15 Years/15 Essential Concepts/10 Minutes

Explication of my Nondē Market Monday presentation reflecting on dangerous ideas past and present.

This past Monday, I participated in Slamdance’s Market Monday - this time organized by none other than Ted Hope into a series of NonDē Dangerous Ideas. It was quite an illustrious group Ted organized - including Richard Rushfeld of the Ankler, Lela Meadow-Conner, Annalisa Shoemaker, Ami Vora, Keith Ochwat, Peter Broderick, Courtney Romano and many more - and each of us had 10 minutes to present.

Ted asked me to talk about some of the ideas I had 15+ years ago (hence the 15 years in the title of this post) that were “dangerous then” and still potentially dangerous today. Many of these I wrote about in my book Think Outside the Box Office/2009 - so really 17 years but 15/15/10 sounds better.

BTW - I offered 75% off a year of paid of my Substack at Slamdance - so $15. Use the code - You can access that here. Offer ends March 2nd. But you can of course still subscribe for free.

1.Making a film is 50% of filmmaking.

The other 50% is connecting that film to an audience. This doesn’t need to apply to those filmmakers who don’t care about an audience - and there are some of those. However - it applies to all other filmmakers no matter which goal you pick.

2. This process should start at inception and integrated into the filmmaking process.

Perhaps this idea is not so dangerous anymore. Filmmakers are beginning to understand this. We get more and more consulting requests for films in development. 60% of the fiction projects in our distribution lab are at the script stage and 40% of the doc projects are in development.

I used to say that if you don’t have a plan for distribution as you approach festivals - you are too late - perhaps we can start saying if you don’t have a plan when you are in post you are too late. It’s a bit harsh - but it is designed to wake up the rest of the filmmakers sleeping on this. The earlier you start - the better off you will be.

Recommended is to work this process into your entire creative life. Why engage audiences project to project - that is so much harder. Yes some audiences will be unique - but you can cultivate audiences for you - the artist.

3. Budget for distribution and marketing from inception. The New/Old 50/50.

I wrote this as the “new 50/50” in Think Outside the Box Office so now it is the old 50/50. I’ll be writing a post about this but the essence is that 50% of your time and budget for a film should be spent on creating the film, 50% should be spent on connecting the film to an audience.

Otherwise you are dependent on wolves.

Here is from Think Outside the Box Office:

50 percent of your time and resources should be devoted to creating the film. 50 percent of your time and resources should be devoted to getting the film out to its audience, aka distribution and

Marketing. This is not a hard-and-fast rule. Rather, it is a guide to changing your preconceptions. Many if not most filmmakers still do not put aside any money or time for their distribution and marketing. Each film will require a different set of resources.

And filmmakers still don’t set aside these funds and I know production is hard and you want to pay people and . . . But time to shift the mindset.

4. What is Your Goal?

Something else I’ve been writing about for 15 years - and it’s starting to sink in and be advocated by many others. I wrote about this extensively here.

Beyond guiding your distribution path - you should think more broadly so that you can convey your passion to your audience authentically.

For that matter - why are you making films? Engage your audience in your passion.

5. Distribution is Easy - Marketing (Getting People to Know About and Want to See Your Film) is Hard

To be honest - for filmmakers especially - making films is easy compared to marketing.

6. Know Your Audience

So many people have been saying this for so long - and still filmmakers fight/struggle with it (to be honest - it is hard!) I was surprised how much this was spoken about at the Distribution Revolution panel at Sundance last month. Many filmmakers want to make their passion/vision without thinking about the audience. As a filmmaker - I get that - but see #11 below. I also wrote about this in Think Outside the Box Office:

However, just because you are making a singular artistic vision does not mean that you can’t consider who the audience for your vision might be.

Many if not most of the marketing tools that filmmakers can use to reach their audience should not hamper their creativity, and might even enhance it.

In addition, filmmakers may want to have at least some heads-up as to what is happening in the market so that they can avoid spending several years and thousands of dollars making a film that has limited chances of recouping its investment in time and money.

In our distribution lab - we are in the midst of the teams presenting how they are connecting with audiences - and I’m super impressed with how they are conceptualizing who their audience is and how they will connect with them. More on this in next week’s post.

7. Find an Underserved Audience and Serve them Authentically

Most of the unicorns are because they did this - intentionally or unintentionally. See The Librarians, Sabbath Queen, No Other Land, The Encampments, 100s of Beavers.

If your goal is money or eyeballs - this would be a place to start.

8. Know What Value You Provide Your Audience

What can you do that is beyond the film that will create and deepen that relationship?

This is not just for one film but for your career. More on this next week.

Determine what your audience wants and give it to them. If your audience doesn’t want anything including another film - find another audience.

9. Where does your audience receive recommendations?

This is the essence of marketing. I’ve written before about how the PESO Model®, created by Gini Dietrich, can help filmmakers organize their strategy and tactics around engaging their audiences which include. More on this next week.

10. Connect with your audience authentically.

Do I need to explain anything here?

11. Only make films without thinking about your audience if you are willing to lose all the money and time you have invested into it.

Quoting Think Outside the Box Office again:

You have to decide what works for you and your own process. However, the film distribution world is a very tough place — too many filmmakers have gone out to make films without a possibility of return, nearly bankrupting themselves in the process. Revisit your motivations to make a film — perhaps distribution and marketing do not matter to you. You just need to make a film for whatever reason. I’ll be the first to defend your right to self-expression. That said, the market may or may not support your desire to get your self-expression seen by others. Assuming you want your film to be seen and purchased by as many people as possible, read on.

(Note - this was a prompt for filmmakers to continue with the rest of the book - now it would be to keep reading my Substack and/or become a paid subscriber and also get the PDF of the book to keep you company until the 2nd edition.).

12. How does your audience consume media?

This is the essence of distribution. Will they go to theaters? Will they buy merch? What kind?

Experiment. More on this too next week!

13. The PMD (or any variation of it)

If you do not want to do this audience work, find someone who is excited by it - compensate them - credit them - since they are as essential to filmmaking as the rest of your crew. Or even if you potentially like this work - but don’t have time while making your film - bring on someone to be responsible. I call this the Producer of Marketing and Distribution - or Distribution and Marketing Producer - Or Distribution Producer or Community Manager. More on this in the future.

From Think Outside the Box Office:

Just like you most likely did not make the film on your own, you should not be distributing and marketing the film on your own. I would argue that from now on, every film needs one person devoted to the distribution and marketing of the film from inception, just as they have a line producer, assistant director, or DP.

14. Art is not a zero sum game. Work in and embrace community.

Create collectives - share resources and knowledge. If you are part of a collective - I’d love to hear from you.

15. Organize.

We are currently involved in the Block the Merger campaign and setting up the branches across the film ecosystem. We will be adding members throughout the year. Check out Future Film Coalition and sign up for the email list - a lot more will be coming this year.

There are exceptions to everything I have said - but why bet on being the exception?

I’d love to hear your comments - arguments - thoughts - complaints!

Nonfiction Hotlist

Since its inception, the Nonfiction Hotlist has focused on creating sustainable pathways for nonfiction storytelling. Their new partnership with Yahoo Media Group will promote and distribute 20 short documentary films selected through an open call, with the Nonfiction Hotlist overseeing the full curatorial process. The goal is to expand reach, recognition, and fair compensation for documentary filmmakers. You can find full details and submit your film here. Submissions close on March 6.