THE IMPORTANT QUESTION

TheOpusFuller

TheOpusFuller

Alright, I'm posting this discussion in the Newbie thread because I think this is one major issue that needs to be looked at and flushed! I think the newbie section is the perfect home for what's about to be talked about. Every new independent filmmaker and every veteran should be involved in this little chit chat!

So, in my opinion, the issue that needs to be discussed here is what do we do once the film is finished.

For all you new filmmakers out there, for all you filmmakers who have been at this for years, how do you make someone give a damn about the film you have just completed. How do you make them interested enough to invest their time and money to purchase your dvd from your website and sit down and watch it!?

I think that is the question.

A lot of people, including myself make a movie. They make a damn good movie. But then it sits, collects dust and dies.

Think about it. Your name is John Doe and you just made a movie. It can be the next Pulp Fiction for all you know. But the average person out there in the world has no clue who the hell you are or what the hell your movie about. I think the important question here is how do we make that average person in the world curious as to who you are and WANT to find out and watch your movie. What can we do as filmmakers to make that person WANT to spend 10 bucks on your dvd and watch that movie.

I think this is worthy of discussion and I think all of us filmmakers Newbies and Oldies should chime in and flesh this out.

*Let's keep this DIY style. I don't want to bring in Hollywood or major distribution deals.... If you want my reasoning for this, just ask and I will gladly explain why we should start modeling our film distribution as a DIY model and stop thinking we have to rely on Hollywood to get anywhere in the world when it comes to Film distribution. :)


Thanks,

The Opus Fuller
www.theopusfuller.com
www.twitter.com/theopusfuller
 
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Excellent question.

I have no clue how to make people give a damn about my movies.

Clearly “good” doesn’t do it. You have made a damn good movie yet
I am not paying to watch it. I have made several damn good movies
but you have never paid to see any of them. One thing to consider
is why? Why haven’t you paid to see any of my damn good movies?


Maybe if we filmmakers can answer what make us want to spend 10
bucks to buy a DVD we can begin to understand what it takes to get
the average Joe to want to spend 10 bucks to watch that movie.

So what is it Matt? What would make YOU want to spend 10 bucks to
pick up a DVD and watch a movie?
 
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Yes, great question...THE question right?

I think it all starts out with believing in yourself, and surrounding yourself with talented people that believe as well.

Then you shoot a film that isn't your standard fare--or at least an entirely new look at a typical plot. Shoot it well. Have some style. Take great care in your work. Maybe take some risks.

Then...then you cut a wippin' awesome trailer and market the fuck out of it. Simple right? Oooo no. Here lies a problem with a lot of productions...the trailer sucks, and they don't market it for shit.

And don't give up on it. Get it reviewed, show it multiple times at multiple theaters, talk it up...be excited yet humble about it. When you're ready to move on, sell it to a distributor (bite the bullet on a 'decent' deal for today's market) or sell it yourself on your website.

I wish I had the answer. I know a lot of what I said seems obvious, but it's all I can tell ya. Just remember...don't dwell on a single project too long--there comes a time when you should move onto your next project (and treat it with as much respect as the previous one).
 
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That's good advice on what to make and an excellent
philosophy on filmmaking in general, M1chae1.

So let's say the filmmaker has surrounded himself with
talented people who believe as well and shot a film that
isn't standard fare, shot it well with some style, taken
great care and some risks and then cut an awesome trailer.

How do you find an audience for that film? An audience
who will pay to watch it?
 
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M1chae1 and DirectoRIK

Here's my thinking. We need to give the general public and fellow filmmakers a reason to WANT to watch. We NEED to give them a reason to buy the DVD.

This is my solution. Video Blogging.

Think about it. There are hundreds and thousands of independent filmmakers out there in the world. half of them can't afford film school and the other half have so many questions they don't know where to start and what to do...

So, we need to grasp them and get them involved emotionally.

I think with video blogging we can do just that.

For instance, I started www.TheOpusFuller.com

My whole point of this website was to show my journey of me dropping everything, picking up and moving from Pennsylvania to NYC. I wanted to show my journey and my dream of leaving a current live that I had for myself to pursuit a career as an independent filmmaker.

So, if us independent filmmakers tell a story. involve people and get them emotionally attached, I think they will slowly gain interest and keep coming back to the website to see what the next post will be about.

