From Scott Kirsner’s ITVS Digital Initiative: Report from the Field about digital strategies for social issue filmmakers.
1. Start a blog or create a bare-bones website to generate awareness of what you’re up to; this can be a way for potential collaborators, sources, funders, and DVD-buyers to get in touch with you early on.
2. Participate and post in existing online communities related to your film’s topic.
3. Maintain a database of everyone who you’ve interviewed or who has offered help during production, so you can let them know when the film is finally finished.
4. Consider ways to allow interested parties to get involved with your filmmaking process; some filmmakers have “open-sourced” their research, having others contribute by shooting far-off locations and interviews, and even some editing.
5. Think about posting some clips/excerpts from your rough cut on video-sharing sites to begin building an online presence for your film. Provide links back to the film’s site or to your blog.
05 June 2010
Top Five Marketing and Promotion Strategies
From Scott Kirsner’s ITVS Digital Initiative: Report from the Field about digital strategies for social issue filmmakers.
1. Leverage the lists and websites of membership organizations related to the topic of your film to communicate with viewer who may be interested in seeing/purchasing it.
2. Connect with bloggers who cover the issues in your film, offer them interviews, review copies of the DVD or embeddable clips from the film.
3. Collect email addresses (and ideally zip codes too) from the visitors to your film’s website; you can notify them when the film is playing in theaters or on TV, or when it becomes available on DVD or as a download.
4. Post clips on video-sharing sites or social networking sites, with links back to the film’s main site; this can help introduce it to new audiences.
5. Consider allowing internet users to remix or “mash up” parts of your film, or create their own trailers for it. This adds their perspective to the work and, ideally, helps it reach a broader audience.
1. Leverage the lists and websites of membership organizations related to the topic of your film to communicate with viewer who may be interested in seeing/purchasing it.
2. Connect with bloggers who cover the issues in your film, offer them interviews, review copies of the DVD or embeddable clips from the film.
3. Collect email addresses (and ideally zip codes too) from the visitors to your film’s website; you can notify them when the film is playing in theaters or on TV, or when it becomes available on DVD or as a download.
4. Post clips on video-sharing sites or social networking sites, with links back to the film’s main site; this can help introduce it to new audiences.
5. Consider allowing internet users to remix or “mash up” parts of your film, or create their own trailers for it. This adds their perspective to the work and, ideally, helps it reach a broader audience.
Top Five Distribution Strategies
From Scott Kirsner’s ITVS Digital Initiative: Report from the Field about the digital strategies for social issue filmmakers.
1. Make sure DVDs are available when audiences are most interested in the film: during the theatrical run, during festival screenings and at the time of the first TV broadcast.
2. Consider producing at least two versions of the DVD, at two different price points: one for general audiences and a second version for educational/group use, with discussion guides and supplemental material.
3. Carefully evaluate distribution offers that wrap up digital rights with theatrical or home video rights. What will the distributor do in the near-term to generate revenues with those rights?
4. Focus digital distribution efforts on outlets with already-established audiences (such as Apple’s iTunes or Amazon.com’s Unbox); if working with a newer outlet, negotiate for premium placement on the site and additional promotion.
5. Whether selling DVDs or digital downloads/rentals with a business partner, insist on regular reporting of sales figures and the ability to audit them.
1. Make sure DVDs are available when audiences are most interested in the film: during the theatrical run, during festival screenings and at the time of the first TV broadcast.
2. Consider producing at least two versions of the DVD, at two different price points: one for general audiences and a second version for educational/group use, with discussion guides and supplemental material.
3. Carefully evaluate distribution offers that wrap up digital rights with theatrical or home video rights. What will the distributor do in the near-term to generate revenues with those rights?
4. Focus digital distribution efforts on outlets with already-established audiences (such as Apple’s iTunes or Amazon.com’s Unbox); if working with a newer outlet, negotiate for premium placement on the site and additional promotion.
5. Whether selling DVDs or digital downloads/rentals with a business partner, insist on regular reporting of sales figures and the ability to audit them.
