Inspired by the "M*A*S*H*" episode entitled - "Dear Dad"
Someone by the name of Travis, has written my first negative review for last weeks blog about the serious problem of industry celebrities being taken down by stupid choices they've made in the past. I believe the moral to last week's column was to make sure when casting or working on your project you keep it professional and have an assistant handy to keep you in check.
Travis I believe, was enticed by my headline "Did David O. Selznick grope Olivia de Havilland?" I'm not even sure he read the entire column because of his remarks about what "my" column should contain. I believe the operative word there was "My" column. Travis wants me to write more about focusing a camera and lighting a project. I have 4,031 followers most of which are industry friends, family and coworkers and most of them already know how to light a film and keep a camera in focus. I have to find interesting and topical issues to keep their interest and create a buzz and hopefully increase my following and at the same time make my regular readers happy. I guess I am saying it's not all about you, Travis.
In today's generation we open ourselves up to ridicule every time we speak in front of an audience or post something in writing. Social media can turn on us at any minute. Take you for instance, Travis, when I researched you to find out why the bad review I noticed you like to critique a lot but have never written a kind word or good review to anybody. Which if anything made me feel better. I know it's easier to write a bad review than a good one but seriously there had to be a time you researched an article about the industry and thought to write something positive. Your background also shows some religious mentions. You like Christian Films and that's good. I have a friend who is a follower and has a film running during the holiday season on Hallmark. Wonderful film, I'd tell you the title, Travis, but I fear you would only look for the ugly things or twist the true meaning and make up one of your own and preach as if we should follow you. Information on all of us is uncomfortably found on the Internet.
Since last week's column, more high profile names have been humbled by misdeeds. The point which I was making and most of my other readers understood was it's Golden Globe and Oscar time and films are being judged without being seen. "Wonder Wheel" for example was directed by Woody Allen. Woody has had his share of controversy before it was fashionable to bring up. He was found NOT guilty in the State of New York of any wrong doing. The press to this day still thinks he married his step-daughter (he didn't, he married the adopted daughter of Andre Previn and Mia Farrow). The eyebrow raising thought, was Woody married someone almost forty years younger. This wasn't the first time that happened in Hollywood. Woody and Mia were never married and even kept separate dwellings, yet somehow "Wonder Wheel" has lost interest and distribution momentum because it was backed by Amazon and the studio heads there have their own problems with harassment. Add that on to Woody's tale and the cast and crew of a wonderful period piece which should earn Kate Winslet and Woody Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, goes in the crapper. This has happened to several films and that's topical and that's industry related.
For those of my readers that have a vote, make sure you watch as many as you can screen and vote for the film's content and not the director or producer's backstory. Travis, I hope you continue to follow and I will include technical articles as they are needed and I believe worth mentioning. Everyone wants to stay current with our ever changing industry. I am not writing this column as a cheap answer to film school but to share feelings, emotions, and situations that we all encounter daily and perhaps someone has a solution that I can share.
Here's today's question for everyone...What films should receive Oscar nods this year? The Independent Spirit Awards have already announced their nominees and I was disappointed not to see DOG YEARS starring Burt Reynolds, Chevy Chase and Ariel Winter on the list. Solid direction and excellent performances all around especially by Burt. If you can find it playing somewhere or can download it please take the time, you won't be disappointed. An added plus, the producer of DOG YEARS is Neil Mandt who won Best Picture honors at the Central Florida Film Festival in 2007, with LAST STOP FOR PAUL. Good to see one of the festival's alumni still making films in the mainstream.
That's all for this week.
See you at the movies!
Regards,
Bob
Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017
A Funny Thing Happened on the way to AFM....
On November 1-8, 2017, I attended the American Film Market in Santa Monica, California. It was the 19th time I attended and saw many survivors from the video days. The main focus was AFM is expensive but yet we survive. How?
"Keeping up with the times" was the most consistent response. During a seminar about streaming I was reassured about something I have been preaching at my film festival for over a decade. Don't post or stream your film unless it's a last resort. The first thing a distributor asks (after if it's financed or completed) is how many followers do you have? Promising those that put up money via crowd funding doesn't count. This is especially true if you already promised them a copy of the film as part of their donation reward. Better to promise them a still or poster of the film and have them download the film at a price when a distributor makes it available.
But why should I share that revenue with a distributor when I can do it myself? Good point but the answer is that a distributor has the means to get your film a larger reach of viewers. If you have a large following it gives you leverage when making a deal. Having three hundred benefactors isn't a large following but having a leading performer with four million followers on social media is!