DIRECTORIK, What if you made a webisodes of you behind the scenes!? You at the drawing board working out your story. Showing us what it takes to get the shit together and get the ball rolling. Not many people get a chance to see that.

That's what I am currently trying to do with my site. I'm trying to show the steps that I am taking to make a film from start to finish with little to ZERO money.

I think the general audience out there might find it interesting considering this day and age Reality TV is pretty big. I also think fellow filmmakers, especially newbies will find it interesting because it's like film school without paying. They can see tricks of the trade, they can see you don't need a huge crew to get a shot that looks completely amazing. You can show clips and stuff from the film you are currently shooting but just enough to tease them. Little teasers!

Before you know it, you take a step back and you have a community and a following watching your journey. You have a grasp on them emotionally which is very important.

In the end of it all, all these followers, all these people want to know what the finished product is. They were so attached to your journey on getting it finished it doesn't matter if it's good or terrible. They want to see it regardless. But, I can tell you this. If it is good, it will spread by Word Of Mouth. Which in return brings more people your way to see what all the fuss is about.

That's my solution and that's what I am currently doing with my site. I have yet to post about the script or the film that I will be shooting but in the next week or so that is going to change.

Just think about it.
You get 1,000 people interested in this film and this journey of yours. At the end of it all you sell the movie for 10 bucks. That's not a lot. If every person that was a hardcore fan, a hardcore follower of yours, you just made 10,000 for however long it took. I crushed out Germanity in 1 month from concept to finish. So lets say you make 4 films a year. BAM, you bring in 40,000 dollars. I think 40,000 dollars is a HUGE win if it means that you don't have to wake up and work for someone else in retail or whatever. making 40,000 a year is HUGE when it means you're being your own boss.

What are your thoughts on this? Would love to hear them...
 
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I think video blogging is a good idea. I've seen several film companies that are doing this (themercurymen.blogspot.com/ has a nice marketing strategy if you want to check that out).

Oddly enough, creating this video blog holds the same problem with your film, and houses the same issue as the thread here: how are you going to get people to care about and watch your video blog? Same problems. Now you have to think about TWO things to market to the consumer. Does that make sense? Maybe I'm just tired...

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea. I very much enjoy a great BtS video, or a video blog.

Involve the viewer. Make them feel like they are a part of the process, even if they are not. Some companies are even trying video blogs for the films characters...blogs by the actual characters in the film, played in character. I like the idea, but the one I saw was pretty crappy, so I can't really tell you it helped. But I see the promise in something like that.

I think two things play big roles: timing and luck. Let's never forget those two big-daddies when making a film. Sometimes, no matter what you do, a film will pass through the fog unnoticed. That's just the nature of the beast. We are so inundated with media nowa'days...it's hard to get noticed. And sometimes, it's not our time in the sun...but, sometimes it is our time. We just have to keep making films with passion and care, do all we can do, and hope for the best.

But yes, I agree, there are creative ways to bring in *more* viewers on a true indie budget. Blogging is a good idea me thinks.

I'd like to see more of these...but my opinion may be a little skewed, as I'm in the industry.
 
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On video blogging:

I think there will be or could be a - making of the film - series of tutorials - with a fictional storyline-
like a murder mystery that is not only the ultimate who done it, but also how they lit it when they did it, and you buy the DVD that has the movie that the series was made behind the scenes of and through that movie you find out who really did do it, and also more of how it was made.

So it could be about a murder that takes place on a fim set. - Tutoraltainment.

-Thanks-
 
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First off I must confess I am new to all this, saying that I have found there are 2 types of filmakers, one who do it for the love of it, the others who want to make it big.

Before starting any project, I think you need to have an idea how you will make money from it, if you dont know then its not worth doing. This is ofcourse assuming that you are making it for money as opposed to showcasing your work.

So basically you sell first and then make the movie : i think i read that in a movie somewhere ..

Now when it comes to selling on the Web, this is a whole new kettle of fish, Look at it this way if you are unknown roughly one in a 1000 visitors will buy your product ( i think its some kind of statistic like that) so you will need like a million visitors to sell a 1000 or something like that.

