A
Action film, popularity for DVD market, 10, 13
Actors, see Casting
Advances, scarcity, 4–5
Advertising, budgeting, 32–33
AFM, see American Film Market
Agents
agencies, 19
casting, 19–22
pay-or-play offer, 20
written offers, 20
All-rights deal
advantages, 91–92
cash flow, 108
foreign distribution, 96
on-demand DVD distribution, 119–120
self-distribution of film, 88–89
American Film Market
experiences of filmmakers, 84–85
market research, 11–12
Angress, Percy, 80–82
AOL Video, trailer posting, 122
B
Baker, Michael, 5–8
Basulto, David, 95–96
Beesley, Bradley, 127–129
Biographies, press Kit, 57
The Blair Witch Project, 44, 59
Blog, film publicity during production, 43, 45–46
Boogie Nights, 23
Broadcast distribution
all-rights deal, 91–92
cash flow in distribution deal, 109
distributor negotiation, 92
genre type popularity, 13
marketing considerations for cable, 11
Broderick, Peter, 137
Budget
casting, 21–22
deliverables, 32–34
guidelines, 31
marketing and distribution, 102–103
Business plan
component, 37
importance, 37
C
Cable networks, see Broadcast distribution
Campaign
art, 66
creation, 65–66
examples, 66
film festival application strategy, 66–68
marketing plan, 70
agents, 19–22
costs, 21–22
director hiring, 16–19
locating actors, 19
out-of-work actors, 22–25
preproduction planning for film distribution, 13–16
value in film marketing, 6–7, 34–35, 80
Casting Society of America, 18–19
Chasse, Betsy, 133–136
Christmas on Mars, 128
Clooney, George, 54
Colbert, Julie, 21–22
Collection account, foreign sale agency proceeds, 75
Critics
film festival experience, 61–62
press kit interactions, 62
Custom-Flix, on-demand DVD distribution, 119
D
Deceitfully Funny, 85
Default, distribution agreement, 147, 158–159
Digibeta master, quality check report, 50
Digital media, effect on film abundance, 1, 3
Digital rights management
definition, 122–123
prospects, 124–125
DISCOP, 84
Distribution agreement
accounting records and auditing rights, 146–147
default section, 147
delivery schedule, 145–146
distributor’s expenses, 143–144
distributor’s fee, 143
exclusive grant of rights, 143
names, 142
producer’s share of remaining gross receipts, 144–145
sample of U.S. distribution contract, 149–162
term of contract, 142
territory, 142
Distribution consultant, function, 53
Distribution deal, see also Foreign distribution; Self-distribution; U.S. distribution deal
case study, 103–106
cash flow
all-rights deal, 108
broadcast deal, 109
foreign distribution deal, 109–110
U.S. DVD deal, 108–109
deliverables, 107
expenses, 102–103
Domestic distribution, see U.S. distribution deal
Double A PR, 69–70
DRM, see Digital rights management
Dubbing, budgeting for foreign distribution, 33–34
DVD
all-rights deal, 91–92
cash flow in distribution deal, 108–109
genre type popularity, 10–13
hybrid distribution model, 136–138
mass market distribution, 2–3
on-demand DVD distribution, 118–120
presales, 9–10
Electronic press kit, advantages, 62–63
Email, film publicity during production, 44
EPK, see Electronic press kit
Errors and Omissions insurance, 51
F
Feedback, importance in postproduction period, 52–53
Festival, see Film festival
Film distribution, historical perspective, 1–3
Film festival
application strategy, 66–68
budgeting for submission fees, 33
buyer attention, 5–6
distribution deal
importance, 93–94
strategy, 111–112
journalists, 61–62
Film markets
Dos and Don’ts, 85–86
experiences of filmmakers, 84–85
navigating international film markets, 82–84
online film markets, 126–127
types, 84
Film media
frames per second, 45
print budgeting, 32
value in distribution, 40
FILMART, 84
Financial core, casting, 16
The Flaming Lips Have Landed, 128
Foreign distribution
all-rights deal, 96
approaches
do-it-yourself, 99–100
domestic broadcaster, 98
domestic DVD distributor, 97–98
foreign-sales agency, 99
cash flow in distribution deal, 109–110
distribution deal expenses, 102–103
genre type popularity, 13
international film market navigation, 82–84
United Kingdom, 100–102
Fortissimo Films, 28–30
Fouce, Paula, 118
Frequently asked questions, press Kit, 57–58
G
Genre
cycles of popularity, 140
type popularity, 10–13
Good Night, and Good Luck, 54
Greenwald, Robert, 137
GUBA, trailer posting, 122
H
Haidos, Alexia, 69–70
Halpern, Tamar, 115–117
HD, see High definition
High definition
advantages, 41
film conversion costs, 41
formats, 41
value in distribution, 40
Horror film, popularity for DVD market, 10–12
