Ask Me Anything with Stage 32 CEO RB
Hi Distribution Lounge Fam!
Distribution is one of those parts of the industry that feels like it happens TO filmmakers rather than being something we get to shape. But if we're being honest, most of us have a version of "the deal" in our heads that we'd love for our work. Something that would feel like a genuine win.
If you could design the perfect distribution deal for your current or next project, what would it look like?
Would you go theatrical? Streaming? Hybrid? A limited theatrical run followed by SVOD? A specific window on a specific platform? Would you want a big domestic release, or would you go global first? Would territories be pre-sold to build capital, or would you hold for a bidding war? What kind of marketing spend would you want committed? What revenue splits would feel fair? Would you want festival premiere requirements built in?
And just as importantly, WHY that version? What is it about your project (or your career) that would make that specific deal feel right?
I'd love to hear from filmmakers still in development, folks in post, and everyone who's already been through the release process. Whether you're dreaming about your first deal or reflecting on what you'd do differently next time, there's no wrong answer here.
I'm interested to see how different our dream deals look, and what that reveals about how we each think about what our work deserves. Drop your ideal deal in the comments below.
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Ashley Renée Smith For me, the ideal distribution deal would be one that balances audience reach with transparency. I'd love to see a limited theatrical release to build word of mouth and reviews, followed by a global streaming release on a platform that gives the film long-term visibility. Just as important, I'd want clear reporting, transparent accounting, reasonable marketing commitments, and to retain as many rights as possible where it makes sense. As an independent filmmaker, I'm less interested in signing the biggest deal and more interested in partnering with a distributor who genuinely believes in the film and is committed to helping it find its audience. In the end, a great distribution partner should feel like an extension of the filmmaking team, not just a sales channel.
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For me, the perfect distribution deal is the one that works. It gets the investors their money back, puts some money in the filmmakers' pockets, and helps build an audience for the next project.
These days, I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all approach. For two films I'm releasing this fall, we're doing small theatrical runs in a handful of cities without spending huge amounts on traditional advertising. Instead, we're focusing on grassroots marketing, filmmaker Q&As, local partnerships, and online promotion.
After that, we're planning a limited transactional VOD window that we control ourselves so we retain roughly 90% of the revenue before expanding to platforms like iTunes and Amazon. Ideally, that would be followed by an SVOD deal once we've maximized the earlier windows.
The key, in my opinion, is to keep as many distribution windows open as possible and maximize each one.
Of course, the fantasy is that someone comes along, writes a big minimum guarantee check, buys worldwide rights, and handles everything. But that's rarely the reality anymore.
Today, success is about getting your film into the world, building an audience, treating your investors well, and creating enough momentum that people want to finance your next movie. That's the real long-term win.
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My two cents would be personal attention from your sales agent and distributor, and not aggregating a film as a package with other films without approval of the filmmaker and a set share percentage.
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Tony Armer Thanks for sharing your perspective, Tony. I really like your emphasis on keeping as many distribution windows open as possible rather than rushing into a single deal. As someone developing my first feature, I've been learning that distribution today is just as much about strategy as it is about finding the right audience. Your point about treating investors well and building momentum for the next project really stood out to me. It shifts the focus from simply releasing one film to building a sustainable filmmaking career. Wishing you the very best with both of your releases this fall!
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I would imagine the perfect distribution deal would be on the works for investors and filmmakers building a system of trust for future projects. A plan with a good pre sales model, streaming platform model and theater model to optimize performance and exposure would work.
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As a librettist (bookwriter/lyricist) and director, my projects are all intended, first and foremost, for live theatrical production. Whether they are then livestreamed or filmed/televised on pay-per-view is open to discussion with producers, but I personally prefer interaction between performers and live audiences. If, after the initial stage production, the rights are released to professional regional theaters, university or community theaters is a decision to be made in the future.
The current plan is to do a series of developmental workshops leading to a staged reading for industry members and a select number of invited ticket-buyers (free of admission charges) to gauge their reaction to the show. Actors' Equity allows a total of 29 hours, spread over a 14-day period for which actors, stage manager and musical director will receive just over $1K each. Printing of scripts and scores, rental of rehearsal studios and publicity/advertising will bring the total to just over $100K. We're presently looking at early autumn, after performers return from summer stock gigs, and before the holiday season.
A first class (Broadway, London, or other major market) production with period costumes (fully-realized, unlike "Hamilton") and "painterly" three-dimensional scenery, large cast, stagehands and orchestra of at least 24, performed under a "favored nations" agreement will cost approximately $37M. For one of the projects, the idea is to invite regular audience members to attend in period costume themselves and to give them a slight discount on ticket prices to offset the cost of renting the costumes. The show will start on the sidewalk outside the theater, even before the curtain rises.
For further information: carver.robertd@gmail.com
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Great question. Huge pain point for us indie filmmakers, however, since real, genuine, non predatory distributors are scarce and continue to look for high profile talent in order to guarantee or allow sign-ons.
The perfect distro deal would include theatrical release, then streaming. Both foreign and domestic. They would help to provide high-level marketing, creatives and promotion of the film and circulate as saturated as possible.
