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Truly Free Film

Want A Distributor For Your Film?

For the last two years, approximately half of the films that played Sundance got picked up for distribution. Yet as Thom Powers pointed out recently, no distribution deal is a heck of a lot better than a bad distribution deal.
 
Still, knowing how much work is required to directly distribute your film, and in particular the great challenge it is to market your film, filmmakers regularly look to team up with distributors.  The dream sort of goes first to write a script, then to make a film, then to get it funded, then finished and in a festival, and finally settling on getting a deal.
 
Granted there’s a big flaw in the dream as it

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Truly Free Film

Fifteen Big Lessons I’ve Learned (I Hope)

I recently did some lectures in Australia & New Zealand.  Being asked to speak, gives me a chance to reflect.  One or two days of 6-7 hr marathon lectures leads me to want to be able to sum it all up.  This exercise in summation is one of futility, but that does not stop me from trying.

What have I learned over the years? What can be done to make better films? What can be done to make a better film industry and culture that actually supports & benefits the creators and appreciators of ambitious and diverse film? How can our culture actually lift up our world?  I don’t pretend to know the answers, but I have fortunately learned some things (and I believe in sharing, declaring, and collaborating).

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These Are Those Things

The Seven Social Sins

Gandhi was a wise man.  I think he got this right:

Seven social sins:

  1. politics without principles
  2. wealth without work
  3. pleasure without conscience
  4. knowledge without character
  5. commerce without morality
  6. science without humanity
  7. worship without sacrifice