How my $50k indie project got to HULU

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ProducerOrWhatever

Hey everyone name is Giancarlo. I work in film, tv and commercial production out here in LA.

I produced a feature length web show called Complete Works back in August 2012. Total budget was about $50,000 and we raised the money independently. 1 year & 8 months later... after post production and getting an agent and looking for distribution... We found a home on Hulu! It was a long and tough process but I wanted to share my experience with you all. Even though a project might take a LONG time to finish, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Our story was published on Movie Maker Magazine (click here for our article).

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I would love to interact with other indie filmmakers and hear your stories as well. Please reach out to me on instagram or twitter (@FilmThat for both) or reply here!

Giancarlo
 
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The trailer was really impressive - I've bookmarked the story to check out this weekend. I have a strong dislike of Hulu as a general platform, so I never utilize it - However, I'll make an exception!

I'm a colossal Shakespeare fan, so this is right up my alley. Looking forward to watching it, and congratulations on your show!
 
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Damn dude. Well done.

I really expected it to suck. I think that's probably the best trailer for a movie that I've seen on this site. Well done. Seriously. Well done.
 
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the trailer actually seems pretty good

I like the part where the guy's holding the Shakespearean skull in that dramatic way, then turns around and beams it at the wall
 
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Yeah, I thought that was pretty good.

I'm fairly 'serious' (for want of a better word) in my approach to Shakespeare, because it's been a considerable area of study for me. But, clearly, your series is about the modern world of Shakespeare – like the film Lost in Austen was about Jane Austen – rather than the plays/poems themselves. So yeah, I thought it looked really well put together and with plenty of likeable seeming characters and decent set pieces.

I look forward to taking a closer look if you get any sort of UK-friendly release.

sfoster said:
couldn't make it past the ad to see the trailer.
sorry
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Helpful feedback.
 
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sfoster said:
Is that sarcasm?
Because I was being serious.. why would you put an ad on a trailer.. a trailer is basically an ad. I'm not going to watch an ad to see an ad. If he wants to expand his audience he should reconsider. That is my helpful feedback.
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I was, fairly plainly, being sarcastic.

The OP posted his trailer, I highly doubt it's of any interest that someone couldn't even be bothered to sit through a 10 second ad (the same advert that is on about 50% of YouTube videos) in order to watch it. The time it took you to watch half that ad, and then post here saying that you'd only watched half the ad, is far longer than it would've taken you to watch it.

I just don't know why someone would bother to leave feedback on a project saying that they didn't have the attention span to actually watch it. But to each to their own.
 
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sfoster said:
Is that sarcasm?
Because I was being serious.. why would you put an ad on a trailer.. a trailer is basically an ad. I'm not going to watch an ad to see an ad. If he wants to expand his audience he should reconsider. That is my helpful feedback.
Click to expand...

If you're on this website then you know what it takes to make an indie project... hardly any money, no profit, coming out of pocket, credit cards, debt etc. Hulu has control over the ads, not me. We're trying to make at least a TINY percentage of money back and the only way we can do that is with ads. If you want to see a version with no advertisment and give it another shot, click here for the youtube link :)

Thanks for the feedback.
 
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NickClapper said:
I just don't know why someone would bother to leave feedback on a project saying that they didn't have the attention span to actually watch it. But to each to their own.
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This sort of feedback happens a lot where people say they couldn't sit all the way through. Happens less often when people say they couldn't get through the ad, I think I'm the only one on here who has ever said that :lol:

I am also bothered by ads on videos that won't get more than 150 views.. why bother annoying your audience just for 5c

ProducerOrWhatever said:
If you're on this website then you know what it takes to make an indie project... hardly any money, no profit, coming out of pocket, credit cards, debt etc. Hulu has control over the ads, not me. We're trying to make at least a TINY percentage of money back and the only way we can do that is with ads. If you want to see a version with no advertisment and give it another shot, click here for the youtube link :)

Thanks for the feedback.
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I went back to the trailer and there was no ad on HULU this time :)
Looked really legit, it seemed like the main guy and girl had some good chemistry. The only thing that was off to me was when the one dude started narrating about all the people at the camp, while it was showing other people standing up moving their lips. Took me a second a confusion to realize it was someone else talking.

Yes I do know how hard it is to make something.. I also know how hard it is to get people to watch your stuff. I can only assume I'm not the only person who would close out an ad on a trailer for someone I'd never heard of and had no connection to. It was my attempt to provide useful feedback, but some may call it misguided :lol:
 
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mussonman said:
were you able to make back your budget?
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Thanks for the feedback. Yes, that scene was up in the air when we were filming it but it turned out great edited.

As far as our budget, we will not make our money back at all but most of the money came from donations/family/friends also indiegogo.com. We won't get back much from our ad revenue tho as we split that with Hulu.
 
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FYI went I went back and watched the trailer a second time, no ads that time for it and then it started playing right into the season. I ended up watching two episodes but was supposed to be doing work so I had to pull myself away after that.

I liked the writing, good stuff.
The white othello was funny but I kept expecting someone to reference orson welles since he did the role

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045251/?ref_=nv_sr_4
 
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