DON’T DO IT. The problem is if your film is perceived as being on sale or as being released NO MATTER HOW it then looses any value to the distributor and makes the film a worthless commodity.
Robert Greenwald self released "Outfoxed" on the internet, maximising the grassroots marketing, working with political organistions like moveon.org and sold over 100,000 copies in three weeks at $10 a go. Both despite and because of this exposure the film was picked up by a commercial distributer for theatrical and DVD release while still allowing Greenwald to retain the rights to sell his film on his own website.
If you release it on Amazon (which a lot of sales companies will do) it takes away one of the biggest markets an independent film has, and then limits the sales your film will get.
No it slightly reduces the sales for the distributer, however with theatrical, non theatical, dvd rental and sell through dvd markets, Amazon is hardly liability. A distributer does not own a film body and soul.
Eddie – your are wrong in saying that the sales figures will trigger interest. I have worked with loads of sales agents and distributors and most will never take a product that has already been on sale. And for the most part selling 5 or 6 copies on Amazon or the like will only dent future deals.
Selling only five or six copies on Amazon is hardly a big issue, however if i heard a film had triggered enormous interest on the internet (example Blair Witch) i would very certainly offer my distribution services (NFD).
It is your commodity but it’s a very fragile commodity and needs to be nurtured by the right person.
Yes its only a commodity if the "right person" attacks the marketing and really works hard.
Take it to festivals, get it screened, win some awards but steer clear of releasing it yourself unless you are sure that’s the route you want to go down and are willing to stick to.