Is AFM worth it?

[Mike Regent]

Hello,

I recently completed a feature film and would like to bypass the sales agent route and sell it myself. I'm considering getting a booth at AFM. Do you think it's worth it? Can I make sales without going to a major film market? If I can, is it even worth the considerable cost of getting a booth?

Any info is much appreciated.

Thank you kindly,
Mike

 

[directorik]

And second, I've met with a couple of sales agents and they are constantly harping about going to all of the markets and making sales there. I'm trying to figure what it is I'm missing by not going to AFM when all sales agents and buyers congregate there.

As long as you keep changing the scenario you will be confused.

The sales agents who are "harping" about going to all of the
markets are making the assumption that you do not have an
"extremely sellable" movie. My advice to you was based on an
"extremely sellable" movie. If your movie is "extremely" sellable
you don't need to go the markets at all. An "extremely sellable"
movie is one that a buyer will take one look at and know, KNOW
it will make them a lot of money.

So if we take "extremely sellable"out of the scenario then you
need to hit all the markets, make all the phone calls, send out your
EPK to everyone. 5k will get you half of one boot at one market for
10 days. The same will get you a skilled sales agent who will shop
your movie everywhere for 6 months.

I'm not saying that's the best move.

If you want to do the work of a sales agent then do it. You know
how much work it is and how much it costs. You also know that an
experienced sales agent already has the contacts - their calls will
be taken - and you don't have those direct contacts.

I figure there must be something accomplished at AFM that could not otherwise be accomplished over the phone

There is. You have a booth with a lot of swag. You host a party
with an open bar to rub shoulders with buyers. You have several
screenings with an audience and invite buyers. That's what the
prodCo's and studios do. And they have several films to sell and
a LOT of money. Because they do not have many "extremely
sellable" movies and the need to hard sell them.

Two, independent producers sharing one booth will not attract
many buyers to the booth. Sure, a few walk-bys will pick up some
of your swag, look at your poster, maybe take your EPK as the
head to the "real" stuff. As longas your movie is "extremely sellable"
you're gold. But if you movie is "extremely sellable" you can sell
it over the phone. If it's a great movie - you need to do a lot of
hard selling.

 

[Sweetie]

In your opinion, do you think buyers will take my call? I know some domestic buyers only deal with certain companies but I think foreign is more open...

I hate to push pop psychology on you, but what's the worst that can happen? You call them and they won't talk with you. So you'll be in the same situation you're currently in.

Just be aware of this: all distributors are looking for the next big thing. The thing is, your opinion of the next big thing may be different to them. Your version of sellable may be different to theirs.

When you call them, be prepared with your selling points. You'll get on the phone with one of their secretaries. Here is your chance to pitch why it's sellable. "Hi, I've got a sellable movie. It's an action film with Brad Pitt in it. Think your boss would be in the market?" or "I've got a epic adventure movie with Johnny Depp, interested?" or "I got a drama directed by Speilberg, interested?"

As longas your movie is "extremely sellable"
you're gold. But if you movie is "extremely sellable" you can sell
it over the phone. If it's a great movie - you need to do a lot of
hard selling.

What Rik said is true. It's likely that if you have a sellable (as depicted in my examples with talking with the distributors above) movie, they'd already know about it. (if not, who's your A-list asset)

The international buyers ask a few questions, but the most common one's you'll hear, "Who's in it?" and "What is it? (Genre)".

Honest time: You're more likely to have a decent to great movie that isn't sellable. It hurts, I know it and it sucks. You'll want buzz coming out about your movie. I assume you already have that. If not, fire your publicist. Don't have one, fire your producer.

 

[Blade_Jones]

Hello,

I recently completed a feature film and would like to bypass the sales agent route and sell it myself. I'm considering getting a booth at AFM. Do you think it's worth it? Can I make sales without going to a major film market? If I can, is it even worth the considerable cost of getting a booth?

Any info is much appreciated.

Thank you kindly,
Mike

A few years ago I contacted AFM and asked them about this very question. They do not encourage it. They told me that the people with booths are there to sell their own stuff and don't really like to be bothered with an individual filmmaker wondering around trying to sell their own movie. They told me that filmmakers have tried to pool together as a co-op to buy a room to sell their films but did not have much success.

Personally I think that AFM is so expensive that it's just not worth it.

 

[VictorSW1974]

My agent took me and a few of his other clients on a "educational" tour of AFM last year. Many of the points raised above, I saw with my own eyes:

1. There are no "hot" properties at AFM. It's buyers looking for packages of films for their cable networks/DVD companies/streaming services, or for foriegn markets, and its all business.

2. Filmmakers representing their product is not something you see. The few we DID see were there just to shake hands and make small talk while sales agents handled the real heavy lifting.