The ten-part series The Beginner's Crash Course In Film Distribution distills some of the information contained within The Insider's Guide to Film Distribution into a useful mini-guide for independent filmmakers.

Part 5: Post-production

Post is still kind of like shooting -- the filmmakers are concentrated on just making the best film they can, getting through the process, and making those crucial creative decisions all while trying to stay within budget. But two important marketing decisions need to be made during this time as well that will greatly increase your chances of distribution once the film is completed.

Trailer

The trailer is the primary sales tool for your film and you want to cut a trailer during post. A good trailer, front-loaded with action and set to great music, is your main tool for attracting distributors and an audience. As soon as you have the best trailer possible, put it up on your website or blog, as discussed in the last lesson, and start attracting an audience.

If you've ever set foot in a movie theater then you know the power of a great trailer. Make the trailer work for you and you're guaranteed that most of those who view it will be excited about seeing your film, including distributors. On the flipside, if you have a lackluster trailer, no matter how good your movie may be, most distributors will never know cause they'll never take the time to watch it. They are literally inundated with movies all day long and your job is to hand them something that's going to make them take notice of you. If you take the time to work hard for their attention, which is something you must do, then you'll be the one laughing all the way to the bank in the end.

Music and Soundtracks

Music is an important element of any film and of course you want to select great music. Pick your music wisely. If you have any musician friends who can score the movie, now's the time to call in favors. If you do not have the budget to pay them up front (although up-front payment is generally easier), see if you can set up a deferred payment with them. Should you sell your film domestically or internationally, offer them payment upon a sale or a very small percentage of any sales you make. Come up with something that will be agreeable to all parties but won't leave you handing all your sales money over to musicians. Ideally, see if they'll score it for free in exchange for the exposure you film might potentially give them. They may not go for that, but you never know.

And make sure you have a signed contract spelling out the agreement as to avoid anyone backing out of the deal later on. Not that your friends would do this to you, but it's good business and good protection for everyone. It'll give you piece of mind that you won't be given any hassles down the line about illegal use of music and will give them piece of mind that you're contractually bound to pay them should you sell the film. But should you do this, make sure you stipulate in the contract that this payment can only come AFTER you yourself have been paid. And that means actual dollars in your bank account. If you, say, hire a sales agency or rep down the line, they must recoup their marketing expenses and take their commission before you see a dime. And you don't want to be paying someone money or a percentage of monies you don't have. This is covered in-depth in The Insider's Guide to Film Distribution and will be covered in Lesson Eight of this series as well.

If you want to use pre-recorded songs in your film, you must budget for this and make sure all music is cleared BEFORE you put it in your final cut and send it out to distributors. Distributors often buy the film "as-is" and do not clear music when they decide to release a film. Licensing can be an expensive proposition, but a great soundtrack is often well worth the expense. Unfortunately for filmmakers, even if you have a distributor wanting to release your film, if the music is not cleared, the deal will most likely fall through. That's right, this is such a sticking point with distributors the deal will fall apart. It's potentially make-or-break and not a chance worth taking. Another benefit of going this route is that you may be able to release an accompanying soundtrack as well Obviously, everyone wants a good score on their film, and a soundtrack is certainly not a make or break addition to the package. But it can help in creating a big "package" for the film. If you think this is something that ultimately could benefit your film, this may worth some serious consideration.

Use of music in film is a necessary, yet often complicated, element, whether it's pre-recorded or an original score for your film. Doing your research now, whether it's by simply heading over a book store or searching the Internet to learn about the legalities of music in films can save you a lot of time and headaches down the line and you're well advised to do it sooner rather than later.