Hey all..

Are there any companies that help you get Product Placement? That work a little like agents, trying to find products for you movie?

The big companies have their own departmenents, they are now usually called "Integration". Ask for Sales/Marketing, and then ask them for their Integration Dept.

I'm not sure what you mean?

You're saying I should call the company I want to use as product placement and talk that way?

Yes

Oh okay, well my first question was, if there are any companies that hunt product placement for you?

For instance, you bring them the idea, and they find the relevant people and talk to them, fix you a deal? Just like agents for actors etc

I don't know but I think that is the wrong way to go about it because you should know the product you want for your film because it should already be a part of the scene, otherwise you are just advertising something that shouldn't be there.

That's true, but a normal person don't know how to negotiate such deals, so for instance if I'm making a film where I want Coca Cola or Pepsi placed, then I wouldn't know what to do from there.

There must be proffesionals for this

You need a producer for your film and a lawyer for the contract.

Okay, so the anserw to my question is NO, there are no companies that do this?

The company to do it would be your production company. If you are looking to hire someone to do it, hire a skilled producer for the project.

Okay, thank you for the advice

Directorik may know if agencies exist.

Directorik may know if agencies exist.

Don't understand what you mean by that

He's a Guru here. You can PM him this thread and ask him to reply.

Okay, I've done that now. Thanks

Thanks to our founder for recommending me. As it turns out, I have an answer.

Yep, there are companies that specialize in product placement. They are quite expensive. The way they work is the prodCo (you) will pay them a fee and they will do all the leg work. They then take a small percentage of the fee the companies pay the prodCo if it's more than the fee the prodCo has paid. The advantage is they already know what companies are looking to have their products in a movie and what new products they want to push are available. The disadvantage is companies aren't willing to pay to have their product in a small movie. You might get products in your movie, but you will pay for them.

If you are looking for product placement as a way of getting extra money for your production - you want Coke or Pepsi to pay you to include the product - you will need a high profile film. Major theatrical distribution will be a key. Coke or Pepsi wants James Bond to pick up a can, take a drink, utter a satisfying sigh and then use the can to disarm the bad guy. It's not to their advantage to have your lead detective have an ever present Diet Coke on his desk.

If you are looking for product placement to enhance your production value - the detective drives a 2008 Mercedes - you will also need a film that is going to see some kind of theatrical release or the actor playing the detective will need to be someone the general public knows. Occasionally a company will provide a prop like this free of charge, but the money you will pay to a product placement company won't really be worth it - much better to contact the company personally.

If you want the rights to use Coke or Pepsi logos and trademarks then a product placement company isn't the best way to to it.

Maybe more info than you need - but it might be helpful for indie filmmakes in general. Do you have a project that fits? My ex-girlfriend works for Motion Picture Magic (http://www.motionpicturemagic.com/) in Burbank. If you do, I'll be glad to make the introduction.

Thank you for the reply.

I understand what you mean. I will have to think about this, because as you say, it's about finding the right sollution.

Also, if they want money upfront, it most likly wont be the way I will go. All those "retainers" run up to big cash

I contacted the legal dept at Nikon and requested permission to use their cameras in my short film. They requested background information on me (producer/director), my prodco and the actors who would be handling the products. They wanted to know exactly which cameras I would be using the film. I gave them exactly what they wanted and they signed off.

That's a different situation from mine. I'm not looking for right to use their products, but looking for them to pay me to use them.

you'd have to be scorscese or lucas to get that to happen...or be making a major blockbuster picture that would guarantee the type of placement that would offset the advertising cost for them. If they can reach more eyes running an print ad campaign for the same cost or cheaper, they Won't bother paying for product placement.

provable track record...built-in audience...name actors...marketing might of a studio behind you, that sort of thing will get them to pay for it.

A friend of mine opened a business doing this very thing a few years ago, and I believe he and his partner have been fairly successful...don't know the details of how the deals work for independent productions, but it might be a place to start. Good luck!

http://www.heropp.com