well. Here are a few examples:

#ReGENERATION
This documentary about the Occupy Wall Street movement (narrated by Ryan Gosling) had 10 screenings across the country over the course of one evening, promoted by the filmmakers themselves and people who had read a Huffington Post article about the film and wanted to get involved.  The screenings featured Q&As with the filmmakers as well as members of local communities including professors and figures of the Occupy movement.

ONE DAY ON EARTH
On Earth Day this documentary was shown throughout the US via Tugg.  It was filmed in every country across the globe over the course of one day — a crowd-sourced film utilized a crowd-source platform (Tugg) to play in theaters in 11 cities, selling over 1800 tickets without spending $1 on traditional marketing.

INCENDIARY
The filmmakers of this critically-acclaimed documentary about the death penalty have utilized Tugg to arrange screenings in partnership with death penalty orgs across the country.  To date, Tugg has provided theatrical showings of INCENDIARY in more than double the amount of markets it reached during its traditional theatrical run.

ECTASY OF ORDER: THE TETRIS MASTERS
There was a sold out show in Austin for a documentary called ECSTASY OF ORDER: THE TETRIS MASTERS about Tetris World Champions. The promoter, who saw the film at a festival and had to share it with his friends and community, arranged a unique screening through Tugg with an in-theater Tetris competition on the big screen following the film.  He has a great recap on the event here.

And this is just the beginning, IMHO. I’m really excited to see what other filmmakers and distributors do with this platform. If enough clever filmmakers and promoters dabble with Tugg, we may be looking at the next phase of theatrical distribution…one ticket at a time.

Not every director is suited for low-budget indie filmmaking, and that’s OK if you’re Terrence Malick or David Fincher. But chances are, you’re not…or not yet, anyway. I get a fair number of calls from biggish directors and producers who are having trouble raising money for their …]]>

Video Village, Indie-Style

Not every director is suited for low-budget indie filmmaking, and that’s OK if you’re Terrence Malick or David Fincher. But chances are, you’re not…or not yet, anyway. I get a fair number of calls from biggish directors and producers who are having trouble raising money for their films and want to explore how to make them on the super-cheap. I’ve entertained some of these requests, collecting funny anecdotes along the way, like the director who wanted to fly in stars from another country and rent large trailers for them, but forego unions and production insurance. Or the producer who wanted to cast an actor whose agent demanded $12,000 worth of perks, when our entire costume budget was just $4,000. As much as I want to work with these namey folks, I usually end up politely declining because I know that it will be difficult for them (and for me, especially) to make a movie on a fraction of the budgets to which they’re accustomed.

I’ve now worked with twenty different directors on mostly low-budget indie projects–some of whom I’d like to work with again and again; others, never again. By now, I can tell when a director is lying, even if he or she doesn’t realize it–”it’ll be 70% handheld,” “we can just run and gun it with a skeleton crew,” “all I need is an extra half day for second unit stuff.” Yeah, right. Most of the director foibles I’ve dealt with are due to inexperience and will likely resolve themselves with time. But sometimes, I wonder if some people just weren’t meant to direct–at least not low-budget indies.

So what are the traits that I think make a director “indie-friendly” (and more generally, “producer-friendly”)? Besides the usual traits that all directors should have–passion, confidence, focus, a high E.Q., a collaborative spirit, a sense of humor, the ability to command respect, an openness to feedback balanced with decisiveness–here are the traits that are especially important when working with limited resources:

1. Fast Writer

I’ve worked mostly with writer-directors, which offers an efficiency that’s often missing when the writer and director are different people. So much rewriting is done not just during development and prep, but also during production. Some of my directors have had to rewrite whole scenes minutes before shooting them. There is probably a lot more production-directed rewriting in the indie world since we are constantly trying to figure out how to stretch a budget. Development periods are also a lot shorter for us because they have to be–typically, no one gets paid during development; we only get paid if we’re in production. As such, it’s nice to work with speedy writers who can discuss, digest, and incorporate notes quickly to produce a shoppable draft.

2. Adaptive

Anything can happen in filmmaking, especially if you have limited resources–extras stand you up, location owners change their minds at the last minute, the G&E truck takes a wrong turn and shows up 2 hours late. So it’s critical for a director to be able to adapt to these exigent circumstances and figure out how to make lemonade from lemons. I’ve worked with directors who refused to shoot because a featured extra didn’t show up. Even after I’d come up with workable solutions, the directors still resisted, insisting that the entire film would be ruined without this extra. Really? You have a set, a camera, equipment, and a cast and crew of 50 at your fingertips, and you’re just going to cross your arms and pout? You’re a creative person…create something! If it ends up sucking, then reshoot it. But for now, use what’s right in front of you and try to make something. (By the way, I’ve never had to reshoot any scene that called for an unexpected last-minute fix like this.) Being adaptive and thinking on your feet also helps when there are happy accidents. Filmmaking is organic and unpredictable, and when the right mix of elements strikes on set, a good director will know how to capitalize on it.

