Today, I shipped off a series of Blu-Ray's to Sony.
When the biggest Media Company in the world asks to take a look at your movie, there is no possible bad outcome. Regardless of what happens next, I've managed to get on their radar and for someone working at this level, it's hugely flattering.
Most indie film makers spend their entire careers jumping up and down hoping to catch the eye of a giant like Sony. That's never been my style. I've never harbored any illusions that I'm on the verge of 'breaking big', or that I'm somehow on Hollywood's front door. "This is the movie that's gonna change everything..." is the rally cry of nearly every low budget film maker I've ever met. Not me.
I make movies with budgets that most studio's in Hollywood couldn't pay for lunch with. That's fact. And I've been making my living making these types of movies for 12 years now. I know enough about the business of entertainment to know that 'Hollywood' doesn't come calling for $10,000 features shot on $2,000 camera's with up and coming actors that most in the Valley have never heard of. It just doesn't happen.
Sure, I know about the "Paranormal Activity" and "Blair Witch" films, and even Kevin Smith's "Clerks". It's these "Low Budget Turns Blockbuster" stories that keeps most in Indie Film going. The truth is, the chance of something like this happening to the average indie film maker is about the same odds as getting struck by lightning. Still, I hear it all the time from my friends and colleagues. "This one is gonna get picked up..."
Is is possible "Blood of Ohma" becomes the next 'Big Little Movie'? Sure. But it's not likely, and I know that. I'm flattered that Sony has asked to look, and like every other project I've worked on, I'll talk to anyone about any one of them. I make movies because I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing to pay my bills. But to do it - I have to run GMD Films like a business. I have to make my films efficiently and I have to control the distribution of them. I have to monetize them as many ways as the market allows.
For as much as it perplexes my colleagues in indie film, the plan is actually pretty simple. I make the best movies I can make for the money I have to work with. And I control the rights. I've turned down all the 'Distribution' Deals that most film makers are in such a hurry to sign off on. Those Companies that take the film makers exclusive rights for 5 - 7 years, expense out all the profit and send statements once a year telling the film maker how much money he still owes the 'Distributor'.
And they all justify it by saying "Well, at least it's 'Out There'". Well, 'Out There' doesn't pay the electric, and it sure doesn't line up the budget for your next film. And I get asked A LOT from indie film makers how to 'do' what we do here at GMD Films. And I tell them ALL the same thing - control your rights. Sell your film yourself. It's not hard to get it on Amazon, and it's not hard to build a web site. Those 'Distributors' are going to press 1,000 units of your DVD and that's the end of it. So, 'Out There' actually means you have 1,000 units in the market, and after expenses... you still don't have a revenue stream.
It's not Rocket Science, it's just a little bit of business sense and a willingness to put your ego on the shelf so your films don't end up lost in the black hole of indie distribution. No one is going to work your film and promote it harder than you. Those 'Distributors' make their money on volume. They acquire as many films as they can sign, and they expense out all the costs right back to the film maker. For them, it's free content, because they know going in, they aren't going to be paying much to the film maker.
Instead, if the film maker holds their rights, and exploits the film themselves, they get paid on every copy. Every download, and should a legitimate deal come into play - the film maker can make the choice for himself, rather than turning it over to their 'distributor' for pennies on the dollar.
Again, it's not Rocket Science. It just requires that you put a value on your own work, and have the ability the accept $20 at a time instead of holding out for that elusive 'Studio Deal' that more than likely is never going to happen.
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