You have to let people know there is a product, you have to shove your movie jacket into peoples faces until it looks familiar ... even locally level it works wonders ... but there is a cost that is incurred

So how do you sell it,
1. Make sure you have a damn good jacket and logline
2. What age group is your movie aimed at
3. Show this jacket to everyone you can, give out flyers (cheap) , post it on the billboards

Step 3 costs money but you get known and if they know you they will watch

Bear in mind if 1 person finds something good they will probably recommend it about 8 times to their friends
 
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balugaa said:
Bear in mind if 1 person finds something good they will probably recommend it about 8 times to their friends
Click to expand...

Just an FYI--8 times more people are likley to spread negative news rather than positive news. Meaning, if your film is bad, people are 8 times likely to talk about it. Another statistic. This could be a good thing or a bad thing for your film...I'm leaning towards bad. Unless your film is so bad it's good, which is a hard thing to pull off (http://movies.insidepulse.com/2010/01/12/bad-movies-done-right-—-death-by-rodent-death-by-nun/), which we ironically did recently for NUN.

Anyway.

:)
 
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Netflix Distribution

Does anyone know how you might be able to get Netflix to provide your movie? Any way to cut a deal with them to purchase a few copies maybe, then start marketing the shit out of it saying it's available on Netflix. I think that way it's more available. But I'm not sure what the process would be like. Anyone know?
 
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Michael, Yeah, I think if you have distribution then it's an easier in regarding the whole netflix. But say if I was to make an independent film all on my own, then I believe you have to get requests via queues in order to get your film in the system. I could be wrong but I heard from someone that is how it works.

TOBIB - Viral is a pretty important part I believe. Yeah, you're right.

Hey guy, you should sign up for blogtv and add me. http://blogtv.com/people/theopusfuller

I was doing a live broadcast the other night and have 70 some people in there. I was talking about distribution, directing, screenwriting....

I'm going to try and make it a regular thing. A hearty discussion with like minds. So please, add me. I think you have to sign up in order to jump in and actually chat. It's free and takes a minute. Once you sign up you can make your own channel and broadcast. But, if you sign up, add me please.
 
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I've been giving this PROBLEM a lot of thinking over the last few years... Before I started making a living as a screenwriter, I was making a living as an internet marketer... In fact, I still do.

We are now at the brink of where the Internet COULD be a major distribution outlet for no/low budget films. It's definitely going to happen sooner or later when someone finds the METHOD in which to monetize it.

The good news is that no/low budget filmmakers do seem to have a built-in audience. THEMSELVES. Who among us would not be willing to watch a fellow no/low budget filmmaker's film?

In fact, I myself have purchased thousands of dollars of no/low budget films over the years and again, I bought these film for a few reasons...

1) To see how good the films was.

2) To see if I could make as good a film -- even if we NEVER make a film, the majority of us will immediately look at a film that is successful and ascertain if it's something we could at least MATCH based on screenplay and technical aspects.

3) To see how bad the film was.

And of course, I think every no/low budget movie released on DVD is shooting themselves in the foot if they do NOT include some or all of their filmmaking EXTRAS on the special features part of the DVD.

True, the economy SUCKS right now so not as many no/low budget filmmakers are making movies as they were just a couple of years ago but that too will increase -- very likely to where it was if not higher -- when the economy eventually comes back.

So a question about this could be... Are there ENOUGH no/low budget filmmakers OUT THERE that can put enough of a good spin on a no/low budget indie film they've seen to get others OUTSIDE the no/low budget filmmaking demographic to watch the same film?

That I do not know but I do know this... At one point very many moons ago, I had a web site that used to be in my signature file here... Before the site was hacked into and literally destroyed, I had just over 14,000 members from all around the world. Every one of these members was either a no/low budget filmmaker, screenwriter, cinematographer, actor, etc.

I used to marvel at the database of talent there because that's a hell of a lot of influence if of course, you could get all these people on board with SOMETHING.

The question is WHAT?

I think there's GOT to be a WAY to somehow NETWORK all the no/low budget talent (of all kinds) available.

Once that talent is harnessed into some kind of a network, then the sky's the limit. The question is, HOW? And to what end?

filmy
 
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Great post Filmy,

Well, I know of two networks... One is Fans of Film and the other is *********.
These are two independent networking tools. ********* is a way to fund your film. You can throw up perks and get people interested and throw some cash your way, Fans of Film is a way for indy filmmakers to showcase their work.

-----

Aside from all this, I think a compelling trailer for the film will definitely be a tool to get people on board. I mean, I watch trailers all the time. If I saw a trailer and it really pulled me in, then I go and search for that movie.
 