3. Editing Experience

It is so valuable for a director to have editing experience because she or he will know on set what’s important and what’s not, what can be sacrificed and what can’t. Indie films are scheduled so tightly that it’s often very tough to make the day. All of my feature productions have been between 19 and 24 days, shooting between 4-7 pages and 15-35 setups per day. Sometimes, shots and even scenes have to be cut on the day of shooting. A director who also edits will have a much better sense of which shots are expendable, and how to make up for losing them.

4. Ability to Visualize

This seems obvious, doesn’t it? But you’d be surprised how many directors can’t do this. Many indie directors I’ve encountered come from writing or theater backgrounds–they can write great dialogue and work well with actors, but they have no idea how to compose a frame. Yes, this is what cinematographers are for, but it’s much more efficient when a director can actually visualize what shots will look like before crew and cast go through the trouble of setting them up.

5. Doesn’t Sweat the Small Stuff

This is probably the most controversial trait on the list. Artists are, by their nature, perfectionists–and they should be!  However, the reality is that perfection is tough to achieve on a small budget. Of course, we should always work very hard to achieve it, but the obsession over minor details–like the way a curtain drapes over a windowsill in the background–should not compromise more important things like the actors’ performances or the entire shooting schedule. Except, of course, if you’re making an art film in which the position of curtains is paramount. But if you’re making a traditional narrative film where the writing, acting, and storytelling are the main events, then those are the things you should focus on. A production’s budget and schedule are a zero-sum game. It’s rare to get everything you want; it’s usually very give-and-take. So it’s important for directors to choose their battles wisely.

6. Highly Prepared

One of my favorite first assistant directors, Nicolas D. Harvard, has a great motto: “Fix it in prep.” Indie films benefit immensely from directors who are incredibly diligent about doing research, shot lists, storyboards, and the like during prep. Some directors I’ve worked with have refused to do shot lists because they don’t want to be “locked in” to doing those particular shots on the day of shooting. This is silly because a good producer and crew understands the importance of being flexible on set and allowing for the organic nature of filmmaking to take its course, and would not pressure a director to stick strictly to his or her shot list. On the contrary, a shot list is what allows a director the freedom to improvise on the shoot day. Going into production without a shooting plan is very dangerous because it could easily throw the entire schedule (and consequently, the budget) off the rails.

7. Solid Work Ethic & High Stamina

Making a movie is hands down the hardest work I’ve ever done. That’s why I’m so picky with my projects. I cannot imagine working so hard on something I don’t care about. So when I take on a project, I expect to work very hard on it, and I expect no less of my director. Once, during late-stage prep on a film, the director kept checking into bars and restaurants on Foursquare, and tweeting about how much fun he was having hanging out with his friends. I did not like this one bit. If I and your crew are working our asses off on your film, then you should be too. Indie directors must have a very solid work ethic, and a high stamina for long hours spent doing what will likely be the most intellectually, physically, and emotionally challenging work they’ve ever done.

8. Vast Knowledge of Film

It’s important for all directors to know the language of cinema. By knowing what’s been done before and what certain shots have traditionally communicated, a director doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. He or she can then more easily pay homage to, do variations on, or reject conventions. Being able to refer to certain films, scenes, or shots also makes it much easier and quicker for a director to articulate his vision to the crew and cast.

9. Articulate

In all productions, but especially indie ones, a director often has to defend the creative decisions that conflict with budget or schedule limitations. As such, a director should be able to clearly articulate why he needs 5 picture cars instead of 2, or 21 shoot days instead of 20, or a Steadicam instead of doing it handheld. A good producer will listen and OK the expenditures if the director provides a strong rationale for them. Of course, it’s also beneficial when directors can clearly and efficiently communicate what they want to their actors and crew, and woo financiers with a pitch. Directors should practice untangling the creative jumble in their heads to form coherent thoughts and actionable requests (that, or find a producer who can translate for them).

10. Publicity-Friendly

Being articulate also helps when a director is promoting a film. Communicating your vision to the media and the public can be a difficult thing to do, especially if you can’t afford fancy publicists to guide you. Some directors I’ve worked with are great at making movies, but can’t write loglines or synopses, pitch their own films, or conduct coherent Q&As, so I’ll have to pinch hit. But it’s really nice when they can do these things, because no one cares about the producer! Distributors also expect directors to play an active role in film promotion, especially now that the landscape is so difficult, and so much rides on the cult of personality. Bonus points for the director who is active in social media. There is no substitute for authenticity, and when a director can tweet in his or her own voice, it generates a lot more interest and engagement.