25 May 2010
Random Connections
A few additional resources and connections gathered while at Hot Docs:
HotDocs Library
A wealth of Canadian documentaries you can watch online. In the youth zone be sure to check out the top shorts made by youth. Plus special sections for educators (including downloadable resource packages) and an industry corner where you can see the industry sessions held at HotDocs Film Festival.
Shooting People
An international network for independent filmmakers.
Arts Engine
Connects media makers and active audiences in order to spur critical consideration of pressing social issues.
Ideas from Cinereach
An assortment of articles, panels, case studies, useful links and more.
DocAgora
An open sapce to consider new forms, new platforms, new tools and new ways of financing creative and socially engaged documentary media.
HotDocs Library
A wealth of Canadian documentaries you can watch online. In the youth zone be sure to check out the top shorts made by youth. Plus special sections for educators (including downloadable resource packages) and an industry corner where you can see the industry sessions held at HotDocs Film Festival.
Shooting People
An international network for independent filmmakers.
Arts Engine
Connects media makers and active audiences in order to spur critical consideration of pressing social issues.
Ideas from Cinereach
An assortment of articles, panels, case studies, useful links and more.
DocAgora
An open sapce to consider new forms, new platforms, new tools and new ways of financing creative and socially engaged documentary media.
Peter Wintonick’s Soapbox
The often outrageous, sometimes prophetic, always amusing ramblings and insights of Canadian documentary filmmaker Peter Wintonick at HotDoc’s Soapbox where each person was allowed to pontificate about the state of documentaries for five minutes.
The first thing people ask is What is your film about? Let’s just try to ask the question without the word “about.” Films are more than what they’re about. They’re more than the content. We’re trying to make documentary cinema. It’s about form and aesthetics and art. It’s really about the communication of complex things rather than of the content. I’m interested in how you project what you see to the eyes of the people who are seeing it. For the last 80 years, documentary has positioned itself in the “about.” I instead ask What is the experience?
We’ll banish the word documentary and call it doc media.
Don’t make any more sad documentaries. The number of funny documentaries playing at festivals is usually three out of 300. Sadness and earnestness have become the sins of documentary. Sadness sells. Or feeling guilty. Problemetizing the world, making everything an issue is so prevalent.
Critic Pauline Kale once said about Godard’s fiction films, that he was actually making documentaries of the future set in the present, because capturing a moment before it passed was more important to him than presenting a finished fictional work.
And now for some speculations on where documentaries will be 20 years from now according to Peter Wintonick:
• Fiction will cease to exist. People will extract all the drama, character stories and pleasure from non-fiction doc media that they used to enjoy from fiction.
• Every doc citizen will have eye plants, this kind of third intuitive eye.
• Closed circuit cameras will become the next TV channels, the next theatres, the next opera houses.
• Documentaries will have saved the world. There will no longer be a need for documentaries. But we will make them anyway out of habit.
• Documocracy will replace ideology, religion and politics.
• Docutopian ideas.
• Happiness will rule and there will no longer be a need for sad documentaries.
• Everyone will become a documentary maker.
• Free will be the basis of the new economy. Although gossip may become the new currency.
• Documentary makers will not longer need to take the vow of poverty. We will be appreciated and well paid.
• Forget 3D. 4D holograms will replace it. Documations will come down off the screen to become people.
• HAL will direct all documentaries thus freeing us to rest.
Peter Wintonick founded the production company Necessary Illusions and started DocAgora, a forum to connect and find out about funding and distributing documentary media.
Linear docs are dead and the infrastructure to support them is dead.
The first thing people ask is What is your film about? Let’s just try to ask the question without the word “about.” Films are more than what they’re about. They’re more than the content. We’re trying to make documentary cinema. It’s about form and aesthetics and art. It’s really about the communication of complex things rather than of the content. I’m interested in how you project what you see to the eyes of the people who are seeing it. For the last 80 years, documentary has positioned itself in the “about.” I instead ask What is the experience?
We’ll banish the word documentary and call it doc media.
Don’t make any more sad documentaries. The number of funny documentaries playing at festivals is usually three out of 300. Sadness and earnestness have become the sins of documentary. Sadness sells. Or feeling guilty. Problemetizing the world, making everything an issue is so prevalent.
