In the minds of many filmmakers, the journey taken by a film or TV show follows a pretty straightforward path.
An idea travels out of their heads and on to the pages of a script, gets produced, and is then presented to an audience and – hopefully! – makes millions of dollars along the way.
And so, the journey from script to public consumption looks very simple:
FILMMAKER
to
AUDIENCE
In fact, the reality is quite different. There are several extremely important steps along the way to getting your project out to the general public.
This process can often be intensely frustrating as, with each new step, there is another person to impress, or another company to whom you have to sell your idea and convince them to work with you.
So, in fact, the journey usually looks more like this:
FILMMAKER
to
SALES AGENT
to
DISTRIBUTOR
to
EXHIBITOR
to
AUDIENCE
Naturally, there are certain types of content where one or more of these steps can be cut out. This is especially true nowadays with digital media, web series, podcasts, and online shows.
In those cases, you can produce your content and simply upload it directly to a platform or website, and instantaneously reach your audience.
However, most independent films (and some TV shows) follow a more traditional model that is closer to the second journey portrayed above where you will have to work with sales agents, distributors and exhibitors before the general public can see your content.
Along this journey, you will have to think about how your project can appeal to each of the parties listed here.
Sounds complicated? Don’t worry! It doesn’t need to be.
And while this process might seem intimidating at first, and it can involve more work than you may have been hoping, there is good news:
These steps provide good checks and balances throughout the journey to ensure that the content you are making is:
Of interest to the general public
Priced and budgeted correctly, making it:
More attractive to financiers
More likely to get funded
More likely to make its money back
These new partners can provide additional opportunities for financing, giving you a better chance to get your film or TV show funded and produced
The second point is key: how can you take advantage of the sale and distribution process, and the people you’ll meet along the way, to raise the financing you need to get your project made?
Using sales agents and distribution contracts has now become an established way of financing content in the modern world of independent production, and understanding the distribution process is essential in knowing how a production can make money.
If you are looking to create high-quality content in a profitable way – whether as a writer, director, producer, or financier – then a working knowledge of sales and distribution is vital.
Are you ready to take the next step in your filmmaking career and explore how you can benefit from the distribution journey to get your film or TV show financed, produced and distributed for the world to see?
This is the stuff they don't teach you in Film School!
Ricky Margolis has over 15 years' experience in the entertainment industry, and has been involved in the finance, development, production, and/or distribution of over 30 titles.
The above is an excerpt from his book "How The Hell... Do I Get My Film Financed? Book Two: Sales & Distribution". Click here to learn more about how you can use the Sales & Distribution process to get YOUR next project financed and produced.
To check out all the books in our series "How The Hell... Do I Get My Film Financed?" on film & TV finance and production, please click here.
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