11. Technically Adept

Knowing how to use Twitter and Facebook is part and parcel of the overall technical aptitude that’s important for an indie director to have. Indie directors and producers often have to be jacks of all trades–more so than ever now that so much of marketing and distribution falls on our shoulders. When you can’t pay your Web designer, graphic artist, or assistant editor enough to be on call (or when you can’t afford these folks in the first place), you should be prepared to do the job yourself. So if you have some spare time, learn how to use video editing, photo editing, illustration, and web design programs, and of course, social media tools. You should also try to stay abreast of the latest camera and post-production technologies because in indie land, post supervision often falls to you and your producer.

12. Appreciative

Directors can be spoiled, bratty, entitled people. There is no place for that in the low-budget world, where everyone is working very long hours at very reduced rates. Directors who consistently show appreciation and respect for their cast and crew effectively motivate them, and that motivation is necessary fuel for low-budget productions. The director–not the producers or the actors–is the one who ultimately sets the tone of the production. If he or she is an unappreciative jerk, then everyone is miserable and left to wonder what all the suffering is for. An appreciative director also shares the limelight, and gives credit where it is due. And if/when Hollywood comes a-callin’, an appreciative director will remember the “little people” and “give back” by continuing to work with those who believed in his or her vision before anyone else did.

So there you have it! If you don’t possess most of these traits, please don’t call me–unless you are David Fincher or Terrence Malick. Actually…no, never mind, not even then. I will just enjoy your brilliant films from afar.

If you made a film that’s on the US festival circuit this year, chances are that over the next two months, you’ll be headed to one of these …]]> (A Primer For Your Festival Tour, In Three Parts.)

Tribeca, Florida, Nashville, Atlanta, Sarasota, IFFBoston, Maryland, River Run, Ashland, HotDocs, BamCinemaFest, etc etc etc…

If you made a film that’s on the US festival circuit this year, chances are that over the next two months, you’ll be headed to one of these fests. Whether or not you are getting ready for a big premiere or just packing your bags for the next stop on your tour, be sure to make the most out of this festival run—after all, your film will only hit the circuit once. The direct marketing and outreach that you are doing during your tour is the key to your word of mouth publicity, and the relationships that you make while on the circuit can be instrumental in the reach of your current film, as well as lead to future opportunities.

There are times that I am so busy before I leave for a festival that I don’t start thinking about my plans until I get on a plane. While I certainly don’t recommend this strategy for festival preparation, I know that we all find ourselves in this situation once or twice. Even if you wait until the last minute to prepare, you can still accomplish most of the suggestions below. So as you pack your bags, bookmark this list. Even if you’ve traveled the circuit before, it may refresh your memory about what to expect and how to prepare.

Part I: Who is coming to see your movie in …..* ?

(*insert name of town that you have never visited)

A festival’s best efforts sometimes can’t compete with how you as a filmmaker can sell your own movie to the public. Even if you have a publicist, you still need to think about what you are doing to raise the profile of your film in the town that you are visiting.

What you can do:

1. Get the lay of the land. If you haven’t already, talk to the festival programmers or staff and find out about who attends the festival you are headed to. Is it students, professionals, grandmothers? Is your film going to be an “easy sell” on their regular filmgoers, or are they going to have to do a lot of legwork to get the right audience in the door? Find this out now so you can strategize.

2. Materials. Posters sell tickets. Postcards with your screening times also sell tickets. Make sure the festival has a poster and that you bring additional postcards with you to hand out and leave in local establishments. The reason that materials are so ubiquitous is that when used properly, they are actually effective.

3. Find out who does publicity for the festival and reach out to them, or stop by the festival’s press office when you arrive. The festival’s publicists can give you leads on which local publications, websites and radio stations might take the most interest in your film. If they haven’t specifically pitched anything on your film, you can always reach out to those outlets directly. Remember that a festival’s publicists are in charge of handling publicity for the entire festival, so be respectful of their time.

4. Outreach. If you know that your film is potentially a difficult sell, outreach can be more important than press mentions in terms of getting audiences in the door. Do a little research about what groups exist locally that you think would want to see your movie. Seek the festival’s help with this—in other words, ask questions like this: does the town have a comic book store? A poetry group? An active MoveOn.org meet up? Call and see if there is someone you can talk to personally at local organizations or businesses, see if you can drop off postcards. This research is best done before you arrive, but you can always do outreach on the ground. Don’t be afraid to talk to people when you arrive. If the festival is giving you a handful of tickets to your film, you can offer these around town. This can be one of the best ways to get people into the theater that will be most excited to be there. Think about it: aren’t you more inclined to show up at a movie when you are friendly with the director?

Part II: Get The Most Out of Your Trip

If you are spending your time, money and energy on supporting your film in a new locale, make sure you make your trip worth your while. A little preparation can go a long way. Consider the following:

1. Bring Screeners. Consider having some screeners on hand for press and industry that you want to see your film. They might have obligations that prevent them from attending your screening.

