Distribution

I have used FilmHub before, and they are reputable. Using FilmHub for Prime has some advantages depending on your film and the genre. If you definitely want your film to be considered in foreign markets, then pick 3-4 languages upfront and complete the captions beforehand, especially the languages that align with Prime. ( ie, Spanish, German, Japanese, French, Portuguese) If you pass QC you should be good. Best of luck.

Great strategies for indie filmmakers, Ashley Renee Smith! I'm not on TikTok, but I've seen filmmakers use YouTube Shorts. Movie clips, behind-the-scenes clips, teaser trailers, and interview clips.

I think this is a great distribution opinion for creatives, Debbie Elicksen! I've seen a lot of people on Twitch, so there's definitely opportunity for creatives to get eyes on their movies, shows, games, scripts, etc. Thanks for the idea and advice!

I have a friend in LA who produces a top rated show for Twitch Sports and its a business. They have eyeballs and sponsors and the production is pretty robust (they'll shoot a ton of episodes in a day but they do 3 a day on Wheel of Fortune). There are options out there for creatives that just didn't exist only a few years ago. Really great share, Debbie Elicksen.

This is such a valuable discussion, Debbie Elicksen! The landscape of distribution has shifted so much, and non-traditional platforms are creating incredible opportunities for independent creators. I love the idea of influencer partnering. So many filmmakers focus on traditional marketing methods, but tapping into engaged niche communities through collaboration could be a game-changer.

Twitch is a great example of an underutilized platform for film and storytelling. The live engagement aspect alone allows for real-time interaction with audiences, which is something that traditional streaming services can’t offer in the same way. I’ve also seen filmmakers experiment with Discord communities to build direct relationships with their audience.

You make a great point about not relying on a single platform for distribution. Diversification is key, especially with how unpredictable the digital space can be.

An increase of nearly 20 million subscribers is huge, Amanda Toney! Netflix is one of my go-to streaming services now, and I'm glad they're doing live events.

It’s always fascinating to see how Netflix’s subscriber base has evolved over the years. The steady growth, even with increased competition from other streaming platforms, really highlights how they’ve managed to adapt and innovate. It would be interesting to see how their numbers compare to Disney+, Prime Video, and other major players over the same timeframe.

Thanks for the insight, Mike Boas. I didn't know there were distro companies that only offer physical media. I think offering physical media and streaming is the best idea, but then the company has to think about the cost of doing both.

Keep in mind that if a producer decides to add DVD to distribution, the manufacturing costs, freight costs , return of unsold product ( additional freight costs), and sometimes warehouse space will be costs the distributor recoups.. It will cut into the bottom line…

Good idea to keep that in mind, Lindbergh E Hollingsworth. Thanks.

Certainly people collect DVDs / BluRays. Niche thing...but still a thing. But if you've noticed, there isn't huge real estate in box stores anymore for DVDs, etc. It's mainly A-List movies that get shelf space. Most indies are MOD (manufactured on demand)

I've noticed that, Stephen Folker. I've also noticed that people are going to video stores, thrift stores, etc. to get physical media since box stores are moving away from it.

I'm excited for The Last of Us Season 2, Squid Game Season 3, and Alien: Earth, Sam Sokolow!

Sam Sokolow, I'm particularly pumped for Daredevil, The Last of Us season 2, Ginny & Georgia season 3, and Squid Game season 3. I already watched XO Kitty season 2, and it was great. And I'm LOVING the new seasons of Yellowjackets and White Lotus, which I'm watching week to week right now.

That's what every study is showing, Maurice Vaughan. Awareness matters. Imagine that. Throw into the mix you have people like Sean Baker using his award season platform banging the drum for longer theatrical windows and the CEO of AMC today calling for the return of the traditional 60+-day theatrical window and maybe, just maybe, more suits will come to their senses.

I'm glad Sean Baker and the CEO of AMC spotlighted those things, Richard "RB" Botto! The movie Companion came out on streaming in less than three weeks.

International is where it's at, or Canada. ;) Richard "RB" Botto

Certainly more conviction in pockets internationally, Debbie Elicksen

Expanding their international distribution arm will open up more opportunities for global reach. Definitely exciting news!

