In our previous posts, we’ve discussed why an understanding of distribution is helpful to writers when pitching their projects to producers, investors, development execs, and any other number of people.
But it’s not just a one-sided process. This knowledge can also protect you, and help you to choose the right people to work with.
An Unregulated Industry
Unfortunately, much of the entertainment industry is not well-regulated. Anyone can call themselves a producer or a manager these days, even if they don’t actually have any experience or knowledge of how the industry works.
This can be hugely detrimental to writers who are sold a dream and become enticed to work with the wrong people.
It’s easy - and understandable - for a writer to be impressed when a producer wants to option their script, or a manager wants to take them on as a client. Many writers are easily enticed by people who talk a good game but, when it comes down to it, don’t know what the hell they’re doing, or may have other motivations.
Remember: not all producers are created equal. And some managers are better - much much better! - than others. You have the right to ask questions too and make sure that you don’t actually know more than they do!
For emerging writers and filmmakers, knowing how the business side of the industry works will allow you to make better decisions about whom you work with and take on as partners.
Producers
When you are sat in front a producer who wants to option your script, you should ask them what they see as the distribution strategy for your project. You should gauge who they see as the audience, and how their understanding of the sales, distribution, and marketing processes will help you reach your viewers.
If they have no idea what you are talking about, that should be a huge warning sign for you.
Do you really want to give this producer the option to your screenplay and then see your project floundering for a year or two under the watch of someone who doesn’t understand how distribution works? How can they possibly guide it to critical and financial success if they are not familiar with the very thing that keeps the industry running?
I get it. It’s great to be able to tell people and post on social media that your script has been optioned. That’s a lovely feeling for any writer. But that does NOT necessarily mean that it is getting financed and produced.
And even if the producer does somehow get the project made, if nobody sees it and it loses money then that can be a fatal blow for you and your career.
You’d be amazed at how many people claim to be producers but have no idea about sales and distribution. I’ve worked with some of them, sometimes on big-budget projects, and it’s not something I'd like to repeat.
Managers
It’s not just producers either…
If you’re a writer looking for representation, you should be asking your prospective manager how they see this process going too.
There are some really excellent managers out there, including people who have made films and TV shows themselves, and who understand how content gets financed and produced. A great manager knows how to guide a writer’s career, helps them make smart choices in what they choose to write about and how they choose to write it, and opens the right doors for the right writers and the right projects at the right time.
However… Certain so-called managers don’t understand distribution at all, or how it affects them or their clients. They don’t know the right questions to ask, the right strategies to employ, or the right producers and financiers to talk to.
If that’s the case, do you really trust them to be making smart decisions on your behalf? How are they going to protect you, or get your project set up with the right people, if they don’t know what to look for?
A bad manager cannot help their clients to mold a script into a product that producers and financiers will want. This can be a horrible experience for a writer. Not only will this not help to move your career forward, it can actually stall it immeasurably.
Producers can tell pretty quickly the difference between a knowledgeable manager and one who doesn’t really understand the industry. And when we choose which scripts to read first on our pile, the clients of one of those managers is much nearer the top than the other’s. It’s an unfortunate reality in Hollywood, but even the most talented of writers can be badly represented and, as a result, never get the exposure that they deserve.
So, when meeting your prospective manager, remember that you are interviewing them as well as having them interview you. Ask the right questions, and make sure that they know what they're talking about.
You need to feel confident that you are taking good advice from the right people. If your manager doesn’t know how distribution works, this could set back both your writing and your career.
Manager Organizations
As a side-note, there are a number of organizations out there that claim to specialize in gaining representation for writers by getting them signed with managers.
They’ll often try to entice writers with flashy headlines such as: “50 Writers Signed So Far! You Could Be Next!”
Some of these organizations are very good, and provide the essential bridge between writers and managers that can otherwise seem impossible.
But again, make sure that you’re asking the right questions before you invest any time, effort, or money into these organizations. Who are these managers? How many projects have actually been set up and produced? And how many of these writers have even made a single dollar from this?
If they have helped 50 writers get signed, that's great! But look beyond the numbers, and verify that there is some substance behind their claims.
For some of these organizations, they are running a volume business, and quantity (as seen in headlines like the one above) definitely comes before quality.
Sometimes you’re better off not having a manager at all than taking any old manager that displays an interest in you. You don’t know their motivations. Understanding how the business works, and what you really need from a manager, will help you to make smarter decisions here.
Development Executives
There are many great development execs in Hollywood that are highly skilled and can shepherd a project to where it needs to be.
But I’m always amazed when I meet a development exec that has never actually had to get a piece of content financed, or attended a sales market and seen how a sales agent pitches to a distributor. How on earth can they possibly know what kind of material they need to be selecting, or how to deliver it?
When developing a project, everything has to be done with the aim of getting that package - including the script - to a place where it can be financed, produced, sold, distributed, and then marketed to an audience. An exec needs to have at least a basic grasp in all of these areas if they are going to help you.
Don’t get fixated on an exec’s past credits. Just because they have worked on a lot of big studio movies does not automatically mean that they are the right person to guide your low-budget indie project to where it needs to be. These are two different skillsets.
Distribution IS The Business
Distribution isn’t just a part of the business. Distribution IS the business.
We are all dependent on it - writers, directors, producers, investors, development executives, marketing managers, studios, indies… And anyone that wants to succeed in the entertainment industry needs to have a basic understanding of how it works.
If you want to be part of the business, you need to start thinking like a businessperson. Everyone else is trying to make money off you, so you need to protect yourself. Never let anyone tell you that you don’t need to understand these things because you’re a creative and “someone else will take care of all of that”.
That mentality will leave you vulnerable to bad advice and unqualified people, or - perhaps even worse - to qualified people with bad intentions.
It’s so important for creative filmmakers to educate themselves on at least the basics of how the industry works. Make sure that you’re asking the right questions, working with the right people, and taking advice from professionals who actually know what the hell they’re talking about!
Not only will this knowledge help you protect yourself and not get screwed over, but it can also make your work even better, and more likely to get financed and produced.
To learn more about the Sales & Distribution process, check out our book on the topic: HOW THE HELL… Do I Get My Film Financed: Book Two: Sales & Distribution by Ricky Margolis. For more information on other books in this series, check out all our current releases here.
Comments