I’ve been doing some research on distribution for feature films. As a producer who writes, directs and edits my own stuff, I know how much effort goes into just making a short film. A feature is on a whole other scale. With Pieces in Bloom, the film is like 5 shorts which could be shot in 5 weeks and pieced together afterwards to create the feature. I could go the route of making it as 5 standalone shorts, but I really want to make that jump into the feature arena. I need to know what the likely outcome will be because features are expensive and extremely time consuming, so I did some research.

I found an informative article that had several statistics when it comes to what independent filmmakers have to pay distributors to get their films on Netflix and iTunes. The numbers are not reassuring. Many times independent filmmakers pay out of pocket for their films and end up literally paying for other people to watch their features because so much is taken out during the distribution process which includes marketing etc. There are a lot of upfront costs to be considered when obtaining a distributor as well.

The reason Netflix uses Distributors (middle men) is because they weed out the good films from the bad, but here’s where it gets tricky. Some films that make it into Sundance and have earned a solid reputation as a worthy film still can’t make it into the Netflix selection, which means that all that work, the awards, the prestige, amounts to nothing for the filmmaker because there is no audience to see the film. It’s all kind of discouraging to read.

Still, as someone who loves making films, it’s not something you do for the money anyway…because there isn’t much to be made. That’s not to say it won’t eventually happen. The more you produce, the more likely you will finally make something that sells, but independent filmmakers on the whole are not out there doing it to get a quick paycheck. It doesn’t work that way. We do it cause we love it and don’t want to do anything else. This is why sites like Kickstarter are so important, but depending on that for funding is not very realistic when it comes to a bigger budget, not unless you know a ton of people willing to donate or have a star attached. Even if you have an award winning script, that doesn’t mean your campaign will go through. The safest bet is to choose a story that is based on a someone you know. You’ll already have a built in audience who wants the film to be made and who wants to see the final product.

There’s a lot to think about when making a feature versus a short. I can pull off a short pretty fast. It’s post that takes a while, and don’t get me started on how long it takes to do special effects. It’s worth the time and effort, but boy is it a time killer! Writing can be the same way. I can spend weeks on a story I absolutely love, only to work out the budget and realize it’s not every realistic for me to make without funding from an outside source. If you don’t know of an independently wealthy individual who wants to be an Executive Producer, product placement seems like the most logical place to go.

When going to companies, you have to be able to prove there is a built in audience for your film. This is the Catch 22 of filmmaking…You need a deal with Netflix to get the product placement deal that will fund your feature, but Netflix needs to know you have your budget locked down before they will even talk to you about buying your film…or you need a named actor signed to your film to make the deal with Netflix, but you need the deal with Netflix to get the actor signed. These deals do happen, and I’m sure it takes a lot of time, effort and haranging to get them there. It’s what I see in my future.

I still think there has to be a better way. We are in the digital age. People just talk to their phone, and it does the typing for them. Quick YouTube videos are like the new cartoon programs for kids, and phones are like the new computer. Families are glued to them everywhere, even at the movie theatre while the movie is playing. It all makes me wonder what is coming…When will we see the introduction of the iWall loaded up like an iPad and showing commercial content like a billboard. When will Facebook have a BUY NOW icon attached to statuses, promoting people’s businesses with every update? Will distributors even exist for Indy filmmakers in a few years time? I doubt it.

“The only thing that is constant is change…”
-Heraclitus

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