Netflix is very picky when selecting a film for distribution. They also have a process and distributors with a track record for providing films to Netflix helps. It doesn't guarantee anything but it's a foot in the door and if your film holds up and is in the genre they need, you have a shot. Netflix distributes 25% of the streaming content and your film, if selected, would have a two year play. If your film doesn't stream well then it's replaced. Sound familiar? Back in the video (Mom & Pop) days if your film didn't rent it was placed in the "Previously Viewed" bin and sold off to make room on the shelf. Same principal holds here.
Hulu holds the same principal but accounts for 35% and Amazon pretty much takes anything that you can download with a few exceptions. They account for 85%. So telling your investors that you can guarantee them distribution via Amazon doesn't quite mean a return on their dollar. Having a distributor placing your film in top of the line Video on Demand companies, means they will invest in a marketing strategy and promote you film. Estimates from Netflix and Hulu hold more weight. This means it's better to be rejected by several sources before you cut bait and self-distribute on Amazon.
Yes there is an Amazon Prime Access but they are currently figuring out how to distribute via VOD. Hulu and Amazon use to have venues where you could post your films and they would show commercials during your screening. The filmmaker would receive a portion of the advertising. This isn't something they thought was lucrative enough for the providers and they have gone to monthly fees. Competition is strong which means supply and demand is needed. Just like in the VHS days, if you have a film with a track record you have an excellent chance of getting distribution.
Now that I have put my days as a Festival Director behind me, I can concentrate more on being a filmmaker. I also want to help as many young filmmakers as possible as I journey back into the Hollywood "Rat Race". Why just learn from your mistakes when you can learn from mine? I will be writing a weekly blog providing filmmakers with information helpful to producing and distributing your products. In January 2018, we will begin covering information as you, the filmmaker, request. Simply ask a question and I will research your answer and make it part of another blog. This is how we can help each other continue to survive in this ever changing world of film making.
See you at the movies!
Bob Cook
President
B.C. Entertainment Group, Inc.
"Keeping up with the times" was the most consistent response. During a seminar about streaming I was reassured about something I have been preaching at my film festival for over a decade. Don't post or stream your film unless it's a last resort. The first thing a distributor asks (after if it's financed or completed) is how many followers do you have? Promising those that put up money via crowd funding doesn't count. This is especially true if you already promised them a copy of the film as part of their donation reward. Better to promise them a still or poster of the film and have them download the film at a price when a distributor makes it available.
But why should I share that revenue with a distributor when I can do it myself? Good point but the answer is that a distributor has the means to get your film a larger reach of viewers. If you have a large following it gives you leverage when making a deal. Having three hundred benefactors isn't a large following but having a leading performer with four million followers on social media is!
Netflix is very picky when selecting a film for distribution. They also have a process and distributors with a track record for providing films to Netflix helps. It doesn't guarantee anything but it's a foot in the door and if your film holds up and is in the genre they need, you have a shot. Netflix distributes 25% of the streaming content and your film, if selected, would have a two year play. If your film doesn't stream well then it's replaced. Sound familiar? Back in the video (Mom & Pop) days if your film didn't rent it was placed in the "Previously Viewed" bin and sold off to make room on the shelf. Same principal holds here.
Hulu holds the same principal but accounts for 35% and Amazon pretty much takes anything that you can download with a few exceptions. They account for 85%. So telling your investors that you can guarantee them distribution via Amazon doesn't quite mean a return on their dollar. Having a distributor placing your film in top of the line Video on Demand companies, means they will invest in a marketing strategy and promote you film. Estimates from Netflix and Hulu hold more weight. This means it's better to be rejected by several sources before you cut bait and self-distribute on Amazon.
Yes there is an Amazon Prime Access but they are currently figuring out how to distribute via VOD. Hulu and Amazon use to have venues where you could post your films and they would show commercials during your screening. The filmmaker would receive a portion of the advertising. This isn't something they thought was lucrative enough for the providers and they have gone to monthly fees. Competition is strong which means supply and demand is needed. Just like in the VHS days, if you have a film with a track record you have an excellent chance of getting distribution.
Now that I have put my days as a Festival Director behind me, I can concentrate more on being a filmmaker. I also want to help as many young filmmakers as possible as I journey back into the Hollywood "Rat Race". Why just learn from your mistakes when you can learn from mine? I will be writing a weekly blog providing filmmakers with information helpful to producing and distributing your products. In January 2018, we will begin covering information as you, the filmmaker, request. Simply ask a question and I will research your answer and make it part of another blog. This is how we can help each other continue to survive in this ever changing world of film making.
See you at the movies!
Bob Cook
President
B.C. Entertainment Group, Inc.
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