Indie film financing and movie distribution reminds of what it would feel just like dancing nude on stage (much respect for exotic dancers at Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club!). You show as much as pitch your movie project and need certainly to be able to dance to a movie investor’s music. It’s their stage and not yours as an indie filmmaker seeking film funding. They need you to make a sellable movie which appeals to movie distributors and so the production can make money.
Most investors I’ve met with aren’t interested in putting hard money into indie art house films because those are tough sells to movie distributors and overseas film buyers aren’t usually interested in seeing them. The dialogue and scenes of certain art house type films don’t translate well to foreign buyers and movie viewers. Action, horror and skin does not require subtitles for folks to check out the story is what I’ve been told by distributors. Talking head movies can make no sense to viewers that don’t understand subtle lines spoken in a foreign language.
Independent film financing continues to change as indie movie distribution gets more financially shaky. The spot it’s hitting indie movie producers hardest is right at the foundation – film financing. Film investors today aren’t feeling excited about putting money into movies that not need bankable name actors. This is simply not like so-called indie movies that have A-list actors or are produced for millions of dollars. Those kind of indie film passion projects you can make once you’ve made it in the entertainment business at the studio level.
Indie film investors and movie distributors won’t expect you to have A-list actor, however they do want producers to possess actors (B-list or C-list or D-list) with some name recognition or celebrity. The very first question film investors and movie distributors ask is who the cast is. This really is where most indie movie producers are blown out from the water because they’ve an unknown cast of actors. Plus there’s a glut of indie movies being made because technology has made it more affordable to produce movies.
The bright side is that entertaining indie movies are being made that may not otherwise ever have seen light of day before. The downside is meaningful movie distribution (getting paid) for indie produced films continues to shrink as indie films being made rises (supply and demand 101). I talked to one movie distributor that suits releasing independent films and they said they receive new film submissions daily.
They certainly were honest saying they get very sellable movies and ones which can be less than appealing, but with so many movies available they no further offer a majority of producers advance money against film royalties or pay a lump cash “buy-out” to secure distribution rights. Their business viewpoint is most indie filmmakers are only happy seeing their movie released. The definition of they used was “glorified showreel” for an indie filmmaker to display they could create a feature film. So, they acquire many of the movie releases without paying an advance or offering a “buy-out” agreement.
Not creating a make money from a movie does not make financial sense for film investors that be prepared to see money made. When people set up money to make a movie they need a get back on the investment. Otherwise it’s no further a movie investment. It becomes a movie donation of money they’re giving out without any expectations. I’ve been on the “dog and pony show” circuit meeting with potential film investors and learning invaluable lessons.
I’m in the habit now of speaking with indie movie distributors before writing a screenplay to see what types of films are selling and what actors or celebrity names attached with a potential project attract them. This is simply not like chasing trends, but it offers producers a sharper picture of the sales climate for indie films. Sometimes distributors gives me a brief list of actors or celebrities to consider that suit an unbiased movie budget. Movie sales outside the U.S. are where a bulk of the cash is perfect for indie filmmakers.
Movie distributors and film sales agents can let you know what actors and celebrity talent is translating to movie sales overseas at the indie level. These won’t be A-list names, but having someone with some sort of name is a good feature to greatly help your movie standout from others. Brief cameos of known actors or celebrities was previously a great way to keep talent cost down and put in a bankable name to your cast.
That has changed lately from my conversations with distribution companies. Movie distributors now expect any name talent attached to have a meaningful part in the movie as opposed to a few minutes in a cameo role. Cameo scenes can still work if you have a visual hook that grabs the interest of viewers in a few way. But having name talent say several lines without any special hook won’t fly anymore.
Another way to produce an indie film needing funding more attractive to investors is to add talent that has been doing a movie or TV show of note. Their name as an actor mightn’t be that well-known yet, but rising stars that have appeared in a favorite movie or TV show can provide your movie broader appeal. In the event that you cast them in a supporting role keep working days on the set right down to a minimum to save your budget. Try to write their scenes for them to be shot in 1 or 2 days.
When you’re pitching to serious film investors they will want to be provided with a detailed movie budget and distribution plan on how you plan on earning profits from the film’s release. The Catch-22 that takes place a great deal is that many movie distributors that appeal to releasing indie films won’t commit to any deal until they’ve screened the movie.
There’s not built-in distribution just as in studio budget films. Film investors that are not traditionally the main entertainment business will get deterred whenever a producer does not need a distribution deal already in place. They don’t understand the Catch-22 of indie filmmaking and distribution. This really is where a movie producer really needs a solid pitch that explains the financial dynamics of indie film distribution.
Most film investors will spread an indie movie producer’s financing pitch that mentions self-distribution in it. From a movie investor’s business perspective it takes entirely too long for an indie movie to generate money going the self-distribution route. ดูหนัง HD ออนไลน์ It’s like the old school method of selling your movie out from the trunk of your car or truck at places, nevertheless now it’s done online using digital distribution and direct sales with a blog. That’s a long grind that many investors won’t be interested in ready for. Moving one unit of a movie at a time is too slow of trickle for investors.
A possible way across the Catch-22 would be to touch base to movie distributors when you are pitching to film investors. With a company budget number and possible cast attached you are able to gauge to see if you have any meaningful distribution curiosity about the movie. It’s always possible a supplier can tell you that they’d offer an advance or “buy-out” deal. They generally won’t give you a hard number, but a ballpark figure of what they could offer can inform you if your financial allowance makes financial sense to approach movie investors with.
I am aware one savvy indie movie producer that produces 4-6 movies per year on very reasonable budgets and knows they’re already creating a make money from the advance money alone. The film royalty payments really are a bonus. The producer keeps budgets extremely affordable and streamlined at every phase of production. Once you’ve a history with a distribution company you know what you are able to be prepared to be paid. Then you can certainly offer film investors a percent on the money invested in to the production that produces sense.
Social networking with other indie filmmakers allows you to hear what’s happening with movie distribution from other people’s actual life experiences. A very good thing I’ve been hearing about is there are film investors that won’t set up money to produce movie that will probably be self-distributed, but they will roll the dice on a function that will probably specific film festivals. Not the art house film festivals. The ones that are very genre specific like for horror or action films. Like Screamfest Horror Film Festival or Action on Film (AOF). Film buyers attend these events and meaningful distribution deals are made.
Independent film financing and movie distribution are regions of the entertainment business all filmmakers will need to deal with and learn from each experience. I was in the hot seat today pitching to a movie investor. I’ve streamlined the budget as much as I will without making the plot lose steam.
The jam I’m in as a company is you will find hard costs that can not be avoided including plenty of gun play including two rigging shots where baddies get shot and are blown backwards off their feet. Badass action films need experienced and seasoned film crews to pull-off hardcore action shots off clean and safe. The cast I want to hire has an ideal appeal and name recognition with this indie action movie to rock viewers. There’s nothing that will get lost in the translation in this film for foreign film buyers and movie viewers.