The sea change continues. More and more optimism in the air. More and more throwing traditional models out the window and taking matters into their own hands.
From Indiewire:
With No One Else Buying Movies, Financiers Turn Distributors to Seize Opportunity
Not long ago, if A24 or Netflix passed, the market slowed to a crawl. Today, fresh energy is flowing into the indie scene as new players step in to give films a home.
“We just felt that there was a real hole, a lot of white space in the market for a new distributor that was going to release mid-budget, commercial pictures,” Row K co-chairman Christopher Woodrow told IndieWire. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years. I never felt that there was a more exciting opportunity than the independent market at this particular moment.”
Full article here:
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Thank you for sharing, Richard "RB" Botto. Really insightful.
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Richard "RB" Botto read the article and found it informative. However, is there a market out there for micro budget films? I have one but who to approach?
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Wyman Brent Good news - there's a buyer (and a market) for everything. For micro budget films, I'd recommend targeting private equity, high net worth individuals (HNWIs), and your local dentist. In all seriousness, if your budget is less than $500k, you are more likely to get it financed from people you know or crowdfunding than "the establishment." Once the project is financed and produced, you can start reaching out to distributors but most of them wouldn't support a micro budget without a director or producer they are familiar with. Thankfully, there are so many ways to connect with executive producers or financiers who do support these films. Depending on what you are putting together, I'd look at similar movies that got made in that space and see who's credited.
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Geoffroy Faugerolas 2, thanks for the info and suggestions. This may be a strange question. However, is it easier to get a film produced if it is not micro budget? The film I have in mind can definitely be done for less than 500,000. At the same time, it would not hurt with a larger budget.
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Thank you for sharing RB. Exciting times indeed. Dispels the sentiment that there is no money in film. Though the films mentioned do have A list talent attached. That definitely helps.
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Richard "RB" Botto I think we might have discussed this more than a decade ago. It was obvious when this platform began that the film and television studio industry wasn't keeping up with the times and how technology and social media have changed the landscape. Success goes to those who learn how to navigate change. So glad to see this.
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Wyman Brent I'd say it depends on the genre. If it's a drama, smaller is better unless you have major talent attached. If it's hallmark-style, better be under $2m. You have to make sure the film is of a certain quality so it's distributable (unless it's horror)
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Many paths in, Julio Antonio Toro.
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They still aren't in many ways, Debbie Elicksen. But those who get it are lapping the field.
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Geoffroy Faugerolas 2, thanks for that. My film is a two person road trip across the USA. It is a retired horror show host and a young fan. They travel around visiting the homes and workplaces of real life horror show hosts.
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Richard "RB" Botto Yes sir! And no two journeys are the same. Thanks to you and the good folks here, I feel energized in this push to make it happen.
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That's absolutely correct, Julio Antonio Toro. That's why comparing yourself to anyone in this business is a losing battle. Go blaze your own trail.