2. Plan your trip around key festival events in addition to your screenings. Make sure you don’t miss out on the most interesting opportunities that you have as a festival filmmaker. If the festival doesn’t communicate festival highlights to you, ask some questions. Is the festival known for a key event that is not-to-miss? Are there specific events when you would have the best opportunities to mix and mingle with other filmmakers and industry attendees?

3. Read the festival’s welcome letter. I’m a festival programmer. I know that most filmmakers don’t read my emails once their film is confirmed. I spend a lot of time answering questions that are clearly answered in materials that we send out with each film invitation. While I understand it is easy to ignore our emails since you are planning to “figure it all out when you get here,” you will be better off if you review everything that we have sent you about attending. That way you won’t miss out on important things like redeeming your advance tickets to the films you want to see, and finding out where all the free Stella Artois is located.

Part III:  Beginners Only

Is this your first time on the festival circuit? Read on.  

1.   Plan to see movies.  Don’t spend all your time stressing about your own screenings or drinking the free Stella.  Go see other people’s movies, as many as you have time to see.  Films and filmmakers are the heart of any festival and if you are not in the theater, you’ll be missing out on the conversation.

2.    Go out.  Put your (polite and friendly) game face on. Even if you don’t consider yourself a joiner, meeting new and interesting people is one of the best parts of a festival tour.  Don’t think about the festival as a schmooze fest. Just be yourself and come prepared to socialize. You’ll have a better time.

For the past six months, my company, Hybrid Cinema, has been working on the release of Bob Hercules’s new documentary film Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance,about the history of the Joffrey ballet. This is a capsule post to explain the highlights of launching a documentary into the …]]> Written with Sheri Candler

For the past six months, my company, Hybrid Cinema, has been working on the release of Bob Hercules’s new documentary film Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance,about the history of the Joffrey ballet. This is a capsule post to explain the highlights of launching a documentary into the marketplace when working with a modest budget. Future posts will go more in depth on certain aspects of this release.

With at least 35,000 feature films on the film festival circuit every year, by some estimates, very few films are going to premiere at one of the top 5 film festivals. When that happens, filmmakers need to decide what is the best launch for their film. We concluded that in the case of the Joffrey film (and we feel that this is the case for many films), some form of robust live event premiere would help to create awareness for the film in the over-saturated media landscape. Live events are great publicity generators, allowing you to focus marketing efforts on a specific event. Festivals are great partners for these types of events – even if you don’t get into a top 10 festival – because you can create a unique experience by partnering with open minded and adventurous festival that is already connected to press and audiences.

In creating a live event premiere, you need to consider the following:

1. A premiere that will reach your audience.

Very early in creating our distribution strategy, we identified ballet fans (and more specifically fans of the Joffrey ballet and even more specifically the alumni of the Joffrey ballet-more on audience identification in a later post) as the natural audience for Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance. Sure, there are other audiences for a film like this – but it is essential to go after who will be the most passionate about seeing the film. For this reason, we targeted the Dance on Camera Film Festival which not only is one of the premiere dance film festivals in the world, it is based in New York City – the birthplace of the Joffrey ballet and the center of the dance world in the United States.

2. Creating an event that will garner attention for your film.

Festivals have many films to care for and promote as well as promoting the brand of the festival in general and often they have a small staff to accomplish all of this. There is a lot for the media to choose from for coverage. What will make your film unique and interesting to cover? We decided early on to partner with Emerging Pictures to simulcast the screening of Joffrey at the DOC festival not only to reach a nationwide audience, but to create a larger story for the press to pay attention to. Emerging was a natural choice because they screen live ballet performances from Europe through a digital network of cinemas throughout the US, so their cinemas already have an audience for this type of programming. They also have the technology in place at Lincoln Center that enables a netcast to happen so the venue and the festival wouldn’t have to figure out the logistics of the simulcast.

Even though a festival premiere is an event in and of itself, that is not always enough to attract attention from the media or from audiences. You should always strive to create your live events to be as unique as possible, both from the perspective of media coverage and from the perspective of the audience, to create that need to attend. Many subjects in the Joffrey film are iconic dancers in the ballet world, what ballet fan would not want to interact with them? We created a post screening panel of former dancers that the audience in the theater could interact with and meet after the screening, but we also enabled audiences even across the country the ability to interact as well. Having this panel discussion netcast live to theaters around the country allowed audiences in to ask questions of this panel as well as interact with each other via Twitter using the hashtag #joffreymovie – creating a unique event not only in the Walter Reade Theater in New York City, but in 44 other cities around the country at the same time. This is also a unique event for media coverage because so few films take advantage of the technology today that enables something like this to happen and having such a concentration of iconic dancers in one place makes this newsworthy.

