A Question for Distributors - What Advice Would You Give A Young
Distributor About How to Find A Distributor
I was asked to give a class about this last month for the SF Film
Society. I wrote up a sort of manual and called in "The New/Old World of
Documentary Distribution: A Producer's Guide to Digital Rights
Management." I think the PDF is about 18 pages long. You can find it at:
http://www.moneydrivenmedicine.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art
icle&id=91
I hope this helps.
Larry
Lawrence Daressa
California Newsreel
500 Third Street, Suite 505
San Francisco, CA 94107
phone: 415.284.7800
fax: 415.284.7801
lgd@newsreel.org
www.newsreel.org
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Today's Topics:
1. A question for distributors - What advice would you give a
young filmmaker about how to find a distributor? (Chris Lewis)
2. Age-Progression Technology Indicates Missing Child A
Prostitute By Now (cmichael@ithaca.edu)
3. correction: historic Blockbuster store offers a glimpse of
how movies were rented (Catherine Michael)
4. Question on Streaming Collections (pwiener@notes.cc.sunysb.edu)
5. Re: A question for distributors - What advice would you give
a young filmmaker about how to find a distributor? (Filmakers
Library)
6. Re: A question for distributors - What advice would you give
a young filmmaker about how to find a distributor? (Dennis Doros)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:29:21 -0500
From: Chris Lewis <clewis@american.edu>
Subject: [Videolib] A question for distributors - What advice would
you give a young filmmaker about how to find a
distributor?
To: Videolib <videolib@lists.berkeley.edu>
Message-ID:
<4dfe774b0912070729q8b7c93cuf8f875946d1184fd@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Occasionally I hear from filmmaker's asking about how to get their
films distributed. I've heard from three in the past month. I always
suggest festivals as one of the best ways to get noticed and I give
them the names of the distributors I use but I really don't know how a
lot of titles make their way to distributors. If one or more of you
are willing to lend some advice for these up-and-comers it would be
greatly appreciated.
-- Chris Lewis Media Librarian American University Library 202.885.3257 Please think twice before printing this e-mail. Remember, paper comes from trees. And Soylent Green? Well, you should know where that comes from. ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:45:01 +0000 From: cmichael@ithaca.edu Subject: [Videolib] Age-Progression Technology Indicates Missing Child A Prostitute By Now To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Message-ID: <E1NHfll-0000oc-Kp@onionweb2> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" cmichael@ithaca.edu recommends a page from The Onion. The recommended page is: <a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/video/age_progression_technology?u tm_source=EMTF_Onion">Age-Progression Technology Indicates Missing Child A Prostitute By Now</a> ************************************************************************ You are receiving this email because your friend at cmichael@ithaca.edu sent it to you. If you do not wish to receive emails like this, please contact your friend. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment scrubbed and removed. HTML attachments are only available in MIME digests. ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:49:05 -0500 From: Catherine Michael <cmichael@ithaca.edu> Subject: [Videolib] correction: historic Blockbuster store offers a glimpse of how movies were rented To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Message-ID: <3ECF7FC8-1218-4A0A-8A1B-69510E601087@ithaca.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sorry folks, this is the Onion video: http://www.theonion.com/content/video/historic_blockbuster_store_offers It looks at going to a Blockbuster from an historic perspective. Should have used the link instead of the email form. Best, Cathy Catherine H. Michael Communications & Legal Studies Librarian Ithaca College Library Gannett Center 1201, 953 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 phone: 607-274-1293 http://comlaw.wordpress.com/ On Dec 7, 2009, at 10:45 AM, cmichael@ithaca.edu wrote: > > > cmichael@ithaca.edu recommends a page from The Onion. > > The recommended page is: Age-Progression Technology Indicates > Missing Child A Prostitute By Now > > ************************************************************************ > You are receiving this email because your friend at cmichael@ithaca.edu > sent it to you. If you do not wish to receive emails like this, > please contact your friend. > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, > acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current > and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It > is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for > video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between > libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and > distributors. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment scrubbed and removed. HTML attachments are only available in MIME digests. ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 12:07:52 -0500 From: pwiener@notes.cc.sunysb.edu Subject: [Videolib] Question on Streaming Collections To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Message-ID: <OFDAEFC457.2BF32DA6-ON85257685.005D2CD0-85257685.005E1DC7@notes.cc.suny sb.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Does anyone who has a large circulating video collection have any idea what they're going to be doing with these items, or how they are going to build and manage video collections in the future? Is there any alternative, given the speed of technological change and the inverse speed of bureaucratic change, to going about this haphazardly? In only 3-5 years, by my estimation, almost all moving image titles will be delivered wirelessly. It's not likely libraries, universities or professors will be able - or have permission - to digitize and distribute their already-owned media. Whole new licensing and delivery systems will need to be put in place. There are many vendors of streaming video out there, some with free services (like PBS Frontline) but they still represent only a tiny fraction of titles that exist, and of what specifically may be needed for a specific course. Not to mention feature films, which also enjoy many curricular uses.... What will happen? Is it already happening? Does anyone have any experience with this, any plans or guidance? Are there any academic libraries that offer streaming media of commercial titles (not of their own video productions)? I know some public libraries do, for members. Do any such vendors even exist - a Netflix for institutions? How do they, or would they, work? Any feedback will be helpful. Thanks Paul B. Wiener Video Librarian Stony Brook University -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment scrubbed and removed. HTML attachments are only available in MIME digests. ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 12:15:17 -0500 From: Filmakers Library <info@filmakers.com> Subject: Re: [Videolib] A question for distributors - What advice would you give a young filmmaker about how to find a distributor? To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Message-ID: <59F1DEF5-1ACD-4814-9696-74D67DA612AD@filmakers.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" hi Chris: We ask that a filmakers of documentaries e-mail Filmakers Library with a short summery of the contents including length and age level. Then if it looks promising we ask for a screener. We'd be interested hearing from the three producers you mention in your inquiry. Regards, Sue Sue E. Oscar Filmakers Library 124 East 40th St New York, NY 10016 Tel: 212-808-4980 Fax: 212 808-4983 e-mail: info@filmakers.com web: www.filmakers.com On Dec 7, 2009, at 10:29 AM, Chris Lewis wrote: Occasionally I hear from filmmaker's asking about how to get their films distributed. I've heard from three in the past month. I always suggest festivals as one of the best ways to get noticed and I give them the names of the distributors I use but I really don't know how a lot of titles make their way to distributors. If one or more of you are willing to lend some advice for these up-and-comers it would be greatly appreciated. -- Chris Lewis Media Librarian American University Library 202.885.3257 Please think twice before printing this e-mail. Remember, paper comes from trees. And Soylent Green? Well, you should know where that comes from. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment scrubbed and removed. HTML attachments are only available in MIME digests. ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 13:34:53 -0500 From: Dennis Doros <milefilms@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Videolib] A question for distributors - What advice would you give a young filmmaker about how to find a distributor? To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Message-ID: <2ad8b9eb0912071034w647f0be5jb4d7dc783423dd1b@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Chris, They need to do their research. We get about five emails a week from filmmakers who want to show us their new horror film. Obviously, that is neither Milestone's interest or within our capabilities. To successfully distribute a horror film, you need either a lot of money or a ready customer base. The same can be said with a medical documentary or one how to fix a motorcycle. You want a distributor who LOVES your film and has the knowledge on how to promote and sell it. So the first thing to do is to figure out what kind of film they have, what companies distribute similar films, and how successful they are doing so. Find out in advance who is the head of acquisitions (call the company if you have to) and write a good letter (without typos or grammatical flaws, please!) with a well-designed and laid-out package of materials that go with it. The letter be addressed to that particular person in charge, should state why the film would be a good fit for the distributor and how you admired their release of "______" and think your film has a similar chance for success. Flattery helps a lot. Then call up a week later, be courteous and professional and offer a screener. Personality will help get your film at least screened. And for theatrical releas, it helps to have a professional, outgoing, well-spoken director -- and distributors look for that. The major film festivals like New York, Cannes, Sundance, Berlin, Toronto are important and then the next-tier festivals like Slamdance, South by Southwest, AFI and IFP (and others including all the great documentary festivals) are essential as well. Others less so to the point it can hurt a film because if it's played too many festivals, then it gives the distributor the idea that it's either been rejected by other distributors or that it's played so much it will be difficult to get audiences. That could just be my own opinion, by the way -- I'm not sure it's true for others. Also, I may be wrong because this is one of the ways for filmmakers to travel, meet other filmmakers and distributors, and get to know more people in the field. For features, it helps to play them if you can get reviewed in Variety, Hollywood Reporter and/or Screen Daily. And don't be too offended by rejections!!! For one thing, a lot of distributors are small and may have too many films at the moment already. We only do two to four films a year, for example. If rejected, you should write an extremely nice letter or note saying that if they change their mind, you would love to work with them if not on this one then on the next film. You don't want to make enemies. (We do talk amongst ourselves and we are quick to mention the directors we love to work with and the horror stories of those otherwise!) Best, Dennis On Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 10:29 AM, Chris Lewis <clewis@american.edu> wrote: > Occasionally I hear from filmmaker's asking about how to get their > films distributed. I've heard from three in the past month. I always > suggest festivals as one of the best ways to get noticed and I give > them the names of the distributors I use but I really don't know how a > lot of titles make their way to distributors. If one or more of you > are willing to lend some advice for these up-and-comers it would be > greatly appreciated. > > -- > Chris Lewis > Media Librarian > American University Library > 202.885.3257 > > Please think twice before printing this e-mail. Remember, paper comes > from trees. > > And Soylent Green? Well, you should know where that comes from. > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues > relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, > preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and > related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective > working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication > between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and > distributors. > -- Best, Dennis Doros Milestone Film & Video/Milliarium Zero PO Box 128 Harrington Park, NJ 07640 Phone: 201-767-3117 Fax: 201-767-3035 email: milefilms@gmail.com www.milestonefilms.com www.arayafilm.com www.exilesfilm.com www.wordisoutmovie.com www.killerofsheep.com AMIA Philadelphia 2010: www.amianet.org Join "Milestone Film" on Facebook! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment scrubbed and removed. HTML attachments are only available in MIME digests. End of videolib Digest, Vol 25, Issue 4 *************************************** VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.Received on Mon Dec 7 10:57:06 2009
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