Story quality: Poor story quality can really ruin your run. Major studio backing: People trust the quality of major studios. And Christmas movies do better in the winter than they do in the summer. Horror films generally do better in the autumn than they do in the spring. Season: The time of year is a huge factor in whether or not your film will be distributed. It's like each person who goes to see your film is a mini investor, "Is this film worth spending $15 and two hours of my time?" Big-name talent sells films because people trust them with their money. We believe that, because this was produced by the Russo Brothers or because Chris Hemsworth is in it, it will be good. We have all been conditioned to believe that certain actors and directors and producers will always put out exceptional content. They want the guarantee that they'll enjoy themselves. Several factors can lock in your likelihood of getting distribution:īig named talent: Have you ever gone to see a movie just because an actor you like was in it? What about your favorite directors or producers? People are funny about entertainment. It's the job of the distribution company and the studio to decide which option will benefit them the most. You won't make any money.)Įither option has it's pros and cons and depends mostly on how well your film does at the box office. This percentage is usually between 10-50%. Profit-sharing, the distributor gets a percentage of the profits made from the film. Leasing, the distributor agrees to pay a fixed amount for the rights to distribute the film. There are two types of distribution: leasing and profit-sharing. And if you had a $33M production budget with a $33M P&A budget, you just broke even… barley. If you sold $100M worth of tickets, your distributor would only see $65M of that amount, at best. If your film hits theaters, at best, you will only walk away with 35% of each ticket. Your marketing budget will, at a minimum, have to match your film's production budget up to $35M. Distribution is EXPENSIVE, especially if you are headed for theaters. Is their money safe with you? The film industry is a very high risk for investors, so make your plan is foolproof.Īnother reason why you should plan distribution early is to make sure you have it in the budget. Investors want to know how you are going to make them money. If you are looking for investment for your film, chances are, you won't even get an investor until you have your distribution plan figured out. Or contact other filmmakers you know or have worked with in the past to see which lawyers they have hired and get their personal recommendations. Just like the film insurance agent you hire must know the industry and the specific needs filmmaking requires, so does your lawyer.Įnsure your budget for a lawyer as part of your distribution costs as ancillary rights are just one of the areas filmmakers start to lose their profits.Ī quick Google search of "Entertainment Lawyers" will provide you with a list of lawyers. GET A LAWYER- one who regularly works on cases involving the entertainment industry. ![]() This deal is made between the distribution company and the filmmaker. In entertainment, this is a contractual agreement in which a percentage of the profits are received and derived from the sale of posters, T-shirts, action figures, books, DVDs, etc. How do you even know if you want to go see it?! Is it worth the.well, pennies back then?Īncillary rights are supplementary or subordinate rights arising from a primary reason. ![]() It's hard to imagine a film not advertised. It used to be that films would just show up in a theater, stay for a while, and then disappear. We're going to talk about what you need to look out for when getting ready to sign an agreement with a distribution company and how to best protect yourself and your product. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for indie filmmakers to get taken for fools and end up getting ripped off. When looking into distribution options for your films, research the cautionary tales of filmmakers who have gone before you. Films can be distributed through theatrical, video on demand (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.), DVD, and new media. A film distribution company is responsible for the marketing and distribution of your films to the general public.
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