Honestly, I don't feel there's just "one" deal that feels right or not - it's a "per-project" basis. I have a number of projects still in development, for years, and can't get funding although they have high market value. (I know, everyone says that about their own projects, lol)
Mike
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Ashley Renée Smith Ideal would be for me, massive theatrical commitment in 2500+ theaters, large P&A obligation, lucrative streaming sale to Netflix, Amazon, Apple for domestic with international SVOD deals all building momentum from each other. This provides for most upside potential, broad reach, independence from being stuck with one distributor.
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Tony Armer I really like your point about keeping as many distribution windows open as possible instead of putting everything into a single release strategy. It feels much more sustainable, especially for independent filmmakers.
As someone preparing my debut feature, I think it's easy to dream about the "big deal," but your approach reminds me that building an audience and proving a film can perform may be even more valuable in the long run. A successful first release can create opportunities for the second, third, and fourth project.
Thanks for sharing such a practical perspective.
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Been mulling this over and wanted to share some thoughts, curious what others think too.
If I got to design the deal, I don't think I'd go with the traditional all-rights version. I'd lean toward something more balanced — a bit of a hybrid.
Here's roughly what I'd hope for:
A theatrical or festival window with a distributor who really gets behind the project and markets it thoughtfully, rather than just adding it to a big catalog.
Streaming rights with a time limit. I'd want the distributor to have a solid window to do their thing and earn their return, but with rights reverting after a set period rather than staying locked in indefinitely.
Holding onto some of the ancillary rights — merch, international, adaptation possibilities — so those can be handled separately down the line. Easy to overlook how much value sits there.
Some visibility into performance data. Just enough to understand how something's actually doing and to make more informed decisions going forward.
A little input on marketing. Not full control, just enough of a collaborative back-and-forth so the positioning feels true to what the project actually is.
Why this version feels right to me:
I think it comes down to how much distribution has changed. It used to be scarce — a handful of gatekeepers, so creators didn't have much room to ask for anything. That's shifted a lot. There's way more access to audiences now, which opens up a little more room for these kinds of conversations.
A few reasons this appeals to me:
Staying a bit flexible feels valuable, even if it means less upfront.
Understanding the data helps make better decisions later, not just this deal but future ones too.
A lot of a project's value can show up years later, so it feels worth protecting some of that long-term potential.
Getting a little say in marketing just helps make sure the project feels represented well.
I guess the general idea is something more like a fair partnership than a one-time handoff — where both sides have room to do well.
Would love to hear if anyone's seen deals structured this way, or if this is more wishful thinking on my part!
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Great question! As a screenwriter, my ideal distribution deal would strike a balance between reaching the widest possible audience and preserving the creative vision behind the story. I'd also value transparency, fair revenue sharing, and a partner who genuinely believes in the project and is committed to its long-term success.
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Once again, my comments relate to live theatrical performances. Most plays and musicals open in a single venue in a single market. A show can close on opening night, in previews, or even at intermission. If, on the other hand, it runs long enough to garner good reviews from critics and the ticket-buying public are responsive, then it may be picked up by a theatrical publisher like Samuel French, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Music Theatre International or Tams-Witmark. Alternatively, it may go out on a post-Broadway national tour (or several) or find an afterlife in regional professional theatres, or amateur university, high school and community theatres.
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Great question, Ashley.
As an independent screenwriter, my ideal distribution deal would balance audience reach with long-term sustainability. I would love to see a limited theatrical release to build word of mouth and give audiences the shared cinema experience, followed by a strong global streaming release so the film becomes accessible to viewers around the world.
One thing I’ve learned is that success today isn’t defined by only one path. Some stories are built for the big screen, while others find their audience through streaming platforms that allow people from different countries and cultures to discover them.
I’d also hope for a distributor who believes in the project enough to invest in thoughtful marketing. Even the strongest story deserves the chance to be discovered, and a creative campaign can make all the difference.
Ultimately, my dream deal isn’t just about where the film is released—it’s about finding partners who understand the story, respect the filmmakers’ vision, and want to help the project reach the audience it was made for.
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The perfect distribution deal? I have no idea. But borrowing from past box office successes, I can see a theatrical roll-out in select cities to build buzz, then a wider release for at least five weeks, followed by SVOD on a major streaming service. Books, music and other merch would be the cherries on top.
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Fair points across the board, Mike Fox . The "need name talent to get real distribution attention" problem is very real, and it's part of why financing and packaging have become so intertwined with distribution now. From where I sit, this comes up constantly: projects with genuinely strong market value that stall out because they can't attach the piece of cast that de-risks the deal for a distributor or sales agent.
The theatrical then streaming, foreign and domestic model you're describing is the dream for a reason, it just requires either the elements to justify that marketing spend or a distributor willing to bet on the material itself over the cast. That second kind of deal does happen, so it's not impossible, but it's the exception rather than the rule.
Sounds like the bottleneck for your projects is less "market value" and more "bankable elements," if that's fair to say. Happy to DM if you want to talk through it further.