Climb on up!

Sam Sokolow It's fun to see the certification program expand over time.

It sounds like you had a fantastic time at the festivals, Zee Risek! Appreciate you sharing your experiences. What was networking at the Ottawa International Film Festival like? Did you have a few minutes to talk with each person, did you ask about their projects, talk about animation, give out business cards, etc.?

Hey, Tucker Teague. Thanks for sharing. That's great that you met and talked with Gus Van Sant! He's a top-tier director! Did you expect him to be super shy?

Maurice Vaughan I thought he might be somewhat subdued because I had seen an interview or two with him, but I did not expect him to be shy almost to the point of insecurity. I think he grew out of that since then.

Hey Maurice. I did hand out my business cards and receive a lot of cards too. Networking was very casual. Okay, here's a good story. When I got accepted into the festival, I received a hand book which had a bio of all the executives in attendance... including a photo. I saw that someone from The Cartoon Network was going to be there. Anyway, I made it my personal mission to meet her and pitch an idea to her. I basically stalked her all weekend at the Festival. A part of the Festival was a boat cruise for the executives, I saw she was walking with a huge group of execs toward the cruise boat, so I got on the boat, curtesy of a free boat pass for having my short in the festival. During the cruise she was with a group of about 5 people, just talking and laughing. I stood next to her, as if I was part of this group she was talking to. She noticed my name tag, with my name and my company, 'ZEE RISEK- Flying Iguana Animation' She turned to me and said, "Flying Iguana? I love reptiles!" That was it! That was my 'IN'. So I told her a hilarious story about my iguana. She laughed. So I told her another story about a reptile I once had. She laughed at that too. I made a plan to 'accidentally' bump into her all weekend and regale her with another lizard story each time. So that's exactly what I did. I 'accidently' and 'coincidentally' bumped into her in the lounge of the hotel, at the party, in the conference room, on her way to lunch, on her way back from lunch, on her way to a panel discussion, at a film screening, and on the shuttle bus that took us to the picnic. Each time making her laugh with another crazy story. While at the picnic, I was sitting by myself. She was with a group of a dozen people about 50 yards away. Then she left the group and walked toward me. She approached me and told me she thought I was really funny. Then she said, "Why don't you come over to the Cartoon Network and pitch something to me?" I said , "Yeah, sure. I'd love to. Thanks." Then she went back to her group. My plan worked out even better than I could have hoped. I didn't even have to ask her if I could pitch to her, she approached me and asked me to pitch to her. Long story short, I went to L.A., pitched an idea to her, but it was for a younger audience than what they were looking for. So nothing ever came of it. But the experience was priceless... and I have a good story to tell out of it.

Great story, Zee Risek! Thanks for sharing it. Your story proves that even if creatives don’t have weeks and months to build relationships with people, they can still take some time to build relationships, and it could lead to opportunities.

I liked "Highlander" the series with Adrian Paul

I find it funny that the first film launched a franchise, given the story didn’t leave a lot of options open for sequels.

That said, this news got me to rewatch The Highlander last night. Simple story told with amazing stylistic flourishes by music video director Russell Mulcahy. I love the transitions for the time jumps! Michael Kamen, working with Queen, did a bang up job on the music.

Come to think of it, Mike Boas - that's a great point. Nobody working on the sequels or spinoffs must have heard the key line in the original - "there can be only one!" :)

I watched the first episode of the TV show last night, just to see how they addressed the continuity. They made a point that the main character was a different MacLeod, mentored by the Christopher Lambert character, but it seems like the final events from the film never took place. Also, the episode was pretty terrible. Maybe it got better? I remember watching it a few times.

Never saw any minute of any Highlander production. I don't know why, but I'm only one person against an entire fan base. I can only hope that whoever is in charge of the new material, does a great job and gives the fans of this I.P. something to be excited about and not leave disappointment in their wake.

I'm looking forward to seeing The Monkey and Captain America, Sam Sokolow! Creative marketing really draws in audiences, and it's a smart move for indie filmmakers who don't have studio budgets to promote their films.