3. The budget you have to work with.

We have a modest budget for the release of Joffrey so we had to do a lot with limited means. We have a small staff handling publicity, audience outreach, booking screenings and organizing merchandise sales. Bearing this in mind, we needed the most bang for the effort because we launched the film into the market during our festival premiere. We won’t have separate budgets for festival publicity and then release publicity in order to start selling.

Utilizing the Emerging network only costs at most $1000 (which can be taken off the top). Similar satellite systems through companies like Fathom and Cinedigm can cost $75,000 to $250,000 because of the cost in satellite time.

In addition, by covering much of the country at the same time – it allowed us to pursue reviews and articles in multiple markets – thereby most effective use of our publicity budget.

4. Creating assets before and during the release.

In another post, we will talk at length about the need for additional media assets to promote your film and all of the ways we have done this. One way that you can garner additional assets during release is by filming and documenting your events.

You want to film the event itself – outside the theater, crowd shots, audience arriving at seats, applause, the audience watching the film during the screening and the entire Q&A. Very important to capture audience expectation before and reaction after the screening. I recommend having two cameras so that one can be filming the Q&A and the other filming the crowd reaction outside. You also want a photographer shooting the event if possible.

What you film can be utilized in a number of ways:

• Short promotional videos that you can release on your Youtube channel to promote the film. For the premiere we created two videos. The first is about the film, opening night and audience reaction.http://youtu.be/7-glGz6lgWw

The second piece which we are now premiering with this article concerns the simulcast of the film and the audience participation.

• Still photography of the people and personalities at the event (especially those that are interesting to your core audience and some that may be interesting to society pages and other publications).
• Longer pieces of the Q&A panel discussion or even of just the filmmakers in conversation. You can use these on your extra features. Since our extra features have already been locked and since we have received numerous requests from people around the country to see these panels, we are going to put the full-length panel discussions up on the web on Distrify and charge a dollar or two for the viewing as an additional revenue stream.

5. The need to have the next steps planned.

Many times filmmakers are so busy planning their premiere, they neglect to prepare for what will happen after this. Where will all of this publicity attention go? In the past, they hoped it led to a distribution deal, but that cannot be relied upon now. There is no reason that direct distribution should not be the next step and that some kind of event theatrical screenings can be booked. In the lead up and following our premiere, we have booked over 20 other screenings and we continue to set up screenings. We also launched our online store just after the premiere and have sold several thousand dollars in DVDs/merchandise. Don’t let the efforts and the financial resources you put into the premiere stall out from waiting. In a future post, we will talk about how we prepared for sales by setting up the web store and creating the merchandise.

The Results

We ended up screening in 45 cities throughout the US to launch the release of the film. A number of these screenings actually sold out. We received press articles and reviews in a number of major markets (even though the film was only screening once). Through TweetReach, we were able to quantify the exposure via Twitter for the event. According to our TweetReach report, our hashtag #joffreymovie reached 200,549 people through 270 tweets just on that day. Some of the comments we received through twitter:

“#JoffreyMovie Santa Fe, NM – our audience loved it, thank you so much! congrats on premiering a new, high tech way of running a Q&A!”

“@JoffreyMovie #joffreymovie It’s insightful, performance history is fantastic. pic.twitter.com/tBeFP9IN.”

“The excellent #joffreymovie & panel yesterday @danceoncamera made me wistful for @joffreyballet of old. I loved taking class w Mr. Joffrey.”

The release continues and we will provide some in depth posts on this site of the different methods we have used to reach audiences and generate awareness and sales for the film.

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About Co-Author Sheri Candler

Sheri Candler is an inbound marketing strategist for independent films. Through the use of content marketing tools such as social networking, podcasts, blogs, and online media publications, as well as relationship building with organizations & influencers, she assists filmmakers in building an engaged & robust online community for their work that will help develop and sustain their careers. Currently, she is working with Hybrid Cinema to release the documentary film Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, a history of the Joffrey Ballet. She can be reached on Facebook, on Twitter and on Google Plus.

I had a disappointing experience the other day. After ordering a DVD of one of my favorite indie filmmaker’s latest works, I popped it in my DVD player. I was excited to discover what extra goodies might await me on the disc. I was soon greeted …]]>

I had a disappointing experience the other day. After ordering a DVD of one of my favorite indie filmmaker’s latest works, I popped it in my DVD player. I was excited to discover what extra goodies might await me on the disc. I was soon greeted by a black screen and a single, solitary ‘Play’ button.

This isn’t the first time this has happened, and it always baffles me. Sure, physical media is dead, etcetera etcetera, we’ve heard it all before. But producing a DVD is still a great way for a filmmaker to capitalize on his or her creation. It makes your work into a physical product that movie buffs can add to their shelves and gives your fans an excuse to show their support with their wallets. Why not put a little more care into it?

