Hijacking a thread!: Let's play What If...

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...firstly, I am hijacking a thread. The independant movie industry one is making my head hurt.

...However, I actually got an idea when looking it over...

...In my home town, there are two small independently owned movie theaters. They both only have one screen. Now, of course, there are the 'movieplexes'; GKC and AMC, but these two little theaters are second run houses.

...In the metro Detroit area, there are two independantly owned and operated theaters that are well known for showing independant films, (the Maple and Main Art Theaters).

...I would think that there are little one screen theaters all over the country like these, one screen, showing art, indie or second run films.

...What if these owners could be convinced that there is an audience for indie film (because there is) and also be impressed upon to make some sort of 'commitment to showing indie film? What if they could become maybe a co-op (?), where they decide and agree that okay, we will show 'Primer', we will show 'Murderball', we will show 'Memento', show 'Supersize Me' or whatever indie film is being appreciated.

...since Hollywood wants so much to show 'Dukes of Hazzard', fine. These theaters could commit to showing these small films that people hear just won at Sundance or Cannes or Slamdance or what have you as an alternative to the usual fare.

...maybe, since they know (indie filmmakers can impress this upon them) that indie filmmakers are usually just this side of broke, they can give cut rates to these filmmakers. This way, they have more films to choose from with an almost guaranteed audience of people who want more to watch than yet another car chase and explosion and the indie filmmakers have a place to show.

...since these films are often considered to be 'art' and therefore present a service to the community, maybe they could be advertised on the televised community bulletin boards that tv stations sometimes use to satisfy fcc regulations of community service and therefore would be free advertising.

...maybe an agreement could be made to show, say 'Primer' for about 2 weeks. If it does well (relatively well) give another week. If not, well, it had a 2 week run in a theater which is enough time for people to find the film and like it or not like it. People vote with thier pocketbooks.

...if the film gets discovered by Hollywood the way 'Resevouir Dogs' did, then okay, the film gets picked up, and good luck, but since the indie theaters made the initial committment to a film that was initially ignored by the Big Industry, something is given in exchange for the 'release' of this film to the bigger distributor, like 'This film discovered by Indie Co-op Theaters' or something like that. Something that would make it worth the risk of taking on the film in the first place and to make up for the loss of a film that might have a distribution machine to push it and possibly take it to the level of a blockbuster film.

...it would be nice if the cost of making the film could be lowered also, at least a little, like equipment rental or film transfer, so that people could have real access to services to produce the film. (I personally am tired of hearing people say they charge what the market will bear. People pay this because they have to in order to get their vision made. Not because they are happy to do so. No more, no less).

...this is about as far as I got on this 'idea'. Somebody with more business know how than I might be able to come up with a way to make this work...

--spinner :cool:
 
The chat went well. I would really like to hear what others have to say.

Like WHAT do indie filmmakers NEED after their film is done or at least in post?

What do you NEED help with?
 
Sorry I couldn't make the discussion, I got tied up in a problem.

Like WHAT do indie filmmakers NEED after their film is done or at least in post?

I think for me there are two things I'm looking to do with any film

1) To Make enough profit to pay back on the time I've invested
2) To get lots of exposure for myself as a writer/director so that with the next film I've got a core audience who want to see it because I made it.

I think this is no different to any other business. I see myself as a brand which needs to get a high public profile in order to move my product. I want people to buy my next film because I made it. It's not a fame thing, it's a business thing.

I think this where Sonnyboo has really got it right as a film maker, he's already an established brand in the indie film making world, it's only a matter of time until that translates into something larger.

Anyhow that's what I think.
 
I agree, SonnyBoo is a very recognized name. The question is, how far outside the Indie community does it go? I think that he's done everything right and I'd love for his film to be seen by the public, not just the community. That's what I would like to do... spread indie films beyond the boarders of the indie community so that movie goer's around the world would be able to see our films. And so that our filmmakers can make money from the box office.
 
Indie NEEDS, hmmm...

Enough funding to create the art that's in my head.
Enough sales of tickets or dvd's that I can continue to make what's in my head.

I just want enough so that I don't feel like a complete loser because I am making films that will never be seen or make a dime. Mainstream is not so much my issue, although I certainly wouldn't turn it down. Achieving a balance between making a product and actually earning a living would be nice.
 
...CootDog...

...I wanted to be at the chat but the server (?) or LAN (?) was down most of the weekend and either kicked me off or wouldn't let me on at all. I think I remember someone saying that they would keep the chat so it could be viewed. I would love to see it...would've liked to have been there :grumpy: ...but I'll get over it...

...give me an overview.... and I'll answer 'what indies need' when I have more time to be online, at work right now....jiggers! the boss! bye! :lol: (j/king)

--spinner :cool:
 
Now, by mainstream, I don't believe we're talking about the hollywood moviemaking behemoth... More just a reference to a wider audience than we could normally get. Hollywood is trapped by having to make the films as well as show them. The problem there is that they will only approach films that will sell out of the box...format films. There are certain exceptions to this rule, but they are not the mainstay of the industry. The beauty of this system will be that the studio won't be making the determination up front of what will sell, the audience will. I'll be starting a thread in the premiere only area so it is not publically accessible information. I've had businesses stolen from me in the past and am slightly paranoid about that.
 
CootDog said:
Like WHAT do indie filmmakers NEED after their film is done or at least in post?

What do you NEED help with?

...I think that it would be a good thing to find out how to publicize the film. Alot has been said about distribution, but in order to find a distributor, you need to generate some interest. I have some ideas about how to publicize my documentary, but whether or not it will actually work, who knows...

...alot has been said about music rights, maybe some info from people who have had to brave these waters so that one can know what to expect...

...how about some information on taxes? This is something I know I will have to look into very soon if by chance a get any of the grants I am applying for. I should know more about this and will be working on it...

...I heard, on the boards, that when starting a 'business', it is possible to 'write off' quite a bit of the 'upstart' expenses. Does that mean equipment? Does that mean actual expenses like mailings or office space....

...Legal advice, lots of it, reliable advice....

...I am still looking into all of these things

Hey, Coot....

...when 'you say what do you need', is this what you mean? Or do you mean in terms of actual persons who would/could do some of the actual footwork?

...lastly, I think a forum of people, such as IndieTalk types :) for moral support. I don't think it matters what kind of filmatic project you are working on, sometimes you could use a sympathetic ear. For documentaries, I read that Ken Burns says that 'documentary filmmaking is an exercise in passion and terror' (pardon my paraphrasing) I think this is true of any creative endeavor. ...and I can't tell you how appreciative I was to know that there were people who wanted to help me out even if they couldn't do so...

--spinner :cool:
 
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