I ready many topics here, and found none discussing an opportunity to sell movies on filmmarkets, for flat fees to different regions. Anyone has an experience on it? how does it work? do you need a selling company, or you can do it yourself. What are the things to consider, possible mistakes?!
Filmmarkets
- Thread starter Levan Bakhia
- Start date
In short; selling a film at one of the markets is done
by renting booth space and several screening times.
You set up your promotional materials and you work
hard to get buyers to attend a screening.
It's very expensive to do for one movie. Distributors
put together a library of many films.
by renting booth space and several screening times.
You set up your promotional materials and you work
hard to get buyers to attend a screening.
It's very expensive to do for one movie. Distributors
put together a library of many films.
Understand that film markets (like AFM) are for COMPANIES that are busy SELLING their movies to buyers. They often get annoyed by Joe Indie Filmmakers who themselves are walking around trying to solicit to them. The people who present AFM even discourage small time Joe's from selling their movie at AFM. They told me that sometimes people do the co-op thing with other Joe Indie Filmmakers but with disappointing results. AFM charges an arm and a leg to attend. You can just as well solicit your movie to indie distributors through the mail anyway.
Having said all of this, why would you want to sign with a traditional distributor anyway? Unless your movie has a big budget look, an actor with box office draw, a buzz (perhaps from festivals) and you GENUINELY think that Wal-Mart or Best Buy WILL stock your title (they won't), then what's the point in signing with a traditional distributor? Realistically there's NO point other than to give money to a middleman and lose sleep when they fall behind on paying you, then declare bankruptcy. This isn't 1995 or even 2005. Internet distribution is taking over. Just sign up with Amazon and sell via your website and ccnow.com -- Oh and manufacture as little DVD's as possible! DVD's will be obsolete within 10 years. Make way for on demand.
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The American Film Market (AFM) is every November and it's a place where people who sell films (Sales Agents/Producer's Reps) sell films to international buyers (DVD distributors, cable TV, etc.). It's not really meant for filmmakers directly, although more than a few do attend.
The traditional way is to get someone who already has a booth, the aforementioned Sales Agents or Producer's Reps, to represent your film and sell to the buyers for a percentage (between 10%-25%) of the sales, plus their fees and expenses.
The traditional way is to get someone who already has a booth, the aforementioned Sales Agents or Producer's Reps, to represent your film and sell to the buyers for a percentage (between 10%-25%) of the sales, plus their fees and expenses.