Who cares?

Well you should, first of all. But you’re probably asking yourself who would possibly care to see all of this extra stuff about your movie. Not everyone. But don’t do it for everyone. Make the DVD for your future fans. Approach it from the perspective of a film historian and give them everything they could possibly want.

Treat your movie like it’s for the most important film in the world. You should make it the resource for your film, packed to the brim with extra content. Widely available software like Apple’s DVD Studio Pro and Adobe Encore make it easy to author a professional-caliber disc. Tutorials on the ins-and-outs of the software are a Google search away.

Behind-the-scenes

Be thinking about your assets while you’re making the movie. Don’t let it get in the way of anything, but keep it in mind. Having a production meeting? Someone surely has a Flip camera or an iPhone. Let it run in the corner. You’ll thank yourself later when you realize that your genuine reaction to the news of that sudden production cataclysm was caught on video. That’s the stuff that great behind-the-scenes docs are made of.

For the DVD of my first feature, The Lionshare, I remembered a documentary I had seen called Steal This Film that had a lot of themes in common with the movie. They also had made their raw interview footage available freely on their website. I was able to comb through it and edit a featurette that illustrated points as they related to the film. And it looks like I spent a lot of time and effort to make it especially for the disc when it really just took me the better part of an afternoon.

Frame the Conversation

Now, you may think this isn’t your job. You’ve already done your job, and the film should speak for itself. This is still true. But think of the DVD not as a simple product or a marketing tool. Think of it as a companion to the piece itself. It should be an experience that complements the work. You have an opportunity to frame the conversation, and this will affect how your film is received.

A commentary is a great, easy, and fun way to provide context. Get key cast and crew involved. Invite them over with popcorn and beer while you discuss the movie as it plays. Encourage people to be frank with their opinions. There’s nothing more fascinating than hearing the creators discuss what they didn’t like, or how things took an unexpected turn from the original intention.  You might even learn things about the film you didn’t realize yourself!

You also may be surprised at the closure this gives you on the work. It’ll feel like you’ve put it to bed, so to speak.

Extra Extras

You probably have more material than you realize if you just give it a little thought. All those iPhone photos people snapped on set and uploaded to Facebook? Throw them all into a slideshow set to music. Adobe Encore and DVD Studio Pro make this so easy you might as well do it if you have the pics.

Undoubtedly there’s a script and a soundtrack for the film. Put them in the DVD-ROM folder that people can access when they put the disc in their computer as a PDF and MP3. Extra value for work that’s already been done. (Note: if you didn’t write the script or compose the music, be sure you have permission to include these materials.)

And then there are the infamous Easter Eggs. Those fun bits and bobs that don’t quite fit anywhere else, hidden in the menus. Bloopers are great for this, especially if you don’t have the time (or desire) to create a whole reel. Create an invisible button accessible only by taking an unexpected turn on the menu. People love it when they find these hidden features, no matter what they are.

Then what?

Once you’ve authored your disc and burned copies for friends to test in their various players, it’s time to sell the thing. There are several ways to go about this.

A print-on-demand service like Amazon’s Create Space is easy and hassle free. You send them your burned disc and artwork, and after a proofing process, they make yourDVD available for sale on Amazon.com. They take a significant cut of the sale, but you are allowed to set the mark-up at whatever you like. And it’s worth it to be able to tell someone they can search for your title on Amazon.com.

There’s also the option of having the discs duplicated in bulk from a company like Discmakers. Keep some or all to sell yourself at screenings and events. If demand starts small, you’ll be able to take orders on your own website and mail them out yourself. If this gets to be too much to handle, you can use a fulfillment service like Amazon Sellers. For a fee they will stock your units and fulfill the orders for you.

Digital media has been a great thing for film and filmmakers. But it’s created a world saturated with media that’s arguably perceived as disposable and ephemeral. Curators (but not gatekeepers) are more important than ever. Give someone a reason to care. Make your film a physical artifact.

From the 2011 Independent Filmmaker Conference.

Hi, everyone. I’ll be doing a little blogging for IFP from now on. A little background on myself: When I lived in Florida, I wrote, directed, produced, edited, and acted in a no-budget comedy called New Low, which played in the inaugural NEXT <=> section at the 2010 Sundance Film …]]>

Hi, everyone. I’ll be doing a little blogging for IFP from now on. A little background on myself: When I lived in Florida, I wrote, directed, produced, edited, and acted in a no-budget comedy called New Low, which played in the inaugural NEXT <=> section at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and got me put on Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film the same year. Since then, I’ve made millions of dollars and now live in a mansion whose foundation is literally built on the backs of indigenous poor people. Well, I guess that’s a slight exaggeration: I live just above the poverty line in a poorly ventilated apartment in Los Angeles. Tomato, to-mah-to.

