How to make the transition from the editing room to the marketplace.

Picture this! By some miracle to end all miracles, born of equal parts luck and blind determination, you’ve managed to rise above the never-ending barrage of questions from “concerned” friends and family who’ve always thought your talk about making movies was reckless. You’ve put together a cast and crew, refined your script, found some financing and in the process, you’ve even figured out how to ignore all your significant other’s not-so-subtle hints that a career selling life insurance really wouldn’t be that bad. To be honest, looking back, even you aren’t really sure how you pulled it off. Yet, despite all of the concerns and self doubt, you’ve somehow managed to make the impossible possible. You’ve made your first feature film! And, by definition, you’re finally a real filmmaker.

So, as your significant other drinks celebratory champagne with your family, friends and whatever members of your cast and crew are still speaking to you at the wrap party, you and I both know there is one nagging thought still rattling around in the back of your mind. It’s the same thought shared by every independent feature filmmaker. You’re asking yourself, how am I going to distribute this thing?

As a feature filmmaker, your distribution strategy will fall into one of two categories. Either your movie will be picked up, marketed and sold through various outlets by one of those distribution companies you read about in the trades, or you will sell it yourself. This is the major difference between traditional distribution and self-distribution. Regardless of which path you take, there are certain fundamental steps you must complete to ensure the film makes a smooth transition from the edit suite to the marketplace.

Preparing to Find a Distributor

When finding a distributor, many filmmakers partner with sales representatives, agents, lawyers or consultants to help get their movies seen and, hopefully, sold. It is during this time that the representative will often furnish the filmmaker with an extensive checklist of deliverables that include (with some variation): the movie master, talent agreements, high resolution digital photos for use in promotion, a credit lock, talent bios and press kits, a copyright registration form, chain of title and just about every other legal clearance the distributor can think of to minimize liability. One area where first-time filmmakers often stumble is in properly securing the rights to each and every bit of music included in their flick.

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By Christine Kearney   Reuters – http://bit.ly/b9ppTy      

NEW YORK – Like an actor waiting for a big break, the nascent market for watching independent movies on TV video-on-demand channels or online via streaming or downloads still needs a big hit to make believers out of moviemakers.

Last month, the Tribeca Film Festival launched an unusual effort to acquire films and release them on video-on-demand (VOD) in an effort to help kick-start the market. Typically, film festivals screen movies, not distribute them.

As the festival wound down earlier this week, the success of Tribeca’s effort was still unknown. But market players said VOD and online sales are not likely a financial game-changer anytime soon for the beleaguered independent film industry that in recent years has fallen on hard times as too many indie movies competed for space in too few theaters.

“They (VOD and Web downloads) have generated meager revenue at best. The total revenue has not been up until now anything resembling financially compelling,” said Eamonn Bowles, President of Magnolia Pictures.

Still, Tribeca organizers and industry executives agree the old financial model of a film creating buzz at festivals and being acquired for theatrical release needs changing.

“So many filmmakers still want that traditional route, they want to be able to walk down that red carpet at a cinema,” said Tribeca’s chief creative officer Geoff Gilmore.

“But I can’t make that world exist any longer when it doesn’t,” he added. “I can’t tell (filmmakers), ‘you are going to have a number of different buying opportunities’ when in fact it has been more and more mitigated…so we are trying to create new opportunities.”

Tribeca’s distribution arm, called Tribeca Film, acquired more than a dozen films and over half were shown at the festival, including “Climate of Change” and “Metropia.”

They were offered on VOD via cable, satellite and telecom providers that reach some 40 million homes and fans could watch them at the same time as New York moviegoers at the festival.

Separately, but also for the first time, Tribeca offered eight full-length films online at a flat fee of $45.

Festival organizers aren’t yet saying how many people paid to watch the movies, but its experiment followed other, smaller efforts including one at the recent Sundance Film Festival, which offered five movies for rental at $3.99 on YouTube. It attracted little revenue.

