Sure you can make a film - but can you SUCCESSFULLY SELL IT?

As an independent filmmaker myself, I know only too well how important film distribution is...

Sadly, the subject of film distribution comes up VERY LATE in the movie making process. I am familiar with many situations of filmmakers who have blindly gone forward with their projects totally oblivious to the realities of the film market and profit potential. Filmmakers who spent large sums of money and years of their lives creating their movie only to be hugely disappointed as they encountered the stark reality of - DISTRIBUTION! They were literally shocked and horrified to discover the truth about what it really was the buyers were looking for and the stunning dollar amounts that were being offered for their film. Producers who had spent $500,000 or MORE on their film were being offered $20,000 on the HIGH SIDE as an advance on their film! Most films were being offered nothing up front!

So it was with great interest that I took a serious look at Stacey Parks' THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO FILM DISTRIBUTION. Here was a person who claimed to share insider secrets and realities of the business, and who was "pulling no punches." She comes from that world - the world of deal-making, film markets and schmooze fests and has been involved in the sale of many, many films, both foreign and domestic.

I decided to order the course and found it to be well worth the money. It is literally a gold mine of information and really should be required reading for every filmmaker BEFORE they embark on making their film.

Do you want to know how much is realistically possible to make on your film in the foreign markets? Hint: It's not near as much as you think!

Do you know how much is being paid for films that are being broadcast on cable channels like The Sci-Fi Channel, TNT, TBS, and HDNet?

Do you think it's necessary to have "name" actors in your film?

Is the format you shoot your film on important? Can you use any old prosumer camcorder (HDV, MiniDV) and make sales down the road?

Do indie comedies and dramas sell oversees?

These questions and many more are answered in Stacey Parks' THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO FILM DISTRIBUTION.

BUT - The thing I found most valuable...was...

THE LIST!

That's right. THE LIST of BUYERS. The actual people in the companies that purchase films along with all their contact information - including their EMAIL ADDRESS. Foreign territory buyers. Domestic USA buyers. It's all there - and it's a GOLDMINE.

You see, the course also goes into great detail on how to SELF-DISTRIBUTE your film. The world of distribution is changing, thanks to the internet, and it is now possible to market your film online BY YOURSELF.

And if going it alone is not your cup of tea, Stacey shows you the steps you need to take to find a sales rep to assist you in selling your film.

BOTTOM LINE: So would I recommend this course? Yes, absolutely! Do yourself a favor and check it out. It will save you an immense amount of time and effort when it comes time to sell and distribute your movie.

- Michael Ricks
Producer/Director
SUNSTONE PICTURES
http://www.sunstonepictures.com

"THE LAS VEGAS ABDUCTIONS" (in post-production)
http://www.lasvegasabductions.com

TAKE ME BACK TO THE FILM DISTRIBUTION KIT



Reprinted with permission. Article originally appeared on EzineArticles.com
(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ricks).