Distribution

Pendulum continues to swing

https://deadline.com/2024/06/indie-exhibition-conference-attracts-big-na...

Here’s an article by Anthony Kaufman.

“The problem is the larger issue that’s plaguing every filmmaker right now: The distributors don’t really offer any money. That’s not that big of a deal if they would allow you to have control of your project, but they don’t.”

The quote above is from 2008, spoken by filmmaker Lance Hammer.

I was reminded of Lance when I noticed an article in The Wrap a couple of weeks ago titled “Going it Alone: The Indie Filmmakers Getting their Movies in Theaters Without a Distributor.” It all sounded very familiar. Maybe because we’ve been writing that same damn story for the last 20 years—literally. My own articles on the subject date back to the early-to-mid 2000s, including such pieces as “‘Ballast’ Steadies Course Alone: Sundance Winner Chooses Self-Distribution” (IndieWire), “Indies Increasingly Follow DIY Model” (Variety), “Directors Seize their Distribution Destiny” (Variety), “Not Picked Up in Park City? Filmmakers Look Forward to DIY Release Options” (IndieWire), and a Filmmaker Magazine Hits & Misses column from 2013, in which I wrote: “Given the dicey nature of the marketplace, it’s a wonder we haven’t seen more bold distribution experiments in the last year.”

Going over those old articles, a few things occurred to me: 1) the indie industry has been here before, many times; 2) indie filmmakers should probably learn from the dozens and dozens who have already done this before (granted, different times, different challenges, but still…); and 3) self-distribution is very very hard, but independent film distribution has always been filmmaker-driven, even to some extent, in those rare cases when a distributor is involved.

So what can we learn from “Ballast” director Lance Hammer, who walked away from a distribution deal in 2008 with IFC Films in order to retain the rights and release the film himself? Lance had a lot of still-relevant things to say 16 years ago: “Giving up Internet rights for 20 years, that’s just crazy” and “Just a couple years ago, filmmakers would be offered a bigger MG and more money for P&A; now the advance is gone and the amount given to P&A is nothing. I think P&A should be put in the production budget.”

Lance, if you’re reading this, I’d love to know what eventually happened with the alternative release downstream (the box office was insignificant), but maybe it paid off later. It’s a strong film that I raved about (still available for streaming), but somewhat prophetically Lance said at the time, “Now that the film is done, I have to think responsibly because I want to have sustainability as a filmmaker. If Sundance is considered the acme of American festivals, and ‘Ballast’ was one of the films that was rated highly there, then it would be a total tragedy if I couldn’t make another film like it again.” Here were are, sixteen years later, and Lance’s second film “Queen of Sea” has still not emerged (though it appears to be in post.)

From decades past, the lessons learned may seem obvious, but they still resonate:

“It’s entirely about social networking technology and creating a world around your film. And that has to happen as early as production,” said Hammer, a year after his distribution experiment.

Filmmakers have to define their audiences “before they even make the film,” echoed Richard Abramowitz. “The more specific you are, the better chance of success you have.”

“We’re still at the stage where a movie isn’t real if it hasn’t been released in theaters,” Roadside Attractions’ Eric D’Arbeloff told me in 2008, which still rings true, even as the digital release has become the primary revenue-generator.

Again, none of this is rocket science, but as the foundational infrastructure for art-house distribution bottoms out, such basic tenets of self-releasing movies have become essential to all filmmakers looking to connect their movies with audiences. I have doubts about the economics of these alternative paradigms, as the cost to make and release a movie is an expensive proposition, and recoupment is a long and difficult road. That’s why for a lot of indie filmmakers budgets must come down (even as production values need to look as if they haven’t), and overseas co-productions with more government support and incentives are key (but that’s also always been helpful.)

Back in 2008, Hammer admitted his effort “may be a total financial failure,” but he also sought solace in the fact that “if I were to go with one of the established distributors, it’d be certain that I’d lose all my money.” He also had faith that if someone could crack the new model, others would follow suit. “And then I can prove that I’ve done it once and I can do it again,” he said. “And more importantly, other filmmakers like me can do it, too.”

There’s plenty of meat here, but a standout for me was this, from Lance Hammer:

“Giving up Internet rights for 20 years, that’s just crazy” and “Just a couple years ago, filmmakers would be offered a bigger MG and more money for P&A; now the advance is gone and the amount given to P&A is nothing. I think P&A should be put in the production budget.”

So what changes have you seen? Do you agree with Hammer’s point of view? Who amongst our community has successfully self-distributed?

Here’s a link to the trailer for Hammer’s film:

https://youtu.be/YZ0FFI8X8LM?si=lnFW3_rpzklE1vlN

Forty years ago, I produced the film STRANGERS KISS. Thanks to an innovative deferment formula, we managed to make a film for only $150,000 in cash and over $2,000,000 in deferments, while attracting top acting talent: Peter Coyote (ET), Victoria Tennant (Two of Us), Blaine Novak (They All Laughed), Richard Romanus (Mean Streets), and Dan Shor (Wise Blood), and enormously professional crew: director Matthew Chapman, future Academy Award Winner Production Designer Michael Riva, cinematographer Misha Suslov and an original score by Gato Barbieri. After playing at the Toronto Film Festival, the film was acquired by Orion Classics domestically and by JM Film Sales which handled foreign sales throughout the world (including playing in Zimbabwe!).

What we never contemplated during those heady days was what would happen 30 years down the road, when our contracts expired, our film partners went out of business, and the film gradually disappeared into oblivion. Unlike a studio film where there is an existing infrastructure to store and preserve films, Independent Films have no such infrastructure and it is so easy, and common, for the films to just disappear. Such was the fate STRANGERS KISS.

Fortunately, just about a year ago, an angel appeared. Fun City Editions, an Independent Blu-Ray distributor that has been specializing in re-releasing films from 80’s, got in touch with us. Through their work and a bit of luck, we were able to track down an internegative still in storage at MGM thanks to Orion, and they have restored and created a digital 4K master, and I’m very happy to be able to announce that as of today the Blu-Ray disc is available. And through this revival, the film will be playing on the Criterion Channel later this year and has been accepted to be part of the Academy Museum Archive as a film that made a “significant contribution to the history of cinema.”

I know many people here question how you can go from an idea to getting your film made and out to audiences. This film is proof that with persistence and innovation it can be done. Having our film once again see the light of day makes today one of the happiest moments in the whole journey, and all of us who made it are extremely grateful to Fun City Editions.

https://www.funcityeditions.com/films/strangerskiss

Hi everyone,

I just finished editing my documentary and I am looking for distributors interested in music bands and culture from Barcelona (Spain).

I will be happy to get tips and/or contacts.

Thanks in advance.

Neus

Tubi topped Disney for viewers in May, indicating (again) that "people still like watching TV in traditional modes" -- the last part of which is a pretty blatant misreading of the trend. I think what people like about Tubi is simply that it's free, has a quality library, including a lot of deep cuts into every genre, and you're not getting price gouged every other month. The consumer exchange with Tubi is very honest and straightforward. That's what people (including myself) like about it so much. I watched the Arrested Development documentary on Tubi last night.

https://www.avclub.com/tubi-outperformed-disney-plus-most-views-in-may-1...

Indie box office rocked this weekend with 2 original screenplays leading the way.

https://deadline.com/2024/06/indie-film-box-office-thelma-kinds-of-kindn...