Critic Pauline Kale once said about Godard’s fiction films, that he was actually making documentaries of the future set in the present, because capturing a moment before it passed was more important to him than presenting a finished fictional work.
And now for some speculations on where documentaries will be 20 years from now according to Peter Wintonick:
• Fiction will cease to exist. People will extract all the drama, character stories and pleasure from non-fiction doc media that they used to enjoy from fiction.
• Every doc citizen will have eye plants, this kind of third intuitive eye.
• Closed circuit cameras will become the next TV channels, the next theatres, the next opera houses.
• Documentaries will have saved the world. There will no longer be a need for documentaries. But we will make them anyway out of habit.
• Documocracy will replace ideology, religion and politics.
• Docutopian ideas.
• Happiness will rule and there will no longer be a need for sad documentaries.
• Everyone will become a documentary maker.
• Free will be the basis of the new economy. Although gossip may become the new currency.
• Documentary makers will not longer need to take the vow of poverty. We will be appreciated and well paid.
• Forget 3D. 4D holograms will replace it. Documations will come down off the screen to become people.
• HAL will direct all documentaries thus freeing us to rest.
Peter Wintonick founded the production company Necessary Illusions and started DocAgora, a forum to connect and find out about funding and distributing documentary media.
List of Distributors
Some distributors of interest that we found out about while at HotDocs:
Snag Films
Interested in the power of documentary film to effect social change. They show films online internationally for free.
IndieFlix
More grassroots. They offer non-exclusive distribution for independent filmmakers through DVD sales, streaming online pay-per-view. They also have alliances and provide some titles to Joost, Hulu, Snag, Amazon VOD, Netflix, iTunes and others.
Visit Films
Distributes the best in world cinema, films made with reasonable budgets that possess commercial viability. They sell for all rights, not just theatrical or television. They come on board at the completion stage.
Cinetic Media
Offers film producers a variety of services from financing to sales representation for theatrical release and digital media distribution. Committed to grassroots marketing.
KinoSmith
Provides distribution and marketing of Canadian and international films to Canada.
Autlook Films
Based in Austria, they handle theatrical and TV sales and festivals.
Dogwoof Films
UK distributor interested in social issue films that are not necessarily easily mass marketable.
Kloos & Co
Production company and more recently getting into distribution of outstanding documentaries. Clients include Arté, ZDF, Al Jazeera, TV3. Florian Thalhofer helped start the company.
Independent Television Service
They fund, present and promote documentaries and dramas on public television and cable and innovative new media projects on the web.
Rooftop Films
Bringing films to unexpected places, getting new audiences. Their tagline: Underground movies outdoors. Supported by Cinereach.
Some other distributors to check out:
Outsider Pictures
Palm Pictures
FiGa Films
Mitropoulos Films
Music Box Films
Arts Engine
***Also, I highly recommend checking out Cinereach’s excellent list of exhibition and distribution venues.*** And another list of distributors is available at DocAgora.
Snag Films
Interested in the power of documentary film to effect social change. They show films online internationally for free.
IndieFlix
More grassroots. They offer non-exclusive distribution for independent filmmakers through DVD sales, streaming online pay-per-view. They also have alliances and provide some titles to Joost, Hulu, Snag, Amazon VOD, Netflix, iTunes and others.
Visit Films
Distributes the best in world cinema, films made with reasonable budgets that possess commercial viability. They sell for all rights, not just theatrical or television. They come on board at the completion stage.
Cinetic Media
Offers film producers a variety of services from financing to sales representation for theatrical release and digital media distribution. Committed to grassroots marketing.
KinoSmith
Provides distribution and marketing of Canadian and international films to Canada.
Autlook Films
Based in Austria, they handle theatrical and TV sales and festivals.
Dogwoof Films
UK distributor interested in social issue films that are not necessarily easily mass marketable.
Kloos & Co
Production company and more recently getting into distribution of outstanding documentaries. Clients include Arté, ZDF, Al Jazeera, TV3. Florian Thalhofer helped start the company.
Independent Television Service
They fund, present and promote documentaries and dramas on public television and cable and innovative new media projects on the web.
