Finding a distributor for your first feature

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DigitallyInclined

Hi... I just found this forum and its been a wealth of insightful information.

Like many filmmakers, we jumped into a production completely self-financed. Now that we're in the final stages of post and the film is looking good from a story standpoint, we have started to approach sales agents. Our film is an urban documentary which a strong emphasis on Hip Hop music. The key people in the film are well-known in the industry and outside with each having their own extremely large fan base.

Some of the money that the sales agent is coming back with from distributors in several markets seems low. Now I know what we perceive the value of our film to be vs. what the market will bear may be way off. So I'm wondering what or where I might be able to find out how much distributors may have paid to pick up similar films for? I don't want to jump at the first deals that have come our way, but at the same time we also need to recoup what was already expensed. And at the moment, there is a huge gap.

We're really skeptical of just blindly sending copies of the film. Every film company has interns and its always possible that one copy will find its way onto the internet and eventually bootlegged somewhere.

So, are sales agents worth the % or is it just as possible to find distributors on our own? Our thinking is to set up sales screenings on our own and invite distributors. Has anyone been successful with this?

Sorry for the rambling. This is actually the condensed version. :)

D.
 
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Yes it is generally a bad idea to send blind copies of the film. Read Peter Biskind's "Down and Dirty Pictures" for insight into the distribution game. The standard route is to apply to festivals and screen it there. You can also screen it for distributors privately, but many prefer to build buzz at a festival.

Re. Sales agents.. it totally depends on the agent and it totally depends on your film. They can help get distributors in front of the film, which you might be able to do on your own. They are probably more helpful once distributors are actually interested.

If the offers you are getting seem low, consider that it might be that or nothing. I've seen filmmakers have a chance to break even but pass that chance up, causing their film to be a 100% loss.

The way to raise the price is to get two distributors to compete for the film. Otherwise, if only one distributor wants it, they have no incentive to offer you a high price.

If you are lucky enough to land a deal, get money up front, don't accept "net points", because even large and reputable distributors routinely stiff their filmmakers. They do so by charging print and advertising costs against your profits. It is easy for them to make that equation work out to zero "on the books".

Bring the script for your next film to festivals and meetings with distributors. If they see talent but don't want to buy your current film, they might fund your next film.
 
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Supposedly, the deal would be gross points and any print and advertising costs would be absorbed by them. From the books I read on the subject, this is not only unusual but usually even hard to get by established A-list actors let alone the first film by new filmmakers with a completed project. They're indepedent distributors overseas (we're in the US). They're upfront guarantee isn't a whole lot for an entire market but the gross points just seems too good to be true.
 
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An overseas deal can be great as you would still be able to sell the film in other regions. However, gross points do sound unusual and "sketchy" as it's unlikely that you will ever be able to audit their books (without going through much expense and travel, foreign attorneys and accountants.. etc.) I would say get the money up front and feel lucky if you see anything else. If they insist on "gross points" offer to sell them 1000 DVD's and you will take the gross points from that. ;) If they are any good then they will sell at least 1000 DVD's.. right? Otherwise they suck as a distributor.
 
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Per is offering great advice. All I can do is endorse him based on my experiences.

It is in the distributors best interest to give you as little up front as you will take, while offering you “money when we make money”. Nothing wrong with that at all.

It’s just too easy for a movie to not make much money - at least on the books. And not in an underhanded or unethical way. Even “gross points” as Per pointed out.

I suggest asking for more up front and taking less points.

Let’s look at the worst case: You sell your movie for 35% of what it cost you to make (a big gap from what you need to recoup) with only 8-10 points. Because of the huge fan base of your key peopl and music the movie gains momentum and sell 950,000 units but you don’t see any of that money because of the points deal.

Just imagine the next deal you can make! Both on the funding end and the distribution end. You made a movie that sold 950,000 units.

If this is the only movie you’ll ever make - take less up front and more points.
 
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Points?

I'm just starting at this film thing called business... (or vice versa) and don't know exactly what is meant when you guys say about "taking points". What are points? I haven't as of yet made a film but i'm looking into it and i'm gathering info and stuff. Thanks for your patience.

Disciple
 
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Points are the percentage of the profits allocated.

100 points = 100 percent.

Gross points usually refers to percentage of every dollar made.
Net points usually refers to profits made after all expenses are met.