Indie Co-Op, 87
InDplay, online film market, 127
International coproduction
financing independent films, 27–28
trailer or promo production, 31–32
Internet distribution, see Video on demand
J
Jones, Justin, 24
L
Lawyer, importance, 139
Lehr, David, 46
License fees
decline, 3
payment plans, 3–4
Luke, Ashley, 28–30
M
Marché du Film, 84
Masterson, Scott, 17–19
McAlpine, Hamish, 100–102
MiniDV, production quality, 25, 40–41
MIPCOM, 84
Mitchell, John Cameron, 112
Music and effects tracks
budgeting, 32–33
dubbing for foreign distribution, 33–34
Music clearances
budgeting, 33
importance, 49–50
professionals, 49
soundtrack rights, 49–50
Music supervisor, function, 49
MySpace
film publicity during production, 43, 45
self-distribution of film, 88
N
Naked in Ashes, 118
Nelson, Linda, 87–89
Niche market, preproduction considerations, 10–12
O
Okie Noodling, 127–129
On-demand DVD distribution, 118–120
P
Parks, Stacey, 116
Pearson, Kate, 51–52
Platform theatrical release
example, 133–136
hybrid distribution model, 136–138
strategy, 130–133
Presales
financing independent films, 26–27
history, 9
international coproduction, 27–28
size of deal, 10
trailer or promo production, 31–32
Press Kit
biographies of cast and crew, 57
critic interactions, 62
electronic press kit advantages, 62–63
folder, 55–56
frequently asked questions, 57–58
publicity stills, 58–60
reviews and endorsements, 60–61
synopsis
long, 56
medium, 56
short, 57
Producer rep, see also Sales agent
commissions, 71–72
distribution agreement, see Distribution agreement
distributor interactions, 71–72
film festival contacts, 70
hiring, 72–74
versus sales agent rep, 71
Production diary, film publicity during production, 44
Promo
distributor shopping during production, 39–40
presales generation, 31–32
PRWeb, film publicity during production, 43
Publicist, hiring, 69
Publicity, see also Press kit
budgeting, 33
production period and creating buzz, 42–44
Pulp fiction, 14–15
R
Reelport, online film market, 127
Remarketing, advice, 140
Reviews
press kit, 6061
value in film marketing, 7
Revver, trailer posting, 122
Reynolds, Burt, 23
Ritter, John, 14–15
S
SAG, see Screen Actors Guild
Sales agent
agency contacts
big agencies, 75–77
midsize and boutique agencies, 77–80
collection accounts, 75
commissions, 71–72
distribution agreement, see Distribution agreement
distribution deal, 92–93
distributor interactions, 71–72
film festival contacts, 70
foreign-sales agencies, 99
hiring, 72–74
negotiations, 74
versus producer rep, 71
Sales projections
ask and take prices by region, 35–36
casting effects, 34–35
expectations, 74
Schoenbachler, Megan, 24
Screen Actors Guild, casting, 15–16, 24
Screening
art-house cinemas, 129–130
Self-distribution
advantages and limitations, 117
art-house cinemas, 129–130
case examples, 88–89, 115–118, 127–129
hybrid distribution model, 136–138
on-demand DVD distribution, 118–120
online film markets, 126–127
platform theatrical release
example, 133–136
strategy, 130–133
trailer posting, 122
video on demand
advantages and limitations, 120–121
principles, 120
vendors, 121
Shelf Life, 116–117
Shifted, 87–89
Short Cut to Nirvana, 118
Slides, postproduction, 50–51
Sling Blade, 14–15
Stein, Eric, 122–124
Stephen Tobolowski’s Birthday Party, 103–106
Still photographs
captions, 60
press kit, 58–60
types, 59–60
value in distribution, 41–42, 50
Stock footage
budgeting, 33
licensing, 54–55
sources, 54–55
uses, 53–54
Sundance Film Festival, 66–67, 92, 110
Synopsis
long, 56
medium, 56
short, 57
T
Tarnation, 110–114
Tartan Films, 100–102
Technorati, film publicity during production, 46
Theatrical distribution
all-rights deal, 91–92
difficulty for independent films, 2–3
financial benefits, 7–8
genre type popularity, 13
platform theatrical release
case example, 133–136
strategy, 130–133
preproduction planning, 13
ThinkFilm, 5–8
Toronto film market, 84
Trailer
presales generation, 31–32
Travolta, John, 14–15
U
U.S. distribution deal
case study, 95–96
caveats, 92–93
expenses, 102–103
sample contract, 149–162
strategies, 93–95
types, 91
V
Van Sant, Gus, 112
Video on demand
advantages and limitations, 120–121
principles, 120
vendors, 121
VOD, see Video on demand
W
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, 137
Web site, film publicity during production, 43, 45
What the Bleep Do We Know!?, 118, 133–136
Winter, Stephen, 110–114
Y
YouTube
film publicity during production, 45–46
trailer posting, 122