I’m currently gearing up for my second feature, We’re A Wasteland, which I wrote, and will direct, act in, and probably edit. Wasteland is being produced by Adele Romanski (however you just pronounced that in your head was wrong), a real firecracker of a producer who I was lucky enough to meet at Sundance, and Brad Petrigala, who is also the manager I got from my Sundance-related exposure. Be careful about too much Sundance exposure, by the way. You know, because of the U-V… nevermind.

“But,” you say, “why are you here, telling me all this, you skinny loser?” To which I’ll reply, “I’m trying to gain weight, so I’d appreciate your support.” To answer your actual question, though, Wasteland was selected for the Emerging Narratives section in IFP’s 2011 Project Forum, and I was also chosen to be a part of IFP’s first-ever Emerging Visions program in October… most likely because they were so impressed with how much of a skinny loser I am (it takes a lot of effort).

Because I live in Los Angeles instead of New York, my experiences with IFP have so far been unfortunately limited to those two events, so IFP is quickly becoming “that organization that sends me emails about all of the cool things they’re doing just as a big tease.” Just like my ex-girlfriend, it seems like they’re telling me about their exciting new lives with some guy named “Kevin” just to torture me.

Still, I’m excited for this blog: it’ll give me a chance to share my experiences as I get my first film with a budget off the ground, give me a chance to communicate with other filmmakers, young and old, and provide me with the perfect soapbox to go on a ton of racist, sexist, homophobic rants (only two of these things will actually happen, but you’ll have to wait and see which).

To start things off, I’ll tell a story about something that happened to me recently. I was obviously incredibly lucky to get to be a part of Sundance, and that’s opened pretty much every door that would have otherwise been dead-bolted shut forever, due to what people who defend me to others call “personality flaws.” One of these doors has led to a couple offers to direct projects that aren’t my own.

The first time was shortly after Sundance, when I was approached about shooting the adaptation of a novel. I read the novel and liked it, so, of course, the project immediately fell apart. Perhaps I was like Lenny in Of Mice And Men, I wondered (but, just the part about him being an overgrown idiot). “C’est la vie,” I said… which I’m pretty sure is Latin for “That was a real kick in the crotch.”

The second time happened very recently. I was asked if I wanted to shoot a script that had most of its financing ready to go. I got excited: I could have finally stopped slogging away on my “passion project,” whatever that means, and totally sold out for a relatively small amount of money. It had always been my dream. So, I read the script, which I would describe as The Social Network of movies that are like Weekend at Bernie’s. It seemed to be the scientifically exact opposite of my voice and the type of movies I wanted to make. I was bummed out: I couldn’t put my name on something I didn’t love, and I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to make it work. It’d be like if the school nerd had to give a presentation on why it’s great to have huge muscles and a hot girlfriend; he might be able to get through it without having an asthma attack, but nobody would buy it.

Still, should I take the job? We are in a recession, for god’s sake (or, are we not? It’s like, “Make up your mind already, economy, or should I say ‘Ross and Rachel,’ will-they-or-won’t-they, haha lol what’s this gun doing in my mouth”). I talked it over with my manager, and we decided that I’d rather continue to be broke than make a movie that might change the type of career I’d have. Sure, I could become a director-for-hire and make mediocre comedies that are easily forgotten, but I want to make my mediocre comedies that are easily forgotten.

So, I decided to pass; to continue my life of going out to restaurants with friends, not ordering anything, and then asking everyone at the table if they’re planning on taking that home with them. Luckily, things have been moving along with Wasteland, though. If things continue at the same pace as they have been, I’ll be able to make the project I really care about, which is more than I could ask for.

It might not be my dream of becoming a complete sell-out hack as quickly as possible, but it’s definitely not a bad alternative.

At first I felt like I had to be the sole activist and travel with my BODY TYPED series– hosting screenings and leading workshops. But I soon realized that this might not be the only way to go – and my goal now is to …]]> Screenings and “FILMS IN ACTION” videos:

At first I felt like I had to be the sole activist and travel with my BODY TYPED series– hosting screenings and leading workshops. But I soon realized that this might not be the only way to go – and my goal now is to also hook up with already existing organizations and plug the films into the work that they are already doing. So, I’ve decided to produce a series of short videos that show activists and educators using the films in creative ways. They are sort of video activity guides – and were really fun to produce.

As I started this process, I began thinking about the first film in the series WET DREAMS AND FALSE IMAGES –it’s about a barber learning about photo-retouching. Since barbers have so many men and boys sitting in their chairs everyday, they really have a chance to have a lot of influence. So why not host a screening/ discussion in the barbershop…

Dee Dee the barber & his sister Daralee

Dee Dee, the main “subject” (or better as they say in the UK “contributor”) just opened up a new barbershop with the help of his sister, a Brooklyn high school teacher – so I went by and talked to them about the idea of hosting a screening. They were excited about doing it in their new shop, Fade 2 Famous, and about inviting people they know.

