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Has Film Distribution Lost Its Focus? Film distribution has become a muddled business that has perhaps lost sight of it's main purpose - to distribute films. I bet some of you thought the main purpose was to for the film distribution industry to make money. That's a sidenote, albeit an extremely important sidenote to any business. Nonetheless the film distribution industry isn't the federal printing press. Therefore, it's not in the business of making money. It is in the business of distributing films. Why then do the major film distribution companies distribute so few films? There are many answers to this question and I can only imagine I don't know all of them. But what I do know seems troublesome and as though the world of film distribution is a huge machine, broken and ready for some major changes. Most major movie distributors in the US are unwilling to touch a film if it isn't extremely mainstream (read: vanilla) without a hint of controversy or uniqueness. A couple examples of good films that distributors didn't pick up are Allan Moyle's Weirdsville (2007) and Tao Ruspoli's Fix (2008). Both of these films were probably too hot to touch - probably because of their drug content. But, neither one of them should have been, as neither film glorified drug use.
Fix's drug content is related to the main character's need to gather $5K in a day as the entrance fee to the court ordered drug rehab, or face jail time. This film is hard, in your face and edgy. It definitely plays off the raw footage angle which has been brought into filmmaking within the past decade, or so, and uses it creatively and effectively to the film's advantage. It's not just films with a drug-related films that get nixed from nationwide distribution. How many cute, little quirky films ever see the light of day? Not many. How to Be (2008), directed by Oliver Irving and starring the now ever-so-popular Robert Pattinson is a quirky little UK comedy. Sebastian Doggart's Counting Condi (2008) is a unique romantic/political/biographic documentary that is often quite funny as it pivots through the ups-and-downs of both a heartsick love interest of Condoleezza Rice, as well as her political biography. In effect, it's a wonderfully off-beat way of teaching Americans, and others, about this political figure without boring them into a stuper. Was it made for TV? No. It's definitely a feature film. Coming from a new breed of documentaries willing to not bore you to death but rather able to wittingly amuse you while educating at the same time. I just noted to Sophie that Moyle hasn't made another film since Weirdsville. Of course, it's only been a couple years. Maybe he just needs a moment to write a new script and collect funding. On the other hand, maybe the fact that Weirdsville didn't get distribution has hindered his ability to find a willing investor. ...of course, there are economic woes to consider, at present, as well. Sophie said, "Well, maybe he should stop making drug movies." I adamantly disagreed sighting that that was part of the problem with distribution in the first place. We need more options not less. The filmgoing audience doesn't need filmmakers to only make one kind of film. That's boring! We simply need better and more expansive distribution options. Sophie added, "It didn't have any stars." Now, this is a sad, true fact of distributors. Most distributors are scared to take on a film that is starless. Audrey's first film as leading lady was Roman Holiday (1953). She was an unknown working with two well-known actors of the time, Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert. Yet, the studios felt so strongly that she would become a star from this role that they put this virtually unknown face on the publicity posters to promote the film. The studio was willing to take a risk and it paid off. Hepburn went on to win Best Actress that year. There seem to be a couple hard, cold facts. First, distribution as we know it is broken. We need better alternatives. Distribution channels are changing... growing, and if current distributors don't get with the program they will find themselves left off the itinerary. Secondly, the common phrase is 'a film costs as much to market and distribute as it does to make'. So, expect to spend as much on marketing as was spent on making the film. Perhaps this is currently the status quo, but perhaps it need not be. Somethings need to change. It is not necessary to spend $100 million dollars on distributing a film. Perhaps the machine is broken and simply way too big. The broken model used today for distribution purposes is completely useless in getting most worthwhile films to the general public. It is unfair to not only the filmmaker but also to the filmgoing audience. Some people like to go to the theater, but more and more people are enjoying so many more options for their filmgoing experience. People seem to crave the ability to watch films in their homes, at their leisure. Filmmakers and distributors are still trying to figure out how to reach this market. As present, no clear winners have floated to the surface...which makes it an open marketplace. Too often I have heard a filmmaker, and others, say how their short films are calling cards, or even how their first feature is a calling card. Ouch! A feature film no better than a handout business card? I think not! Nonetheless, this is the babble going around and apparently bought by many. This sort of nonsensicle rhetoric keeps the independent filmmaker down and the broken machine with all the power. It's time to start looking at things differently. Truly, the machine is failing and their is no reason to jump on that bandwagon unless your film has been picked up by a major distributor who is willing to PAY for it, rather than rob you blind and leave you wondering why you feel little more than used and abused. Start taking control of your filmgoing experience. Check out your options. Film festivals offer fantastic films at great prices that will most likely never otherwise come to your local community. For the most part, these aren't bad films, they are often great films that have simply been overlooked or which the distribution companies could figure out how to properly deliver to the public. Begin to see what festivals are in your neighborhood and begin to experience the pleasure of the untapped waters of independent filmmaking. One of the luxuries of film festival going is that you get to meet actual filmmakers. You can mingle with them and hear their filmmaking stories. It's absolutely fascinating to learn what a filmmaker has gone through to make a film. As part of the filmgoing audience at a film festival you will be able to experience many Q&As after films as well as mingle with other film fanatics like yourself where ever the gatherings are happening at that particular festival. Filmmakers need to start taking things into their own hands by rejecting machines that don't work, or simply aren't working for them. Yes, if you can make a million dollars on a distribution deal... go for it! But so often that's not the case these days even when the film is picked up for major distribution. Think Fargo which to this day the filmmakers say they never made back what they spent on the film. Yet, the film went on to receive major distribution and critical acclaim... and made a lot of money. Fine. That's how it is. But, that's not the only option. There are many options out there. Filmmakers are timid about putting their films online as it can often lead to a film not getting into festivals. Apparently the thought is that if a film can be seen online from anywhere in the world than a festival doesn't want to pick it up. But, the reality is that films aren't watched yet online... unless they've been shown already through normal distribution channels. The filmmaking audience and a lack of marketing savvy has made it so that (for now) films simply aren't viewed online. This can change. Filmmakers need to realize their films can be seen online and all they need is a little marketing ingenuity... perhaps more than a little, but it's possible. It is the direction of distribution. Film festivals are modern day marketing machines. Buzz and hype can be created by a filmmaker at festivals. Word about a film can spread. Then, these films can be found by others online. Presto! A filmmaker, in today's distribution market, has the ability to make money off their product... art... product... yeah... you get it. Now do it! |
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