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The Insider's Guide to Independent Film Distribution
Innovation in technology means that almost anyone can make an independent film these days. Although this may be good news for aspiring filmmakers, it also means that the oversupply of independent films on the market has caused acquisition prices to dramatically decrease. As a result, producers and investors rarely recover their initial investment in the films they make. But don't be discouraged! Use this book to learn the realities of the market in advance and map out a winning distribution plan.
This comprehensive manual for filmmakers and producers dedicated to film distribution and the marketplace could mean the difference between getting your film out to the public and keeping it "in the can." Learn how to sell your movie to a studio, a cable network, a video distributor, or an international buyer. Self-distribution and other alternatives to traditional distribution are also considered. As well, you'll hear some success stories from producers and hear exactly what buyers are seeking.
Stacey Parks has worked with dozens of hungry filmmakers to get their films a distribution deal and knows how frustrating the whole process can be. Let her tell you how you can take control of your filmmaking career and start getting your work seen by audiences with a few little-known distribution secrets.
Features
* Interviews and case studies with producers and distributors
* Ten Ways to Market Your Film for Self-Distribution
* Sales Projections per Territory
* Distribution Resource Listings
* Negotiation tips for distribution agreements
* Sample distribution agreements
This comprehensive manual for filmmakers and producers dedicated to film distribution and the marketplace could mean the difference between getting your film out to the public and keeping it "in the can." Learn how to sell your movie to a studio, a cable network, a video distributor, or an international buyer. Self-distribution and other alternatives to traditional distribution are also considered. As well, you'll hear some success stories from producers and hear exactly what buyers are seeking.
Stacey Parks has worked with dozens of hungry filmmakers to get their films a distribution deal and knows how frustrating the whole process can be. Let her tell you how you can take control of your filmmaking career and start getting your work seen by audiences with a few little-known distribution secrets.
Features
* Interviews and case studies with producers and distributors
* Ten Ways to Market Your Film for Self-Distribution
* Sales Projections per Territory
* Distribution Resource Listings
* Negotiation tips for distribution agreements
* Sample distribution agreements
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 27, 2020
read as part of Tribeca Film Festival class.
informative enough. reads like a hastily written blog from a very knowledgeable person. hard to blame it for being desperately out of date. general structure is there re: pre/producing for distro, presales, foreign, festival/market circuit, alt distro. appendix is solid.
parks is a hustler who shares her knowledge online, in print, as consultant. is this a relevant book? maybe. was it smart for her to release it? absolutely.
i see that meta lesson as the biggest takeaway: look down every alley, out think + work the competition, create revenue out of thin air. the job of a producer (and especially a 'PMD') is not rote. figure it out.
informative enough. reads like a hastily written blog from a very knowledgeable person. hard to blame it for being desperately out of date. general structure is there re: pre/producing for distro, presales, foreign, festival/market circuit, alt distro. appendix is solid.
parks is a hustler who shares her knowledge online, in print, as consultant. is this a relevant book? maybe. was it smart for her to release it? absolutely.
i see that meta lesson as the biggest takeaway: look down every alley, out think + work the competition, create revenue out of thin air. the job of a producer (and especially a 'PMD') is not rote. figure it out.
November 10, 2024
I guess this book is ok for basics if you're a film student or are trying to distribute your first feature film. I personally feel it is more of an ancillary commercial for FilmSpecific.com than anything, and most of the examples are extremely outdated, if not irrelevant all together.
May 14, 2016
Good but outdated
It is outdated still great advice. I would recommend this to other filmmaker friends of mine looking for distribution. It has great ideas but it can be a little discouraging since it uses "low numbers" by Hollywood standards to show how cheap you can do things. Like saying you only need $100,000.00 to make and distribute a movie. I just imagined my budget instead of that example. Still great advice for filmmakers and a quick read. Nothing to lose seeking knowledge from this book.
It is outdated still great advice. I would recommend this to other filmmaker friends of mine looking for distribution. It has great ideas but it can be a little discouraging since it uses "low numbers" by Hollywood standards to show how cheap you can do things. Like saying you only need $100,000.00 to make and distribute a movie. I just imagined my budget instead of that example. Still great advice for filmmakers and a quick read. Nothing to lose seeking knowledge from this book.
April 4, 2009
One of the best books I've read on indie film production. The author Stacey Parks used to be a foreign sales agent for films and has created the website http://www.filmspecific.com which has info you can't get anywhere else. Awesome book, and her site continues to grow with interviews, info, contracts, etc. She talks specifics. Hence, the name of the site.
May 2, 2018
Independent Film Distribution
In order to understand film as a whole, you also have to understand the business side of it as well. There are many books out there that deal with film as a business, and this is one of them. It is a very tiny book with 200 pages, but it provides wealth of information on what-to-do and what-not-to-do to succeed in a competitive industry as well on how to market your product. One of the greatest strengths is that the author interviews actual people working in the independent film industry with their insightful advices. In my opinion, getting advices from others whom are either more successful or older (or both!) that have gone through the experiences is the greatest wisdom you can get yourself because in the end we do not know everything (although we try to act like it including myself). Another important thing is to apply what you have read and taught.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews