Self-Distrib - My Self Distribution Plan
Hey y’all,
Just wanted to give you an inside look at the self-distribution of one of my films, "Deadroom." At this point, I have investigated our options, and I think I’ve determined a low-cost, high return plan for distribution. Ultimately, my entire plan of distribution will cost no more than $3000, which comes out to $600 per producer assuming all 5 of us chip in an equal share. (it's a 4-part collaboration of 4 writer/director/producers, plus me, exec. prod.)
A bit of back-story, Deadroom has screened at SXSW2005, Philly Int'l, Cleveland Int'l, Texas Film Fest and Ozone Film Fest. We have gotten some good press, have accumulated around 1,000 names on our mailing list.
OK, here's the plan, step-by-step:
1. Finish artwork and all parties agree to final artwork (DVD Case sleeve, DVD face)
2. Make 1000-unit replication order, with UPC and Shrinkwrap, through Discmakers ($1590 plus shipping)
I’m choosing Discmakers because of several reasons: I used them with Bloodshed and they’re top-notch in quality, delivery time and overall pleasantness, not to mention being very cheap (1000 for $1.59 each – reorder them for $1.49 each). Right now, the price is for 4 color dvd case sleeve and 3 color on-disc printing. For on-disk art it is cheaper to do less color, so let’s try to make that simple and to the point. Don’t forget copyright logos on both back cover and on DVD face.
3. Direct on-line sales through these distribution routes:
a. Direct sales through DiscBaby.com. This allows us the cheapest, most flexible method to sell DVDs directly to our audience, for zero setup fees if we duplicate through Discmakers. They have no other fees, allow us to set our own retail price, take only $4 per title sold, and cut checks every Tuesday. Yes! WEEKLY checks!
b. Direct sales through Amazon.com. This allows us the bragging rights of being listed on Amazon.com, plus additional market penetration through a highly visible, searchable web retailer. We would offer both options on the website, but direct people to the DiscBaby site if at all possible. It’s good to accept that some people have established accounts, gift cards, etc. through Amazon, and it makes it easier for them to purchase through them. I also don’t want to limit our sales because they’re not as comfortable going through a smaller retailer like DiscBaby. The fees for Amazon: $30/year, they set the retail price (probably around $20), we get 45% of all sales, and they cut checks monthly.
4. Online rental opportunities:
a. Netflix.com. I am speaking with the indie filmmaker division here in Beverly Hills and they said send over a copy of the film whenever. I want to send one that is an officially pressed copy, and told them we’d send them something in January. It has to be a pressed replicated copy, not a DVD-R, with UPC barcodes for tracking purposes. I’m not sure yet how the money side of things works, but we’ll be making a majority of our profits through direct sales anyway, so my goal is to get it to Netflix regardless of our return, as long as we don’t have to PAY anything.
b. Blockbuster.com. I was unable to find online info, but have contacted their corporate office and am awaiting a response.
c. Greencine.com. They do both DVD-by-mail and VOD, and they're totally cool and open to a revenue share.
d. WalMart.com. FUCK THAT SHIT!
5. Press and Publicity:
a. NOW – Get Myspace Deadroom switched over to the Myspace Film Section – Nothing says “target audience” like 1,000 friends on the biggest networking site.
b. Update the deadroommovie site – www.deadroommovie.com should open up with a “Now Available at:” page, with links to rentals and sales sites, as well as of course a link to the main deadroom site. Have a sales bar at the bottom of each page, that way if they reach the site through an old link, they still know it’s for sale/rent.
c. TELL EVERYONE WE’RE GOING ONLINE WITH SALES. That’s right, everyfuckingbody. Every person you made contact along the Deadroom trail, every festival programmer and judge from the festivals, every reviewer, everyfuckingbody. Let’s make a list, check it twice, and send out a tight coordinated announcement and press release, coinciding with rentals as well.
d. Get more press. Let’s get the official shrink-wrapped copy into the hands of online film reviewers, local indie and filmmaker mags, film and art forums, etc. Indie Slate, Moviemaker, Filmmaker, DV Mag, IFP, Film Threat, AICN, IndieTalk forums, etc.
e. Create standard-sized banner ads – in the meantime I’ll see what ad rates cost on some sites where we might be able to drum up some random sales and interest. Some of those same sites we’re targeting for press might have cheap banner space we could purchase.
Like I said, my goal is to spend no more than $3000, and here’s how the cost breaks down:
$1700 – DVD Replication & Shipping
$500 - Direct Sales & Shipping Fees
$800 - Banner Ad Purchases
------
$3000 - Total Out-Of-Pocket Expenditures
Now, the theory is this: If we give away 300 copies to friends, family, reviewers and rental companies, we’re left with 700 for direct sales
700 Copies sold directly through DiscBaby at $11each ($15 retail minus $4 fee) = $7700 ROI (Return on Investment)
With those profits, and if sales are brisk, we’d dump an additional $1600 into 1000 more copies. Hopefully we can unload this additional 1000 (1700 total direct sales seems doable).
After selling 1700 copies through DiscBaby at $11each ($15 retail minus $4 fee) = $18,700 ROI
Less costs of distribution ($3000 + $1600 = $4600 OOP) = $14,100 which is about what we spent on it.
Anyway, this is all speculation, as I have no idea what our sales amounts will be. I hope to drum up enough interest that we get some decent return. Who knows, maybe we’ll get some sweet reviews and some amazing interest and get 10,000 copies sold! Who frickin’ knows (but in case you’re interested, that’s around $100,000 after all OOP Expenditures are taken out!!!)
Or, maybe we lose $600 each because no one wants to buy it. But at least we gave it a shot, right?
OK, so there it is. The plan.
