Getting
Distribution: Secrets and Lies
by Jerome Courshon
One
of the major Achilles’ heels for producers and directors is
the distribution game. Once you’ve made your movie, what do
you do? How do you play the game? What strategies do you employ? Is
there even a strategy?
Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is there
are indeed strategies to use and employ. The bad news is that most
filmmakers don’t know what they are and flounder around trying
to figure them out. I know. I was there myself.
It took me several years to find distribution for my movie, God, Sex
& Apple Pie. I floundered, I struggled, I learned. I eventually
did get distribution through Warner Bros., amazingly enough. But what
I learned was how to do it, and I’ve been assisting other filmmakers
in successfully getting distribution for their movies. (No, I’m
not a producer’s rep. I have no interest in taking a piece of
your movie.)
Following are a few secrets to debunk some prevalent lies (which we’ll
call “myths”) about getting distribution. Hopefully this
will give you some insight into the game, should you be looking for
distribution now or soon embarking on this challenging journey.
Myth #1
I’m a director, a filmmaker, a creative person. Telling stories
is my thing and if I make a good movie, I don’t have to worry
about the business stuff or the marketing because someone else will
do that.
Secret #1
This is not so much a secret as a reality check. Of course, there
are some people who get lucky and either have a producing partner
who does all the business and marketing and is good at it, or they
have the money to hire the right people to do everything.
However, for most, this isn’t the case, especially if one’s
movie career is in the early stages. You really need to become a businessman
or businesswoman once your feature film is done. At least until it’s
sold. The more you can become a salesperson and marketing maven, the
more success you will have on your quest for distribution. Yes, I
know this part isn’t nearly as sexy and fun as making movies
and can be downright boring at times. But as Orson Welles famously
said about the film business: “It's about 2% moviemaking and
98% hustling.”
Myth #2
Distributors are calling me and they’re excited to see my movie!
I’ll send it to them and if they like it, they’ll acquire
it!
Secret #2
All major distributors track the movies that have been listed in the
trades under their production columns. If you were in those columns,
you’re going to be phoned. Do not send them a rough cut. Do
not send them a final cut. Do not send them the movie. If you do,
you will not get a theatrical distribution deal, if this is what you
are going for.
You must unveil your movie in the right place at the right time, such
as a top film festival, to get the buyers to really want your feature.
Movies do not get picked up for theatrical releases that have been
sent on a DVD to a distributor. So when they call, you say, “It’s
not ready, but I appreciate your call. Check back with me in a month
or two.” Repeatedly.
Myth #3
My movie was selected for the Sundance Film Festival (or the Toronto
Film Festival or the Cannes Film Festival). Woohooo! All I have to
do is show up and I will get a deal!
Secret #3
Okay, you won the lottery and got a slot at one of these three coveted
festivals for your movie premiere. Guess what? Your work hasn’t
even begun yet. You now must assemble a team of people – a PR
firm, an agent from one of the top agencies in Los Angeles, an attorney,
and possibly a producer’s rep. (But beware… many producer’s
reps are useless.)
You will have to work, strategize and position your movie –
before it premieres – as a very desirable movie that distributors
must have. You have one shot at the top festivals for a theatrical
deal, so don’t throw it away. Unfortunately, most filmmakers
don’t know or understand this. Their movie plays at Sundance
or Toronto, they come away without a deal and then find themselves
entirely lost as to what to do next.
Myth #4
I was rejected by the top festivals, so now I’m submitting and
getting accepted by the next tier of festivals. This is cool. All
I have to do is show up to my screenings and I’m treated like
a rock star!
Secret #4
Yeah, okay, if this is you, at least you’re having fun. But
you’re not going to get distribution this way. There is a real
purpose to the festival circuit beyond the top festivals. The obvious
purpose is, of course, exposure. But there is actually a MORE important
purpose: Building a pedigree.
What is a pedigree? This is a body of consensus that you must methodically
build – press coverage, positive quotes from critics, awards
if you can get them – that says you have a winning movie on
your hands. Once you have built this pedigree, you are then ready
to parlay this into a distribution deal. There’s quite a bit
of psychology involved in selling your movie. Master it, and you might.
Myth #5
I’ve submitted my movie to the 15 home video companies out there.
I’ve talked to my producer friends and looked at industry reference
books. I’ve even perused the video stores shelves to see who
all the home video companies are. If they all say ‘No,’
I’m out of luck for a home video deal.
Secret #5
This “secret” right here may be worth tens or hundreds
of thousands of dollars to you. I didn’t know this when I was
going through my journey, and most people just don’t. There
are over 75 home video companies in the marketplace, all operating
under their own labels. On top of that are additional companies that
pick up movies and programming that have output deals with these distributors.
So if you think you’ve exhausted your search for a home video
deal and you’ve only contacted 15 or even 25 companies, you’ve
only just begun.
These are a few of the popular and misleading myths out there, as
well as the truth about them. With over 4,000 movies being made every
single year, that’s quite a few producers and directors working
with often erroneous information. And 4,000-plus is a lot of movies
vying for limited distribution slots. These two factors combined can
make for a daunting journey filled with frustration and failure.
The silver lining to all this? There are eight basic paths (or distribution
models) a movie can take to get into the distribution stream, and
if you know what to do and employ the right strategies, you can achieve
real distribution. You do not need name stars in your movie to get
a deal and your movie does not have to be phenomenal. If your movie
is at least decent – or good – you do have a real shot.
Lastly, some people are concerned that with the majority of distribution
companies located in Los Angeles, one needs to live there to succeed
in getting a deal. Whether you live in Georgia, or Maine, or Illinois,
or Arizona, with the right information and resources, it simply doesn’t
matter.
Jerome Courshon is an award-winning Producer/Writer whose critically
acclaimed first movie, God, Sex & Apple Pie, was released by Warner
Bros. He has written articles and primers on distribution for MovieMaker
Magazine, Indie Slate Magazine and Film Festival Today. His journey
was profiled in the Los Angeles Times and documented on iFilm.com.
Last fall he began teaching strategies for achieving distribution
to producers and directors in his seminar, “The Secrets to Distribution:
Get Your Movie Distributed Now!” This seminar will be presented
next in New York City on May 12, 2007, and then in Los Angeles on
June 16, 2007. For more information visit: http://www.Distribution.LA
One
of the major Achilles’ heels for producers and directors is
the distribution game. Once you’ve made your movie, what do
you do? How do you play the game? What strategies do you employ? Is
there even a strategy?