So if you (the producer) is offered 10 net points it essentially means you will get 10 cents of every dollar profit the movie makes after all investors are paid (often with a hefty fee), all marketing and distribution costs are met (often with a hefty fee) all deferment are paid and overhead costs are factored in.
 
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What Are Points?

I can tell this is going to be a great resource for me...

This is my first post and I have already learned something.

I hope to be shooting my first documentary in a few months. I have yet to send
out my grant proposals, however I intend to get started with no money. Not
going to be easy, but I think it would be best to get started.

I am inches close to my proposal being ready, but everything can always be
improved upon. I hope to send it out in a couple of weeks. I am also finding
that I havent found any substancial answers on how to tell these grant
providers my distribution plans. It seems that distribution comes with film
festival showings (if you are lucky).

Does anyone have any more advice? It would be greatly appreciated.....
spinner
 
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question

if i were to sell the right to show my film on tv in one area eg (england) they pay me for that right . then i can sell the rights in usa ect?
Is it also true this is sale to networks can amount to a large some world wide ,so if i had a agent he gets 10% the remainder goes to the production company, but the rights to sell on dvd remain also the rights of the company . it may be time to find a agent i think :lol:
 
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A reputable sales agent will offer a contract that pays him 10% of gross sales (after APPROVED expenses) for all media/territories. A caution - if you start selling territories on your own (which is fine and a good way to make money if you will be able to exploit all markets) your project becomes less attractive to both agents and distributors because there is less of teh pie left. It's just business at this point.
 
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I just joined this forum and have really ENJOYED reading the solid advice and opinions offered here. You guys certainly know what you're talking about, it all sounds pretty much like my experience in the real world (even when it's not the fantasy everyone wants to hear). Great forum.
 
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I have had two films released now so for what it's worth my ten pence:

- Never pay up front. EVER!

- ALWAYS get a sales agnet - they will take the film to markets and spend money promoting it you never will. They handle leagl as well. Are all sales agents good? NO! But there are a few good ones out there ...

- Never agree to a % more than 30% deal with the sales agent AND NEVER sign an agreement without their costs and expensed laid out in advance. Ie: what they are going to charge you for.

- CREATE A BUZZ. Get timecoded copies of your film and send them to everysales agent you can. Get them wanting your film and use this to get the best deal... in essance play them off against each other.

- NEVER go with York Entertainment, Hollywood Wizard or a UK Company called Supersonic! There are more but these three a special kinds of wankers.

- As as been said before NEVER sell teritories on your own. Your value will go down and you have no real way of enuring you dont get screwed.

Hope this helped!
 
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Really? All lagal, marketing, promotion, contacts, market presance... thats not worth more than 15% ?

I know with out my sales agents we would NEVER have sold the films where or how we have. To me that extra 10% was worth this to get us over 99% more money than I ever could.
 
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Thanks for the welcome and the ten pence! After being brutalized making a no-budget feature for the past 16 months, getting a good sales agent is the last hurtle to haul myself over before I can rest, or at least get a full 8 hour night of sleep.

A lot of filmmakers I know in town believe that taking their film to a film market is going to make their dreams come true. But they usually give their films away for free (plus lots of pie-in-the-sky net points that never materialize) or actually pay "fees" in addition to giving it away for free.

There was also a movie trailer making craze in my area because everyone started telling each other that Lions Gate was funding features based on trailers alone (the truth is, they don't ever do that unless it's a big name who only needs a good script). It was a myth that grew with every telling. One guy here spent $20,000USD on a trailer instead of making a low budget feature (or spending a weekend in Vegas).

Misinformation abounds, which is why I think this forum is so unique and helpful. Agree or disagree with the experiences, there is no substitute for people who have actually been through the process to compare notes with. I appreciate everyone's candor very much, even if it's not always what I want to hear :)
 
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mr-modern-life said:
Really? All lagal, marketing, promotion, contacts, market presance... thats not worth more than 15% ?

I know with out my sales agents we would NEVER have sold the films where or how we have. To me that extra 10% was worth this to get us over 99% more money than I ever could.
Click to expand...

I concur with this. My rep got 20%, but that included expenses. And the deal he landed was upfront cash plus a percentage of the gross, not the net. We likely would not have gotten a deal at all without him, let alone a first-dollar gross deal.
 
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Maybe it depends on the sales rep. While mine has done a so-so job most of the interest from distributors has come from me sending copies out worldwide costing me hundreds of dollars. They then contact me and I have to then reference them to the sales rep.
 
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