(c) 1997
Filmmaker_PDX

Distributors produce a number of films per year with real budgets of:

Majors:(7)10-25 films, $10 - $25 mil

Mini-majors:(10)5 - 12 films,  $5 - 20 mil

Indies (30-40)3 to 20 films, $1 - 3 mil

Genre (30-40)3 to 40 films, $100K to $1mil

Independent Filmmakers 200 - 300 films $1,000 to $20 mil

PR: Distributors are looking for you, they will call you, if listed in trades.

Spend $10,000 on PR to market to Acquisition Executives, they are looking for "high quality low budget character driven movies that will make money" Distributors want your film.  Careful Distributors will suck you dry.

PR:  Put production announcement in trades during REAL pre-prod. (3 weeks prior)

Letterhead mail and FAX to Listings Editor: Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, Weekly Variety, Screen International, and Movie International.

Listing:  Title, key actors, key crew, start date, length of shoot, (dist.)

Cost: Stationary and press agent $1000. (press agents $1500 to 4000mth (4 mos.)

Acquisition Executives read the trade listings, when they call say high quality $1 million to $2 mil. Tell them, that you have other Acquisition executives calling that you will take their name and number to call back, then hang up. DONT TELL THEM THE STORY, Wait till they see it at the film festivals.

PRESS KITS:

Photos: Pro-Photographer (3 to 5 days) inc. Process and Prints

for big action days 50% B/W 50% color transparency, of which 50% actors 50% of producers and director, always pointing while holding script near camera.

PRESS KITS: $10.00 each.

Photos prints (5) action, actors and producers and director.

Gloss folder with silver or gold embossing, biz cards of film title and your name, BIO of producers and director, key actors head shots and BIOS, Synopsis (1 - 2 pgs) with phrases like "the next...." "incredible..." all in envelopes plus mailing to newspapers and acquisition executives.

When acquisition executives call tell them will see them at certain festivals.

Never tell anyone you have a videotape copy.

After third festival call acquisition executives. Have them setup screenings not you.

FILM FESTIVALS: (300 - 500) (US 150, CDN 20-30, big ones 10-15)

Ego's of cities, they charge entry fee and they keep ticket sales.

It is chance to put in front of a paying audience to get press coverage and buzz to start word of mouth. Entry fees $300 - $500 plus travel, lodging, meals, expenses.

Get AWARDS. It makes your film real.

INTERVIEWS: Get your name and film in print and exposed on TV

Must have PRESS AGENT setup in advance all interviews.

Acquisition Executives attend festivals to buy films. The deals are made in the theater lobby, bring your lawyer along.

Do at least two small festivals then go to Toronto for the big one.

COST: $5000 to $10,000 per festival. TOTAL 3 festivals $30,000. to $50,000.

AVIF, "Guide to International Film and Video Festivals" (212) 473-3400.

FILM MARKETS: (3 to 5) AFM, CANNES, MIFED

Selling Foreign rights (90% buying, 10% pre-sells)

AFM (55% of all deals), CANNES (35% of all deals), MIFED (15% of all deals)

Independent Film Market (NYC) October,  Tokyo, Munich, Berlin

Sellers: Film Producers,  Must join AFM $20,000, Annual Fee $3000-$5000

Rent a suite at AFM 10 days $5000 to $10,000

Film on videotape and one sheet

MAJORS and Mini-majors don't go to markets. Mostly general and small distributors

Foreign Markets, by Country, theater, video, TV, cable

Each Nation One Distributor (2) rights (a) everything (b) Satellite direct

When signing contract 10% to 20% deposit with balance on delivery of print, they want M & E track, and 2nd generation Neg.

For FILMMAKERS must get REP. at market to sell rights

FOREIGN SALES AGENT (REPS) really are distributors

DEAL: Before market (a) sell all rights for (10) years

(b) Guarantee of return (A joke)

(c) Straight commission (3 to 10 yrs) 25-40% commission, put cap on marketing Exp.

PRE-SELL: Only if have very successful track record with big star names

CABLE:

BASIC Level: (A & E, Lifetime, Turner, USA, WOR, WTBS, WGN, BRAVO, BET, Nick) could get $200,000 for 3 months window, before video

PAY: HBO/Cinema, Showtime/TMC, Playboy, Disney (DON'T pay Indies)

PAY PER VIEW: High growth

Vice President of Programming (are the buyers)

CABLE can kill a video sale. Cable prefers films with theater release.

DISTRIBUTION DEAL: (no such thing)

You'll never see a penny if distributor say or have in contract:

DANGER WORDS: Basic, standard, cross-collateral, overhead, and package

Get as much money upfront as possible ( 95)

Gross means Nothing, what must see is cash flow, Profit most important

CANNOT SELF-DISTRIBUTE, theater owners only pay when they want another movie

Distribution Fee is their profit.

Get an arbitration clause, otherwise you will be in court, and their will always be legal problems, thus it is cheaper and quicker in arbitration.

PRODUCERS FEE is your salary, DON'T expect Profits.

Make the film sell the rights, move on to next film.

Nobody makes $ on FIRST Film. Make first film then make deals.

If investors ask for dist. deal they are stupid because then their are NO PROFITS, investor will lose all money.

4 out of 10 films return money to investors.

Over 5 years investors will get back 50% to 150% ROI, keep budget under $500K

VIDEO: (20,000 stores) very choosy.

Only buying A and B titles

Break-even 50,000 cassettes (Big video distributor)

Break-even 10,000 cassettes (small dist.)

VSDA, get list of dist. from Cherryhill, NJ

Las Vegas convention

REAL VIDEO DIST. will be 10,000 cassettes $29.95 to $39.95

$400,000 - 30% fee balance $280,000 ads $30,000, marketing $30,000, dubs pack, freight, gross $180,000 to producer $75,000 to $90,000

Making film for video, too shitty for theaters $100K one week shoot 16mm, not so much $ for POST sound.

FILM EDITING: $1200 to $1400 month ($2.00 an hour)

Video editing $50.00 an hour just not affordable. not dead sync

DEFERRALS: DO NOT DO THEM.

If deferrals it is out of producers profit. Tough to sell to dist, if deferrals.