For the first time ever in the history of the film biz, we NOW have the capacity to contemplate the design of a total systems rebuild of the film ecosystem. We can build it better for all stakeholders and take advantage of the tools now available us while making it function for today’s realities instead of the antiquated concepts of yesteryear. Here is a step in that direction:
I have written out 126 further steps too. They are all
Bet you didn’t know I was responsible for this summer’s biggest box office hit. Yup. Guardians Of The Galaxy: I am responsible for that.
And if you were in Zurich for their film festival, you might have gotten some excellent advice on how to make award winning films. It may have seemed like Nicholas Chartier was giving the speech, but I am taking credit there too (but only because he gave me some).
I had nothing to do with either, but
Did you miss the excerpt of my book “Hope For Film” that Women And Hollywood ran the other week? It’s not too late.
In my book, Hope For Film, I write:
“Indie film is not about community or culture – it is more about business and success than ever before. This is where I let my gray hair (what’s left of it) show. The folks in this business generally forget that we are first and foremost a community. We could be
In the words of playwright Theresa Rebeck (from a talk she gave in 2010, reprinted in Women & Hollywood) : ‘It’s time to hear both sides, to hear all voices, to build a culture where stories are told by both men and women. That is the way the planet is going to survive, and it’s the way we are going to survive.’ So, how can we build that culture? Where do we start? I will list a few options to start with, and I’m inviting you to suggest more:
6 CRITERIA FOR DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS
Find distributors who are effective and honest. They should have track records that demonstrate this as well as raves from other filmmakers who have worked with them.
Find distributors who are flexible and will help you to implement your customized distribution strategy rather than requiring you to fit into a one-size-fits-all approach to distribution
Find distributors who are willing and able to be partners. Some companies are only interested in being masters.
Over the past years I directed two no(?)-micro(?)-low(?)-budget (what’s the latest on who qualifies?) features and a dozen short films and almost every time I held open community meetings seeking the public’s support. I didn’t think this was anything special but the producers on Free in Deed asked me to describe the rationale for running ‘Open Call Info Sessions’ to the community on low-budget projects instead of traditional ‘closed-door auditions’.