Rooftop Films
Bringing films to unexpected places, getting new audiences. Their tagline: Underground movies outdoors. Supported by Cinereach.
Some other distributors to check out:
Outsider Pictures
Palm Pictures
FiGa Films
Mitropoulos Films
Music Box Films
Arts Engine
***Also, I highly recommend checking out Cinereach’s excellent list of exhibition and distribution venues.*** And another list of distributors is available at DocAgora.
Distribution Now
A few notes taken during a Hot Docs industry session about distribution strategies and getting your movie seen. Watch the session.
A good distributor should and will take the time to explain how things work to filmmakers. (Robin)
You need a combination of passion and knowledge for distribution. Build up a team for distribution just like you did for the making of your film. (Peter)
Let the distributor know what your expectations and goals are. They need to know that up front. (Peter)
Get your movie out however you can. For example, check with small Film Societies around the country and show your film there. (Robin)
You need a strategy and partners. Maybe community partners. Build your audience. (Scilla)
It takes patience and persistence.
Rejection is commonplace. Do not take it personally. Do not be deterred. It often has more to do with what the distributor of festival is looking for at that time and whether it strikes a chord with the person who is reviewing it than the quality of the film.
Look at theatrical as a way to drive people to the video-on-demand. (Matt)
Currently, doing theatrical and video-on-demand at the same time is unusual. There are barriers to doing this that will probably change in the future. For example, with more mergers, it is possible the same company would be doing both theatrical and video-on-demand. (Matt)
$50,000–$75,000 for broadcast rights is decent.
For exhibitors, they’re more interested in your strategy and your numbers (audience stats, etc) than in your film. (Robin)
As you build up funders, you are building up an audience for your film ahead of time. This can also be a good selling point to potential distributors.
Read the article about the six case studies given in this industry session as covered by Indiewire.
Sandra Whipham (moderator), Director, London Fields Pictures
Scilla Andreen, CEO and Co-Founder, IndieFlix (USA)
Matt Dentler, Head of Programming, Cinetic Rights Management (USA)
Peter Jäger, Managing Director, Autlook Films (Austria)
Aida LiPera, Manager of Acquisitions and Festivals, Visit Films (USA)
Andrew Mer, VP, Content Partnerships, SnagFilms (USA)
Robin Smith, President, KinoSmith (Canada)
A good distributor should and will take the time to explain how things work to filmmakers. (Robin)
You need a combination of passion and knowledge for distribution. Build up a team for distribution just like you did for the making of your film. (Peter)
Let the distributor know what your expectations and goals are. They need to know that up front. (Peter)
Get your movie out however you can. For example, check with small Film Societies around the country and show your film there. (Robin)
You need a strategy and partners. Maybe community partners. Build your audience. (Scilla)
It takes patience and persistence.
Rejection is commonplace. Do not take it personally. Do not be deterred. It often has more to do with what the distributor of festival is looking for at that time and whether it strikes a chord with the person who is reviewing it than the quality of the film.
Look at theatrical as a way to drive people to the video-on-demand. (Matt)
Currently, doing theatrical and video-on-demand at the same time is unusual. There are barriers to doing this that will probably change in the future. For example, with more mergers, it is possible the same company would be doing both theatrical and video-on-demand. (Matt)
$50,000–$75,000 for broadcast rights is decent.
For exhibitors, they’re more interested in your strategy and your numbers (audience stats, etc) than in your film. (Robin)
As you build up funders, you are building up an audience for your film ahead of time. This can also be a good selling point to potential distributors.
Read the article about the six case studies given in this industry session as covered by Indiewire.
Sandra Whipham (moderator), Director, London Fields Pictures
Scilla Andreen, CEO and Co-Founder, IndieFlix (USA)
Matt Dentler, Head of Programming, Cinetic Rights Management (USA)
Peter Jäger, Managing Director, Autlook Films (Austria)
Aida LiPera, Manager of Acquisitions and Festivals, Visit Films (USA)
Andrew Mer, VP, Content Partnerships, SnagFilms (USA)
Robin Smith, President, KinoSmith (Canada)
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