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TheOpusFuller said:
Alright, I'm posting this discussion in the Newbie thread because I think this is one major issue that needs to be looked at and flushed! I think the newbie section is the perfect home for what's about to be talked about. Every new independent filmmaker and every veteran should be involved in this little chit chat!

So, in my opinion, the issue that needs to be discussed here is what do we do once the film is finished.

For all you new filmmakers out there, for all you filmmakers who have been at this for years, how do you make someone give a damn about the film you have just completed. How do you make them interested enough to invest their time and money to purchase your dvd from your website and sit down and watch it!?

I think that is the question.

A lot of people, including myself make a movie. They make a damn good movie. But then it sits, collects dust and dies.

Think about it. Your name is John Doe and you just made a movie. It can be the next Pulp Fiction for all you know. But the average person out there in the world has no clue who the hell you are or what the hell your movie about. I think the important question here is how do we make that average person in the world curious as to who you are and WANT to find out and watch your movie. What can we do as filmmakers to make that person WANT to spend 10 bucks on your dvd and watch that movie.

I think this is worthy of discussion and I think all of us filmmakers Newbies and Oldies should chime in and flesh this out.

*Let's keep this DIY style. I don't want to bring in Hollywood or major distribution deals.... If you want my reasoning for this, just ask and I will gladly explain why we should start modeling our film distribution as a DIY model and stop thinking we have to rely on Hollywood to get anywhere in the world when it comes to Film distribution. :)


Thanks,

The Opus Fuller
www.theopusfuller.com
www.twitter.com/theopusfuller
Click to expand...




A very thought provoking discussion and no doubt interesting one. The sad part is i have noticed the topic just right now. I am recently studying the marketing subject and i think little knowledge of mine will be helpful. To sell our product the 3 very important elements are (1) creating awareness and (2) easy access of consumer till that product (3) Pricing method of film maker

Point 1

As we all know million of films are being made all around the world which ca be counted as Indie films. People surely cant have access to information neither they can have awareness of all the films being made in a year. 100s of film makers are trying to use internet as a tool to promote their film. A person with a good indie film and a person with a rubbish is on facebook, orkut, twitter etc. This makes the competition tough. Due to presence of many many filmmakers i believe that time is coming when SEO services will get importance. Because both, a good and a 3rd rated film has access to internet . When internet can be used by both then obviously something extra will be required to create a difference and that difference can be created by SEO. SEO will keep a film in top ranking in Google etc while searching.

Point 2
The other element is of easy access till an indie movie. The more easy it is for a person to get that film , more sale expected. I will give a common example of my city. Here we have chain of 2 bakeries. Suppose there names are A and B. While researching i found it interesting that quality of A bakery is better then Bakery B but still sales of bakery B is 30 to 50% more. The reason is that Bakery B has more branches in city then compared to A. It means that consumer has easy access to Bakery B products. In business term it is called supply chain. So a film not only needs to be good but it needs to be in reach of consumer. Some one might say that internet has made it easy to make purchases but i dont agree. In western countries it might be a trend but in 2nd and 3 rd world people are still reluctant to buy via internet.
I practically faced this issue.

Point 3

The 3rd problem is currency issue

Suppose a film is made in UK and it's DVD price is 5 Pounds. Now a person buying the film in US will have to pay $10 which might not be a big amount. But for me 5 Pond means PKR 600 and obviously it is much much costly for me keeping in mind that i can buy a master quality film of any big studios for just PKR 100 in DVD format. So why should i waste PKR 600 on a film which has no famous starts, cast, filmmaker etc???

A film maker while setting a price must do price discrimination on the basis of geography.

Another important thing. Avoid Credit card system for 3rd world because i havent seen many in my social circle who have credit cards. SO making a payment via Credit card is an issue. So if one is targeting global world and he is taking 3rd world also into account then other payments methods also should be considered.

The 3 issues mentioned above are the one i personally l faced. I had to buy couple of Italian movies which were looking good. But the issue was i had to made purchases via internet, submitting my credit card number and the price was in Italian currency. I have no credit card, neither i was willing to pay a big amount for an Italian film which had no famous stars and atlast i dropped the plan to get those movies. More over there will be plenty of good movies from Italy, but how many do i know? only 1 or 2 ! so obiosuly i need awareness about indie films

At last sorry if any or every thing i said was nonsense ! :(
 
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