Getting Money to Make Your Movie...

[johnnycamcorder]

Originally posted by Alex:
I am of the opinion that it is almost pointless to get money from outside of the movie industry to make your movie because when your movie is done, your movie is in direct competition with the distribution company or studio's investment in their own product.

Even if a studio loved your independent movie, selecting your movie for distribution over their own movies may be bad business.

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">I don't think the studios view it as being in competition with themselves - they regard it as another property and another potential source of revenue.

A big distributor may buy a small film as a prestige piece, paying for a 35mm transfer and sending it to festivals. Then if a little buzz picks up, they might screen it in LA and NY (in fact they probably will anyway) and possibly other indie-friendly markets such as Seattle, Chicago or San Francisco.

Then there's always the home video market, which should not be underestimated. Lions Gate was one of the few studios to show profit last year, and it was due to their outstanding home video division.

However you are right about getting money for your film from outside the industry: it is not a good idea, unless you have a solid, zero or low interest option - i.e. rich relatives. (I know a few who financed their first feature by selling drugs.) Non-industry people have no idea of the associated costs with filmmaking. Even the budget of a low budget horror flick would shock and awe the average consumer.)

Since the means of production have become more widely available to consumers, the next stage in the evolution of the media noosphere will be the opening of the distribution channels. While the internet shows some promise of that, it's more likely an alternative solution exists, one which incorporates the internet as a marketing and distribution tool but aggregates virtual colelctives of artists to form their own distribution syndicates.

(johnny the anarchist rides again!)

[Matt Pacini]

Oh, be careful johnnycamcorder.

It's not allowed to actually sound knowledgeable on this board, unless your name is Alex.

I noticed he warned you on another post, "not to sound like an expert".

That title is apparently reserved for Alex alone.
Never mind that you're totally right here.

The independent film community is no threat or competition to the mainstream studios at all.

If an Indie filmmaker makes a film that a studio likes, they simply buy it.
This is what the larger more prominent "independent" film festivals are, even though those not "in the know" still pretend it's not.

No filmmaker ever refuses getting a big check for their film, and the studio didn't have to invest any money at all in the production, not knowing if the movie was going to be good or not.

It's a win - win situation.

Matt Pacini

[blue demon]

Are using Lost Tribes, Matt Pacini, to show to investors to help drum up investors for this new feature I see you talking about on the Brantley web board?

Perhaps it would be a good idea to get it into the hands of a person who runs a web board and spends a lot of time actively participating in it to give it a review and create some publicity? Alex have generously offered to help not only to give strong advice, but also raise its profile.

[Matt Pacini]

Originally posted by Reality Check:
... Alex have generously offered to help not only to give strong advice, but also raise its profile.

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">Oh please, Alex does nothing but slam me and rip me off.
Getting advice from Alex on filmmaking, would be like having my auto mechanic perform a root canal for me.

Plus, like about 5 people ever look at this board.


Matt Pacini

[Alex]

Originally posted by Matt Pacini:
Oh, be careful johnnycamcorder.

It's not allowed to actually sound knowledgeable on this board, unless your name is Alex.

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">Matt, you are being way too sensitive. I absolutely welcome anyone who speaks from experience.

Originally posted by Matt Pacini:

I noticed he warned you on another post, "not to sound like an expert".

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">Incomplete pass Matt. I warned him not to say things like... "I used to post here, but not anymore" when he had only one other post to his credit at the time. It's spamming to make encompassing negative statements that can't be backed up.

Originally posted by Matt Pacini:

That title is apparently reserved for Alex alone.
Never mind that you're totally right here.

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">Suddenly, you are implying that I have disagreed with Johnny Camcorder on THIS topic post. Huh???

I haven't disagreed at all.

Originally posted by Matt Pacini:

The independent film community is no threat or competition to the mainstream studios at all.

If an Indie filmmaker makes a film that a studio likes, they simply buy it.
This is what the larger more prominent "independent" film festivals are, even though those not "in the know" still pretend it's not.

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">There's no controversy here Matt. I agree with you, but there is a difference between what you describe above and the movie you are making, and the movie that most independent filmmakers struggle to make. The movie you describe above still costs between 1/2 million to 5 million dollars, AND has a name actor or two in it.

The lower budgeted movies usually have way smaller budgets and no name actors in them.

Originally posted by Matt Pacini:

No filmmaker ever refuses getting a big check for their film, and the studio didn't have to invest any money at all in the production, not knowing if the movie was going to be good or not.

It's a win - win situation.

Matt Pacini

<font size="2" face="verdana, sans-serif">Yes, usually the movie has a name actor in it and the studios will spend that money to buy it from the filmmaker because they plan a theatrical release for the movie.

But those movies are so few and far between, most really low budget movies have neither famous actors nor any kind of a budget worth mentioning.