By Kavita Pullapilly
Following a successful and well-curated Sundance Film Festival, this is shaping up to be a great year for independent films. But in order to be financially viable, significant planning and business strategies need to happen in script development and pre-production to make indie films appealing to the global market.
Last year, award-winning filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly worked with a team from Harvard Business School to develop an innovative strategy for independent filmmakers and studios to work together successfully. With their new feature film, Blue Potato, Aron and Gita have now begun implementing this road map that will allow both the filmmaker and distribution partner to limit their risk, increase audience reach, and maximize potential profitability.
This month, we will share research from four Harvard Business School graduates who, using Blue Potato as a model, spent a semester researching how independently produced films can become an attractive commodity for studios.
HBS alumnus Kathryn Ogletree takes us through Part 1 of this analysis: Knowing the Film Market- Part 1 of HBS Study on Blue Potato
Kavita Pullapilly serves as the chief operating officer for the award-winning film production company, Sunny Side Up Films, Inc. and oversees the finance, marketing and distribution divisions. She is currently co-producing Sunny Side Up Films’ second feature film, Blue Potato as well as co-producing a national multi-platform project for PBS called Lifecasters.
Kat Ogletree is a Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in New York City where she works with clients in media and financial services. She graduated from Harvard Business School in 2012.