FILMMAKERS GIVE MIXED REVIEWS

Tribeca filmmakers gave VOD and Web downloads mixed reviews and said they hoped audiences would still be able to see their films on the big screens for which they were made. Some wondered whether a conflict of interest might arise if a festival promoted their own films more than ones they did not acquire. Director Josh Sternfeld, whose “Meskada” played in the festival, told Reuters he thought filmmakers should “keep their minds open to how films get seen” but also recognized watching a film in a theater was “special.”

Others were more reluctant, including director Ricki Stern of “Joan Rivers — A Piece of Work,” who said “it’s wonderful that movies can get out to the masses on the Internet,” but quickly added that she still preferred cinemas.

“Movies should be in a big old movie theater with lots of popcorn,” she said.

Josh Braun, of Submarine Entertainment, which represented “Climate of Change”, said any festivals exploring their own distribution must be “extra vigilant to account for any perception that their own films might get preference.”

“And they have to be smart about it because they still want distributors to be coming to their festival and looking for movies for sale,” he said.

But while the industry waits to see if Tribeca’s VOD experiment captures much revenue, the festival is marching forward with plans to acquire more films throughout the year.

“What we are saying is ‘we realize that you are watching films on your computers and on cable, we are going to offer that to you,” said Nancy Shafer of Tribeca Enterprises, which funds the festival and the distribution arm. “Everyone is trying to figure out how to make filmmakers money…and how to rebuild the independent film business.”

(Additional reporting by Sharon Reich; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

 7 April, 2010 – Toronto, long a movie stand-in for New York, has led Ontario to an impressive rebound in the cutthroat film and television sector, but a strong Canadian dollar could dull the region’s competitive edge.

The industry spent nearly C$1 billion ($970 million) in Ontario last year, up 41 percent from 2008 and the highest level since 2002, according to the Ontario Media Development Corp, an agency of the provincial government.

The rise reflected a hefty new provincial credit that gives foreign moviemakers a 25 percent tax break on a range of production costs, up from 25 percent on only eligible labor costs previously.

But filmmakers say a stronger Canadian dollar could offset some of the gains, as the currency climbs toward parity with its U.S. counterpart.

“The Canadian dollar almost being at par historically has been pretty tough on the film business,” Canadian producer Miles Dale told Reuters. “I think it needs to stay south of par for the business not to be affected.”

The Canadian dollar is currently worth around C$1.03 to the U.S. dollar, or 97 U.S. cents, down from a peak in November 2007, when it took $1.10 to buy a Canadian dollar.

A decade ago, the Canadian dollar was worth as little as 64 U.S. cents, and the Ontario industry thrived because of its cheap costs in U.S. dollar terms.

Dale is currently in pre-production of “The Thing”, a prequel to director John Carpenter’s classic 1980s sci-fi horror film, for Universal Pictures, a unit of General Electric Co. In it, Ontario is a stand-in for Antarctica. “The Thing” will also film for a couple of days in British Columbia.

In movies produced by Dale, Ontario has also stood in for Los Angeles, New York, Washington, and Detroit.

“The Thing” has a budget of about $35 million and Dale said the expanded tax credit will save him up to $8 million in total.

“It’s all here. The equipment’s here, the trucks are here, the people are here, the extras are here…I will typically look to do it here first and try to figure out a reason not to do it here if you have to,” he said.

The credit also benefits Ontario’s post-production, visual effects and animation industries, where output also rose last year, even for productions not shot in the province.

“The package of incentives that Ontario is able to offer today is helping to offset the high Canadian dollar,” said Karen Thorne-Stone, head of the provincial government’s film development group, who noted that Ontario offers a combination of talent, tax credits, diverse locations and infrastructure.

“We’re no longer perceived as just being a discount location or a cheap location. We are being evaluated by productions on the quality of the package and the cast and the crew and the services which we think is quite a nice change,” she said.

ONTARIO BOASTS THE WHOLE PACKAGE

Incentives for moviemakers in Toronto include a new waterfront studio, one of the biggest production complexes in North America, operated by Britain’s Pinewood Studios, which sets Ontario apart from jurisdictions, such as Louisiana, that also offer tax incentives.

“I think we’re way ahead of the game in terms of places that have tried to attract filmmakers,” said Seth Feldman, a professor of film studies at Toronto’s York University.

