Distribution around the bend!

Well I have to admit it has been a while since my last blog but things have been kind of crazy since I walked through the doors of Independent film distribution. You think making a movie is a lot of work especially when your stuck in the dark by yourself days in and says out trying to piece together the rest of your life one digital frame per second. Well my friends wait until you get to the distribution phase of things and you’re now trying to get the film into the right hands! Its kind of like trying to swim from one small island across to another without getting eaten by dozens of sharks who can smell you coming from a mile. Those who have walked or swam I should say, before me and are reading this probably know exactly what I mean by that analogy. I imagine that every aspiring filmmaker/dreamer out there knows that making a movie with blood, sweat and a whole lot of passion takes courage, faith and the ability to not give up. I wont lie to you I have had my share of days and nights wanting to close my eyes and simply crawl up into a ball and go into a self induced coma! That may seem a bit extreme but its not far from the truth.

I would have to say that one of the best decisions I have made during my process of trying to make it was finding a good sales agent. If you find the right sales agent or Producers Rep then they could be the life raft that will carry you to the other island keeping you safe from the sharks. If you you don’t know who the “sharks” are by my analogy then Ill just go ahead and say it. There are “distributors” out there who dont care if you cut off your right arm or if your mothers life was on the line in order to make your movie. All they see is a tasty dollar sign and they will do whatever it takes to get your movie for nothing and leave you with nothing. If you think that you can make more money by shopping your movie around yourself then good on you! However if you are not sure whats out there lurking for you then find a great Sales Agent and let them represent you. After all they know the business end of things and most importantly they have the connections! That said do be careful as to who you try to use as your rep because sometimes they have bigger teeth than the sharks in the water!

If there was one piece of advice I could give anyone who is thinking about making a movie is this:
Stop what your doing now and BUY “The Insiders Guide to Independent Film Distribution” By Stacey Parks.

This book is the holy grail of indie film making! If you want to succeed you need to get that book in your hands because it paves the road to success for you! I had a quick exchange of words with the author, Stacey and I have to say she is legit! The fact that she has had so much knowledge and willing to share it is incredibly cool. Thank you Stacey for helping me find several homes for my movie;)

Well I have a meeting tomorrow with my sales agent to see whats on the table and drop off some screeners for him. Im looking forward to the future and cant wait to get BOTD out there so I can jump into the next 4 scripts I have lined up!

Thomas

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