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Hi there, I’m writing my first screenplay and am struggling to define naming and formatting rules for minor characters. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 1) Should minor characters be referred to with exactly the same name throughout? e.g. A minor character is introduced (p.34): “He...

Hi there, When organising screenings for my feature (primarily at indie theatres, music venues etc), I am wondering if I should request a one-off licensing fee to screen or a percentage of the door? Or is it the case that I won't really have a choice between the two as it will general be...

It was actually $3,750 total - with 40% now, 60% after a sale to a master distributor that I approve of.

Everyone I've been in touch with who've worked with the company has been very positive (and I contacted numerous people not on the list of references they provided). I also negotiated a partial payment now, partial payment in the event of a sale deal, which I imagine illustrates some confidence...

A sales company/aggregator suggested that since my film has not had a theatrical release, the best thing is for me to just go through avenues like Vimeo, as I can drive buyers to it and that it would not be very visible on itunes etc due to the lack of a theatrical release and substantial...

I read the BBC broadcast specs during pre-production and it seemed very basic and suprise-free. We shot 4K RED. I can have an M&E mix made up very easily if it is required. Is this related to SD material again?

Although my knowledge of TV deliverables is cursory, I was under the impression that generally all that is required are rights clearances (although I had heard that this might not even be necessary) an HD Quicktime file of the film itself and potentially Errors and Omissions insurance in some...

Thanks for the info... In this instance the upfront fee is actually much more than that ($5,000) and the finishing/ongoing costs of the film have already left me in a pretty bad place financially. A wide theatrical release was never going to happen (and I've had a number of indie theaters...

Thanks very much for the responses... I was initially most concerned about distributors not accepting unsolicited submissions, or sales agents having more cachet and ability for leverage. I can imagine that international sales would take a great deal of time and research but am not aware if...

Hi there, In trying to procure a sales agent for a film I'm producing, I emailed all the relevant companies I could find with little success (the half a dozen who did respond said that it is too niche for them). However, one company is interested (they actually contacted me first) but they...

Hi there, I am producing a documentary about an obscure musician and have made a licensing deal with an independent label who owns most of the music rights (the deal was concessional and fair/feasible for the project). However, some of the other tracks are owned by a major label (the tracks...

Hi there, I've read some conflicting things about the best time to submit to festivals (some programmers saying it doesn't matter when you submit at all, others saying it's definitely best to submit as early as possible). I am wondering if timing of submissions is just something that varies...

Hi there, I need to acquire some archive footage for a documentary. The owner of the master tape is suggesting that we just take the clip directly from a commercially-produced DVD that they put out which includes the footage we need and that anything else would require a studio to transfer it...

Hi there, I need some basic ambiences for a documentary (mostly generic city noise) and am curious what are the best free, or cheap, sites for this? Many thanks...

Thanks very much for the info. In regard to sales agents, is there a good way of finding someone appropriate? Timing wise I still have at least a month of editing and two months before the first festival deadlines - is it best to wait until the film is finished or do I need to find someone ASAP...

Hi there, I am approaching the end of the edit of my first documentary feature and am now finding myself thinking more about distribution. During pre-production I had researched the topic and ended up with some goals in mind but after continued research I am still unsure about a few things. My...

Hi there, I am currently making a documentary and would greatly appreciate to receive some clarifications regarding fair use. FYI the film's distribution is likely to be festivals, independent exhibition and possibly TV. The typical usage of (a large number of) copyright-controlled material is...

Hi there, I am currently shooting an independent documentary that is requiring multiple trips to the USA (I am a UK citizen). On previous trips I have used a visa intended for recreation (it is a minimal production that has been entirely self-financed until recently) but have had to deal with...

Hi there, I am currently looking to integrate a fairly wide range of stock footage (although mostly nature, wildlife, aerials and American landscapes) into a documentary I am working on and was wondering what are the best resources for this? I will mainly have to use royalty free material due...

Thanks very much for the info. If a digital version is possible would it be the same quality as HDCAM SR or would some kind of compression be inevitable? In terms of my requirements I really just want the highest quality I can get. FYI I'm editing with Premiere - if there's any more...