“Given the costs of film today and given the production is half the cost and publicity is the other half of the cost, tax credits while they lure people, I don’t think keep people.”

Feldman said the Toronto International Film Festival has also helped attract Hollywood types who have got used to doing business — and spending their downtime — in the city.

“It’s become a film town for them,” he added.

In 2009, C$272 million was spent producing foreign films and television programs in Ontario, and C$674 million on domestic movies and TV, up 114 percent and 24 percent respectively.

Ontario Film Commissioner Donna Zuchlinski said the industry still faces challenges, but the outlook for 2010 production is just as bright as last year’s.

“The film and television industry is very cyclical… there were a number of factors that contributed to the ebb, shall we say. The strength of the Canadian dollar was one,” she said, while also pointing to Hollywood labor unions trying to stop so-called “runaway” productions.

Ontario already has almost 20 productions on the roster for this year, including the films “Dream House,” starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts, and “Red”, featuring Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich.

It’s also been the best U.S. pilot season in many years for Ontario, thanks to “Nikita” from Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros, and “Breakout Kings” from News Corp’s 20th Century Fox TV.”

(Editing by Janet Guttsman)

With 93 co-productions out of 230 accredited features in 2009 (compared to 95 the previous year), the French film industry is keeping up a high level of international openness and broad diversity, for these films were co-produced with 34 countries. This is according to the report unveiled yesterday by the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC).

A total of €452.75m (-17.7% compared to 2008) was allocated for financing these works, which include 45 majority (-6 films) and 48 minority (+4 films) French co-productions. These are the figures.

For French initiative films (FIF), Belgium remains France’s main partner with 21 co-productions (22 in 2008), followed by Germany (eight like the previous year), Italy (down sharply from 13 to five), Canada (four), Luxembourg (three) and Switzerland (three). The 45 majority French co-productions obtained 24.2% of French investment in the 182 FIFs accredited in 2009 (i.e. €206.05m), while foreign partners provided €75.5m.

Among the 48 accredited French minority co-productions, which secured €171.2m (€39.89m in French investment and €131.32m in foreign funding), Germany emerges as the number one partner with 14 co-productions (11 in 2008). Next in line are Italy (eight like the previous year), Switzerland (shooting up from one to seven), Belgium (six compared to 13 in 2008), Portugal (from zero to six), Spain (five), Sweden (five compared to one in 2008), Canada (four), Israel (four), Denmark (three compared to one the previous year) and Hungary (three compared to one in 2008).

Five bilateral financial co-productions (without artistic or technical support from a minority co-producing country) were accredited in 2009: four with Italy (compared to ten in 2008) and one with Spain.

Finally, 29 of the 93 French co-productions accredited last year were made as part of the European Co-production Convention, involving at least three signatory countries. Seven were FIFs and 22 minority French co-productions (including 18 in which the French contribution was solely financial).

Fabien Lemercier

http://www.cineuropa.org

MuchMusic brings Canadians a  video from Young Artists For Haiti. Last month, singer/songwriter K’Naan gathered with more than 50 friends from Canada’s music community to record a new rendition of his beautifully poignant single, Wavin’ Flag. The powerful, four-minute video for this incredible single premieres on MuchMusic  www.muchmusic.com  Thursday, March 11th. at midnight.

“As a proud supporter of the Canadian music industry, MuchMusic is thrilled to showcase K’Naan’s Wavin’ Flag music video for our fans the moment it’s available,” said Brad Schwartz, Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Much MTV Group, CTV Inc. “The message of the song is universal. The collaboration by all these young artists from our musical community shows the true generosity and solidarity of the Canadian spirit.”

Dubbing themselves Young Artists for Haiti, those involved in the single include Drake, Metric’s , Jully Black, Emily Haines, Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, Nelly Furtado, Broken Social Scene and many more. The song was also selected as the official song of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

 All proceeds from the sale of the single go to Free The Children, War Child Canada, and World Vision Canada in support of their on-the-ground efforts in Haiti. To donate www.facebook.com/youngartistsforhaiti