We’re starting to really push out to festivals and thinking in terms of distribution. How to get 13 Months of Sunshine into as many hands as possible. I’m a firm believer in the future of digital distribution for content like movies and music, and especially for indie producers, digital offers the cheapest and most wideband opportunities. There are many reasons to consider digital distribution for the film (and remember, this doesn’t exclude the possibility of an actual distribution deal down the road–but I’ll talk about the negatives of traditional distribution in a minute).
1) Digital distribution is, with the right agreements, NON-EXCLUSIVE. This means you (the filmmakers) retain control of the film and all rights associated with the film. It means you can pursue other avenues for getting your film into the hands of audiences while you offer it online.
2) Digital distribution is relatively low-cost. Depending on if you host the content yourself or if you go through a service like bside.com, the costs of a digital distribution plan are factored into the cost of the download, and you share in the profits or take it all in yourself. Obviously, hosting the content yourself is more expensive than simply going with an aggregator, and will have its own pros and cons.
3) Digital distribution is becoming more ubiquitous. Even with large-scale Hollywood films pushed through the studio system, digital alternatives are becoming mainstream. This means, on the one hand, a new challenge for interlopers to overcome. However that challenge is tempered by the ease of digital offering.
4) Digital distribution is potentially unlimited in its reach. Unlike traditional distribution models, the filmmaker continues to guide and influence the reach of the film. When an indie film gets put into the hands of traditional distribution company, several things can happen:
a) If you’re lucky, the company will actually work on your behalf and really try to get the film out. Unfortunately, this costs money. Lots of money. Money that the distribution is going to keep before giving you back anything. Most filmmakers lose out on traditional outlets.
b) If you’re unlucky, the distribution company does nothing to promote the film beyond a few cursory pushes out to markets it thinks the film might make money in. Eventually the film is buried and you’re out of pocket on whatever the film cost (God forbid you don’t break even on the distribution deal–which is the more likely scenario).
c) If you’re really unlucky, the company shelves the film and you never hear about it again. Oh yeah, and you no longer own the film, so you can’t do anything with it. You can’t even promote it.
Obviously the deal you make with a traditional market is going to greatly factor into your film’s fate. Nevertheless, indie filmmakers do not usually get the bright end of a distribution deal–it’s just a fact of the game.
Now we’re faced with the new methodology. Combining web technologies, widespread cable and broadband Internet connections, and using the persuasive power of web marketing, homemade solutions, chutzpah, and enough time, the digital horizon starts to look like a real viable marketing strategy for filmmakers who want to keep their film in their hands and control what happens to it.
We’re not sure what’s going to happen with 13 Months of Sunshine, but the more I look around, I think digital distribution is going to at least factor into its delivery to our audience. We know you’re out there. We want to hear you talk. Leave a comment if you have a thought.