Indie Projects Need Representation Too!

OK, so if there is a thread somewhere that already discusses this, I apologize and would appreciate an asskick in the correct direction. Otherwise...

I am a virgin producer/director with a horror/thriller feature film nearing completion. I live in Los Angeles (via Dallas, TX) and am currently seeking out a Producer's Representative to push the film and help me go to AFM.

While there are several Producer's Reps that are well-known (Litwak, Dowd, etc), where would I go to find more? I already have a current HCD (Agents&Managers) but the information there is not reliable.

(What I mean is, out of the Hollywood Creative Directory, most everyone says that they represent producers, but when I write/email/call them, they really only want KNOWN producers and projects with "names")

Any ideas? I'm not looking for an agent, nor am I looking for representation as a Director; I just need a Producer's Representative to represent my feature horror/thriller, BLOODSHED, and hopefully help me pre-sell my next horror feature.

Thanks!

Jim mcMahon
Producer . Director . BLOODSHED
www.drainbamagefilms.com

It's always best to approach a Producer's Rep once you've won an award, or have had reviews of your film published. Try to get your film reviewed.

Right, but with AFM approaching so quickly, my goal is to find someone to sell it and get video distribution, not festival it for a year and hit AFM 05...

Where would I get someone to review the film? It definitely needs to be a genre-type reviewer. This is no "Garden State..."

But the real question is still unanswered: where do I find these Producer's reps, other than the HCD...?

Jim

I my experience, the reps you've spoken to are the norm.

They work on commission only and it's a less than reliable chance to take when dealing with a first time producer/director with an unfinished movie.

Our founder is correct. This isn't something you can just rush into. I know you have absolute faith that you movie will be completed and be good enough to sell at AFM. Now you need to convince someone else of that - someone willing to devote the same time and energy as you.

For no money.

A couple of festivals helps. A few competition wins is a HUGE boost.

Until you have demonstrated that 1) you can complete the movie; and 2) people like the finished project - you are in a very difficult position.

You can approach the many horror movie distributors that sell product at AFM and sell distribution rights to them.

You can four wall a theater in L.A. Invite distributors, horror magazine and independent filmmaking magazine and internet reviewers, producers reps and the general public.

Good luck. I've been there. It's not easy. But if your project is something that distributors think people will pay money to see, it happens!

OK. But how do I find out who they are?

All of this information is great, and I definitely see the wall I'm up against. My film actually is near enough to completion that it's obvious what shape it'll be in once the final mix is completed. I have already been contacted by several sales agents, and I've read all the books on film sales and distribution. I get the process, but what I don't get is WHERE to find a Producer's Rep. I know that Mark Litwak and Jeff Dowd are not the only two Producer's Reps in LA...

So, with all that's been said, I'm still left with the initial, unanswered question: If I'm going to 4-wall a theatre, etc, where do I find a list of Producer's Reps? I'm lost without that knowledge. I am at the point where I need to be sending screeners to them and getting someone on board. I'll even pay a retainer, if that ends up being necessary (because I know that I'm a nobody right now...)

But I don't know where to find a list of producer's representatives....

(And I already have the HCD for Agents and Managers.)