Cheers!
Jim
Hey y’all,
Just wanted to give you an inside look at the self-distribution of one of my films, "Deadroom." At this point, I have investigated our options, and I think I’ve determined a low-cost, high return plan for distribution. Ultimately, my entire plan of distribution will cost no more than $3000, which comes out to $600 per producer assuming all 5 of us chip in an equal share. (it's a 4-part collaboration of 4 writer/director/producers, plus me, exec. prod.)
A bit of back-story, Deadroom has screened at SXSW2005, Philly Int'l, Cleveland Int'l, Texas Film Fest and Ozone Film Fest. We have gotten some good press, have accumulated around 1,000 names on our mailing list.
OK, here's the plan, step-by-step:
1. Finish artwork and all parties agree to final artwork (DVD Case sleeve, DVD face)
2. Make 1000-unit replication order, with UPC and Shrinkwrap, through Discmakers ($1590 plus shipping)
I’m choosing Discmakers because of several reasons: I used them with Bloodshed and they’re top-notch in quality, delivery time and overall pleasantness, not to mention being very cheap (1000 for $1.59 each – reorder them for $1.49 each). Right now, the price is for 4 color dvd case sleeve and 3 color on-disc printing. For on-disk art it is cheaper to do less color, so let’s try to make that simple and to the point. Don’t forget copyright logos on both back cover and on DVD face.
3. Direct on-line sales through these distribution routes:
a. Direct sales through DiscBaby.com. This allows us the cheapest, most flexible method to sell DVDs directly to our audience, for zero setup fees if we duplicate through Discmakers. They have no other fees, allow us to set our own retail price, take only $4 per title sold, and cut checks every Tuesday. Yes! WEEKLY checks!
b. Direct sales through Amazon.com. This allows us the bragging rights of being listed on Amazon.com, plus additional market penetration through a highly visible, searchable web retailer. We would offer both options on the website, but direct people to the DiscBaby site if at all possible. It’s good to accept that some people have established accounts, gift cards, etc. through Amazon, and it makes it easier for them to purchase through them. I also don’t want to limit our sales because they’re not as comfortable going through a smaller retailer like DiscBaby. The fees for Amazon: $30/year, they set the retail price (probably around $20), we get 45% of all sales, and they cut checks monthly.
4. Online rental opportunities:
a. Netflix.com. I am speaking with the indie filmmaker division here in Beverly Hills and they said send over a copy of the film whenever. I want to send one that is an officially pressed copy, and told them we’d send them something in January. It has to be a pressed replicated copy, not a DVD-R, with UPC barcodes for tracking purposes. I’m not sure yet how the money side of things works, but we’ll be making a majority of our profits through direct sales anyway, so my goal is to get it to Netflix regardless of our return, as long as we don’t have to PAY anything.
b. Blockbuster.com. I was unable to find online info, but have contacted their corporate office and am awaiting a response.
c. Greencine.com. They do both DVD-by-mail and VOD, and they're totally cool and open to a revenue share.
d. WalMart.com. FUCK THAT SHIT!
5. Press and Publicity:
a. NOW – Get Myspace Deadroom switched over to the Myspace Film Section – Nothing says “target audience” like 1,000 friends on the biggest networking site.
b. Update the deadroommovie site – www.deadroommovie.com should open up with a “Now Available at:” page, with links to rentals and sales sites, as well as of course a link to the main deadroom site. Have a sales bar at the bottom of each page, that way if they reach the site through an old link, they still know it’s for sale/rent.
c. TELL EVERYONE WE’RE GOING ONLINE WITH SALES. That’s right, everyfuckingbody. Every person you made contact along the Deadroom trail, every festival programmer and judge from the festivals, every reviewer, everyfuckingbody. Let’s make a list, check it twice, and send out a tight coordinated announcement and press release, coinciding with rentals as well.
d. Get more press. Let’s get the official shrink-wrapped copy into the hands of online film reviewers, local indie and filmmaker mags, film and art forums, etc. Indie Slate, Moviemaker, Filmmaker, DV Mag, IFP, Film Threat, AICN, IndieTalk forums, etc.
e. Create standard-sized banner ads – in the meantime I’ll see what ad rates cost on some sites where we might be able to drum up some random sales and interest. Some of those same sites we’re targeting for press might have cheap banner space we could purchase.
Like I said, my goal is to spend no more than $3000, and here’s how the cost breaks down:
$1700 – DVD Replication & Shipping
$500 - Direct Sales & Shipping Fees
$800 - Banner Ad Purchases
------
$3000 - Total Out-Of-Pocket Expenditures
Now, the theory is this: If we give away 300 copies to friends, family, reviewers and rental companies, we’re left with 700 for direct sales
700 Copies sold directly through DiscBaby at $11each ($15 retail minus $4 fee) = $7700 ROI (Return on Investment)
With those profits, and if sales are brisk, we’d dump an additional $1600 into 1000 more copies. Hopefully we can unload this additional 1000 (1700 total direct sales seems doable).
After selling 1700 copies through DiscBaby at $11each ($15 retail minus $4 fee) = $18,700 ROI
Less costs of distribution ($3000 + $1600 = $4600 OOP) = $14,100 which is about what we spent on it.
Anyway, this is all speculation, as I have no idea what our sales amounts will be. I hope to drum up enough interest that we get some decent return. Who knows, maybe we’ll get some sweet reviews and some amazing interest and get 10,000 copies sold! Who frickin’ knows (but in case you’re interested, that’s around $100,000 after all OOP Expenditures are taken out!!!)
Or, maybe we lose $600 each because no one wants to buy it. But at least we gave it a shot, right?
OK, so there it is. The plan.
Cheers!
Jim
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