#AFM2014TEN WAYS TO MAKE DISTRIBUTORS TOTALLY HATE YOUR GUTS

OVERVIEW

Assuming everything goes to plan at a given Film

Festival distributors should be interested in your

film. This SlideShare shows the 10 things not to do if

you want to keep them on your side.

Thanks to Elliot Grove, founder of Raindance, for

kindly allowing us to reproduce his article.

NUMBER ONE

Do not make it nearly impossible for a distributor to see

your film.

If a potential film buyer misses the one and only screening of

your film at a festival then send them an online link to the

film, don’t make them wait months for another screening.

Remember your potential client may need to watch the film

while travelling or at home on the weekend so make it as

easy as possible for them to do this.

Do not try to clog up their email.

Even if a distributor expresses interest in your film you do not

need to send them daily updates, or let them know every

time you have a new Twitter follower, Facebook message

and so on.

NUMBER TWO

Do not send totally irrelevant emails

Referencing news stories like Neil Armstrong’s death, Lance

Armstrong’s doping allegations, aboriginal plights with Exxon

in the Alberta oil sands project – in short, anything that you

think of perhaps with no relevance to your film – will not

work!

NUMBER THREE

NUMBER FOUR

Do not consider silence as

a sign to try even harder

If a distributor doesn’t

respond to your telephone

messages or repeated

emails, then take the hint.

The adage, no news is good

news, is not a signal to

pursue even further.

NUMBER FIVE

Do not follow-up at your own pace

Even if a distributor calls or emails just as you are

going home, you cannot wait to respond in your own

time – reply as soon as possible. Similarly if

someone is expecting a screener, don’t wait to mail

it at the end of the week when it suits you, send it

straight away.

NUMBER SIX

Do not follow up like an insane person

This one will get you noticed and for all the wrong

reasons. Do not send gifts of chocolates, wine and

flowers. Equally don’t write insane blog postings

about the distribution company, or set up auto-

tweets every 15 seconds. You will soon be despised

along with the worst of your competitors.

NUMBER SEVEN

Do not take things really slowly

Once a distributor has made the decision to buy your

film, don’t go super slow. Do not invent mentors and

crew members you need to consult before you sign off.

Super slow is a guaranteed way to disgust and annoy

distributors.

What do you mean music rights?

Do not stick Beatles songs, or Astrid Gilberto singing

‘The Girl from Ipanema’, liberally throughout your movie

and then put the disclaimer ‘Guide Music Only’. Know

the music clearance process and don’t show a complete

ignorance of it.

NUMBER EIGHT

NUMBER NINE

Do not negotiate like a sleaseball

Once you have agreed a price and signed do not

then start demanding extras, like shipping, postage,

telephone call charges, pension contributions,

holiday pay and meeting fees. The more outlandish

your claims the more they will hate you.

Do not hold your film hostage

Do not agree, in principal, to a fee for your film but

insist you’ll only accept it if they agree to take your

next film. Equally avoid selling your first film to one

distributor, and then taking your second to a

competitor after the first company has invested a lot

of time and effort into launching your career.

NUMBER TEN

Elliot Grove founded Raindance and has produced

over 150 short films, and 5 feature films. He has

written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-

production.

Find out more about Elliot HERE.

THE AUTHOR

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE AFM 2014!

www.AmericanFilmMarket.com

#AFM2014