» Posts Tagged ‘distribution’
After years of development, and plenty of changes along the way, RED’s first foray into the 4K display/distribution market is finally arriving. When it was announced (for real this time) back in November, it seemed like it would be shipping in just a matter of months, but like with anything RED — as they themselves admit — sometimes things can take a few detours along the way before finally getting into the hands of buyers. In the meantime, we’ve seen had announcements for 4K-capable consoles retailing for $500 and under, so where does this $1,750 hard drive and network-based device fit in? More »
Long Lost Horror Film That Left Scorsese Speechless: Recovering Australia's 'Wake in Fright'
Maybe it’s the Indiana Jones in me, but I enjoy finding old film relics, be they old Super 16 non-theatrical films (the animated environmental film Flashpoint is just about the greatest thing I’ve ever seen) or lost and forgotten features. So, once I heard about the film considered to be Australia’s “great lost film” I couldn’t resist. This horror flick from 1971, which has a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes “disappeared” for over 25 years until the film’s editor saved it before it was destroyed. And now, it’s finally available to view online. More »
Chill Distribution Platform Aims to Provide 'Studio Quality Tools' for Everyone
Could the future of your career as a filmmaker depend on learning to market yourself? That’s what Brian Norgard thinks, founder of Chill, a new platform that aims to be a ‘partner’ for filmmakers through every step of the digital distribution process. At nofilmschool we had an opportunity to chat with Norgard alongside Jason Brubaker, founder of Filmmaking Stuff and the Film Acquisitions Manager at Chill. Hit the jump for our discussion about how their tools can help filmmakers, their philosophy behind digital distribution, and fundamentals behind having a successful self-release: More »
Exclusive to nofilmschool: Get 'Filmmarketing on The Web' eBook Free from Ryan Gielen & Believe, LTD
This is a guest post by filmmaker Ryan Gielen.
In 2009, the digital options for film releasing were exploding, theatrical attendance was dipping, alternate screening venues were popping up everywhere, and audiences were just starting to explore and develop their new viewing habits — watching content when and where they wanted, on demand. My first feature, The Graduates, played in a few festivals and won a couple of awards, but we didn’t receive a single distribution offer. This is not unique. A tiny percentage of the thousands of feature films that are made every year receive distribution. My producers and I believed in the film, however, and were determined to see it both in theaters, and on the major digital platforms. More »
Independent filmmakers are a bunch of rebels. We like to write stories that inspire us and film our movies our way. We like to keep our costs low and visions pure. However, even though many indie filmmakers are incredibly skilled and proficient creatively, we must remember one important side of filmmaking that often goes overlooked: the entrepreneurial side. Independent film producer Ted Hope shows us how to adapt to an ever-changing industry that requires great creativity as well as business savvy. More »
Harvey Weinstein on Promoting Movies: 'Start Being a Performer and Understand the Media'
Making your movie has never been the end of the ride — whether you’re a no-budget indie filmmaker or Errol Morris — you’re going to have to promote your film. Most of us aren’t natural born promoters, so who better to take pointers from than one of the preeminent promoters of the ’80s/’90s indie boom, Harvey Weinstein. As this blunt (and funny) memo to Errol Morris illustrates, even if you’re promoting what would later be recognized as one of the best movies of the decade (The Thin Blue Line), you need to know how to get folks interested in seeing it. More »
If you’re a student, faculty member, or institution, it has never been a better time to get in on a RED camera system. While there are endless arguments about cameras, if you happen to be looking at RED in particular, the company has begun offering an educational discount on most of their products. If you just finished a movie, ODEMAX, the company working with RED to bring 4K films to the masses, wants to take a look at your film. The company has announced that they are looking to distribute 100 independent films to kick off their service. More »
Introducing BitTorrent Bundle: Pioneering Decentralized Digital Distribution & Marketing
BitTorrent, a tech company whose name is commonly and incorrectly associated with pirating, has been running a legitimate business since 2004 with over 2 million pieces of licensed content in the BitTorrent download manager, which serves more than 170 million people monthly. The company is now beginning to launch a new endeavor to empower those in the content creation business. BitTorrent Bundle provide a way for creators large and small to have all the advantages of the peer-to-peer protocol while also maintaining control over their content by creating ‘gates’ that must be unlocked by the consumer. We had a chance to chat with Matt Mason, VP of Marketing at BitTorrent, who is very impassioned about what this new publishing platform could potentially mean for creators. Read on for the interview and get the full scoop: More »
Oscar-Winning Roger Corman's Drive-In YouTube Channel Offers 400 B-Movie Essentials for $4 a Month
Of all the filmmakers of all time, few can claim the sheer volume of titles to their name as Roger Corman — never mind his other accomplishments. The 87-year-old director, producer, writer, and occasional actor is still active in his 60 year film career, during which he has coached countless high-profile auteurs, fostered the careers of several notable actors, and earned a 2009 Honorary Academy Award. He has also already denied services such as Hulu streaming rights to his extensive ~400 film canon even for an offered $5-6,000 per film (to be paid to him) — but has agreed to launch “Corman’s Drive-In” as a $4/mo paid YouTube channel in the summer. Read on for more details. More »
How to Save Theatrical Distribution After the Home Video Boom and Bust
We all know that watching a movie on a 15-inch laptop from your couch just doesn’t compare to a real movie theater experience, and yet every year the numbers of people going out to the movies shrinks – meaning, for filmmakers, so do the number of different films that get to play on the big screen. Is it because of television? The Internet? Kids these days and their short attention spans?! In the entertaining series of videos below captured by 4th Row Films at the Sundance Art House Convergence, Ira Deutchman, suggests how me might save theatrical distribution. More »
The film industry has changed dramatically over the past decade, and trying to make a living from movies is getting more difficult as independent films (and films in general) fight for a smaller piece of the viewership pie. That’s where people like Ted Hope come in. He has been working tirelessly to make sustainable filmmaking careers a reality, and he’s written a tremendous post that should be an eye-opener for anyone trying to survive as a filmmaker.