I thought about it, and realized that I didn’t want to be the one leading the post screening discussions, and it would be better if it came from the community directly – so I got a team together to do a panel – Daralee Vazquez (Dee-Dee’s siter), Dee-Dee and Raid (two of the barbers from the film), and Quentin Wilcott from Connnect NYC, an organization that leads violence prevention workshops with boys and men. So, people were on board and I was relieved that stuff was in motion and that I really didn’t have to make it all happen on my own. Now it was their event and I was basically going to focus on filming it. We did send emails back and forth and came up with discussion questions – but mostly I let them run with it and decide what key issues were that they wanted to talk about with their community.

I decided to stick with what was a more natural role for me and organize a film crew to come tape the event. And, I’ll admit I was a little overboard on covering it in terms of sound – we had two booms and 3 wireless mikes. But, I wanted it to be covered, and am thinking that some of the footage might eventually get used as a new ending for the longer project (I’m currently at the fine-cut stage of putting all three films together).

Promoting the screening:
So the barbers started organizing the screening — using Facebook to reach out to people in the community, and Dee Dee was able to get a shout out on Hot 97 (since he cuts a DJ’s hair). They also sent texts and emails, and I made small flyers that they gave to customers at the barbershop.

The results: FILMS IN ACTION #2: Media Literacy in the Barbershop

Here’s the video we produced of the screening (Dee Dee’s mother even made empanadas for the event). The post screening discussion really blew me away and there is only a portion in the video but I had to keep it relatively short.

After this screening I decided to reach out to Power Writers at the Nuyorican Poets Café to show that films can be integrated into writing workshops too.
Here’s the video:

FILMS IN ACTION #1: Watch. Write. Read.

Next up is to finish making a website…..

Over-n-out for now,
Jesse

Given that this question came up so often, we thought it might …]]> During last month’s Independent Film Week, we met with many filmmakers – both new and experienced – who wanted to know:  “What can I do now [in pre-pro or during production] to help market my film when it’s done?”

Given that this question came up so often, we thought it might be helpful to share some thoughts on the topic for this month’s post.

You’ve probably heard marketing experts in the film industry talk about the “core” audience for a film.   We’re no different.  We believe in starting the marketing process with your “core.”  But who is that?  How do you know who they are?   At CrowdStarter, in all of our proposals to prospective clients, we describe the core as those people “who will be attracted to the film unaided.”  In other words, they are just like an apple core, the innermost circle, closest to the seeds (you’re the seeds, by the way).  They don’t need to know much about your feature or documentary to know that they want to see it.  And that can be for any reason:  they are engaged in the topic of your film, they are huge fans of an actor in your film, they are devoted to the band on your soundtrack, you filmed in their backyard, their cousin is in the crowd scene, they are related to you, they are married to you.  ANY reason.

So, everyone who read your script, everyone who gave you money, everyone who loaned you something or some place so you could audition actors, or shoot scenes, or make copies, or buy pizza for the crew, all of those people are the beginning of your “core.”  And in this age of social networking, every one of those people represents not only themselves, but all of their Facebook friends or their Twitter followers.  That number starts getting pretty big when you think about all the people you know and who you encountered while making your film, and then all of your cast and crew and all the people they know and all the people they encountered while making the film.

You don’t have to be an expert in database management to make sure you keep track of who all those people are and how to reach them.  Sure, in an ideal world, you have a database and the ability to capture names on your website which you created WAY before you even started production.  But who are we kidding, right?  If you’re not that buttoned up, then start by making an Excel spreadsheet that has everyone’s name, their affiliation with the film and their email address.  If you, or one of your interns, are diligent about adding names in every day, you’ll be amazed at how big that list is by the time you wrap production.

Ok, now add to that all of the companies and organizations and clubs and towns and groups you encountered during the pre-pro and production process – make sure you know how to reach them later because you will need them.  Keep them posted on the progress of the film.  There are dozens of email blast programs available that are cheap or free (MailChimp comes to mind) – put out a little e-newsletter every two weeks or so.  Doesn’t have to be fancy, but make sure that all those “core” audience people are up to date so that when you really need their help, they feel like they’re engaged.

If you do nothing else in the way of marketing prep while you’re making your film, create this “core” list.  Later on, when your film is finished, you can put that list to work.  Ask the people on your list to watch your trailer on the website of a festival where you’re playing (get that trailer onto a “most watched” list!), ask them to share your photos and trailer on their Facebook pages, blogs and websites.  If you can gain some momentum, that “core” could very quickly turn into the whole big giant apple!