Comments on: Want to be a successful filmmaker? Then, start acting like a rock star.

By: Lena

Lena — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 05:13:47 +0000

Not everyone has the good fortune to be sponsored by Adobe in order to do a tour as a rock star. If you would’ve included how they acquired sponsorship, this article would’ve been superb. Still great info however.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 08:06:21 +0000

Great article!

By: Patrick Sabongui

Patrick Sabongui — Mon, 27 May 2013 15:54:53 +0000

A NEW disruptive filmmaking and distribution model that capitalizes on EXACTLY the points you raise here is CineCoup.com. A gamified “accelerated” film production platform where filmmakers compete for a million-dollar budget and guaranteed theatrical release by creating a fan-base, expanding through social media and completing weekly missions that generate content for the fans to consume.
Check us out at CineCoup.com/SCAM (my film, “Scam” is currently in the Top 10 and has been optioned and packaged for sale at Cannes this year. Public voting begins this week to pick the Top 5 who will pitch in person at the Banff World Media Festival).

By: Bradley Jenkins

Bradley Jenkins — Sat, 04 May 2013 03:01:20 +0000

Nicely stated Marc. I’m in post production now, can’t wait to get on the road with the production and become a Rockstar.

-Brad (www.prespeople.com)

By: Marcus Markou

Marcus Markou — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:20:17 +0000

So sorry to come to this so late… but I self distributed my feature film in the UK and took the film business here by surprise. Read down to ‘Plucky Underdog’ for the film ‘Papadopoulos & Sons’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/apr/16/tom-cruise-opposition-oblivion

In fact, after Oblivion we had the second highest screen average. Our opening weekend took £40k from just 12 screens.

This was all done by me – the writer/ director/ producer/ distributor – being available on Facebook and Twitter and answering every tweet and commnent. The Facebook page has 11,000 fans and some posts get over 1000 likes.

This was a film that no distributor in the UK wanted to touch. I have now sold the film to the BBC, its got a 100 screen release in Germany, DVD deal etc.

Most became fans of the film before they saw the film – they connected to the trailer and they connected to me and what I was trying to do.

The film went into more screens and in the West End in London, it ran in the multiplex screen there for four weeks.

The film is now getting booked every week by indie screens across the UK. We released it on April 5th but its still running on screens until the Summer.

We will be at the Seattle Film Festival at the end of May.

The film is Papadopoulos & Sons – you can Youtube or Google it.

By: Mike Dion

Mike Dion — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:18:43 +0000

We’ve had great success with this model for our projects: http://revealthepath.com & http://www.ridethedividemovie.com To take your band analogy even further, we’ve even been including live performances by our soundtrack artists into the screening events: http://youtu.be/4UJYcG3SuPQ It does take a lot of time & energy to coordinate these events and yes, it forces you to stick with your project much longer than you would just passing it to a distributor. But the benefits are amazing.

By: Shaun Seneviratne

Shaun Seneviratne — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:02:55 +0000

Great article and the same strategy I’m using for my short film “How Will We Cross the Seas?” (crosstheseas.com)! I’ve looked back to my days playing in a band–we’re touring the film as an art show, featuring a screening, two of the bands on the soundtrack, and either visual art or poetry. We’re also releasing the film as a mixtape that features the soundtrack and a digital download of the film (the use of the cassette tape makes sense in the context of the film).

Most filmmakers submit to big fests and keep their fingers crossed; that’s the equivalent of a pretty small band hoping to play Coachella after their first record. It’s possible, but not probable. Why not adopt the DIY philosophy that punk/hardcore bands employ to film distro/exhibition? It’s hard work, but it’s a way to take distro into your own hands.

By: WD

WD — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:59:16 +0000

Pretty sure this is how Tyler Perry started out

By: Marc Schiller

Marc Schiller — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:08:04 +0000

Yes, this is exactly why I brought up Dave Matthews. Dave was one of the first bands that truly leveraged the internet to build his fanbase, going back to the very beginning. He was one of the first to sell tickets and merchandise directly to fans. Dave’s relationship with his fans is a model for the music industry and should be a model for film as well.

By: Rick Webb

Rick Webb — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:25:09 +0000

Actually, the Dave Matthews reference is a pretty good one, it just needed some explaining why.

Early on, the Dave Matthews Band toured up and down the east coast, playing consistent weekly residencies at decent clubs, and building a local following in each major city. Whether you like them or not, they would play live at colleges and radio stations during the day, play a late afternoon acoustic park gig, then play a club show at night. Building a pre-internet following via the up close and personal way. They even let people tape record their shows for free….thus spreading the music further. And selling tons of T-shirts to cute college girls along the way.

During the 2000′s, they sold more tickets, than any other band. Maybe hard to believe, but they worked hard for it by touring constantly. Plus, the band get on a lot of soundtracks and Dave even acts in some of those movies and tv shows.

I think that’s what Mark Schiller was referring to when he name checked Dave Matthews.

By: nayan padrai

nayan padrai — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:31:55 +0000

Kevin Smith has done this, and as an off shoot in a way, Louis CK is by far the closest example of having control over distribution, on your own terms. Filmmakers can be reticent to “own” this piece of the pie, so to say, but I have done it with my producing partners, and gone to meet and greet events pre and post film screenings, and it’s awesome.

By: Zeke Zelker

Zeke Zelker — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:28:39 +0000

I’ve been using this method for a number of years, to success, thank god. I call it the $10k screening. Very well done!

By: Mike Newman

Mike Newman — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:32:19 +0000

Great advice, except for the Dave Mattews part. I think you could’ve use a much better rock star example.

I’m going to try this route with a new project I’m working on.

By: Chris Dorr

Chris Dorr — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:17:17 +0000

Marc, I think you really nailed it. Lisanne and James have done what many more filmmakers should do–deal directly with their fans and do it on a continuous basis. Just imagine you are indie rock band instead of an indie filmmaker and proceed accordingly. It requires much more work, but as you point out, it can put much more money in your pocket and lead to a more sustainable career doing what you love–making movies.