This is a guest post by Producer Ted Hope. More »
Even though we wax poetic about how rewarding the art of filmmaking can be, at the end of the day, we need audiences to see the finished product. They don’t have to rabidly declare it their favorite film (though that would be nice), but there’s really no point spending all this time and money on a feature if the only person who owns the DVD is your mom. In a series of videos posted by IFP from Mark Litwak, the entertaining Entertainment Lawyer explains how to prepare yourself for the do-or-die of distribution. More »
Vimeo Launches New Mobile Website, Plus Interface Improvements for On Demand Content
Vimeo’s latest advancements come in the form of an optimization of what already exists: their mobile website and On Demand platforms. Boasting that over 1/3 of their monthly traffic can be accredited to their mobile site, the new redesign aims to make it easier for users to find and view content, as well as connect with the community. By the same token, they have also updated the interface for the Vimeo On Demand homepage, making it look and feel a little bit more like platforms we’re used to. Click through to see the new improvements. More »
Though it was requested that Steven Soderbergh’s recent “last appearance ever talking film” at the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival was not to be recorded, a clip has made its way to the surface. The prolific filmmaker discusses the state of things and the difference between ‘movies’ and ‘cinema’ with the anecdotal prowess you would expect from the veteran. Hit the jump for the full video, and read on for the latest on his Twitter endeavors. More »
Steven Soderbergh has been making movies at a rapid pace over the last few years, likely trying to get everything out of his system before his “retirement” from filmmaking. We’re not sure if the new Liberace film will truly be his last, or if he’ll ever direct anything else again, but one thing is sure: he still has a lot of strong feelings about the film industry and many of the problems facing filmmakers today. He recently spoke at the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival, and got into some of the major issues that affect filmmaking — and filmmakers — today. [Update]: you can now watch the full speech online. More »
Last week I posted AMATEUR, the prequel to my forthcoming feature MANCHILD, and the response to the short has been downright amazing. Thank you to everyone who has watched it! If you haven’t seen it yet, it is embedded below, and if you have seen it, here’s how two seconds of your time can make a big difference for the project: More »
After Three Years of Distribution Pioneering, Online VOD Platform Dynamo Shuts Its Doors
DynamoPlayer, one of the first the to market in terms of the ‘direct-to-consumer‘ paradigm, has officially bit the dust. They will spend the next few months closing out accounts and letting users collect their remaining balances before they shut down existing video players in mid-June. By the end of June, the platform will be shut down completely. Read on for the press release from Dynamo. More »
Reelhouse Paves the Way for the Future of Self-Distribution
Each new day that passes it seems the world of distribution for filmmakers is being turned on its head. With so many new content destinations popping up all the time, it’s hard to know what’s what. Reelhouse is a company who seems to be breaking through the mold, as a recent partnership with Sundance would suggest. Reelhouse is planning a big launch on April 22nd — read on for our interview with Bill Mainguy, CEO and Founder of Reelhouse and get to know the platform: More »
The Film Made by More Than 5000 People: Nicolás Alcalá Talks About His Transmedia Project 'The Cosmonaut'
Have Nicolás Alcalá and his team at Riot Cinema Collective discovered the future of filmmaking? After learning what steps these filmmakers, based out of Madrid, took to get their project, The Cosmonaut (para los hispanohablantes, El Cosmonauta), made you might say “yes”. This film is a transmediatic experience that has broken all the world’s crowdfunding records by raising €130,000 in 3 days. On May 14th the film will be available to view for free. However, with an investment of €5 to €50 (about $6.55 to $65.46) you can purchase the “K-Pass” to gain access to tons of extras: 32 additional web episodes, mockumentary, a “secret newsletter”, and the opportunity to copy, remix, and distribute the film as you wish.”The Film Made by More Than 5000 People” is, in fact, not only a film, but an experience; an experience created, had, and shared by thousands of people all over the world. More »
Until more recently, the home theater/consumer side of 4K has been a bit beyond the reach of the average consumer. The $25,000 pricing of Sony’s 84-inch Bravia 4K TV, for instance, is simply prohibitive to all but the most enthusiastic home viewers — but Sony’s newly price-pointed 55 and 65-inch screens are poised to address that point, set to go for $5,000 and $7,000, respectively. And just in case you were wondering what (and how) Sony expects you to actually watch on such a thing, the company’s also unveiled its $699 FMP-X1 4K media player, plus an eventual distribution service, to go along with them cheap(er) UHD TV screens. Check out some more details below. More »
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