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We are looking at submitting our Helsinki doc to film festivals https://lnkd.in/g9H_x-sR but all of the good festivals disqualify us after posting on YouTube. 1.2M views in less than two weeks on YouTube. Doing the traditional documentary film route, no one would have seen this, and we'd wait until the festival if they got in, and only a few hundred people would see it influencing little change, if any. If you prioritize reaching people to influence change, the festival route doesn't make much sense. If you're trying to sell a film and make some money by getting on a streaming platform like Netflix, then the festival route is probably the best way to go. Really depends on priorities. WE DO DOCS DIFFERENTLY Aiming to reach a wider audience, particularly those who might not have the patience for lengthy documentaries, we have adopted a more accessible approach to producing films on homelessness. Unlike traditional documentary filmmaking, which is both expensive and time-consuming, our YouTube-based production enables us to significantly reduce costs and turnaround time. Typically, we are able to release a video within one to two months after shooting. Recognizing the sensitive nature of homelessness, our videos are designed to be around 15 minutes in length, striking a balance between capturing attention and maintaining emotional impact. Above all, our focus lies on the personal narratives of homeless and formerly homeless individuals. While we do include the perspective of experts involved in assisting the homeless population to lend credibility, it is the power of these personal stories that truly drives meaningful change.

🎬 Types of Film Distribution Deals 📽️ For independent filmmakers, securing the right distribution deal is crucial to getting your film in front of audiences and turning a profit. One of the first ways we secured an agreement was by attending film festival markets. Simply visiting distributor stands, discussing our work, and leaving behind pitch materials opened doors for us. This approach led us to partner with Indie Rights Distribution for our first film and later with Gravitas Ventures for Dark Beacon. Here are the key distribution deals you need to know: 🔑 Types of Distribution Deals: All Rights Deals: 🌍 The distributor handles distribution across all platforms and territories globally. When Indie Rights signed our first film, they took on worldwide distribution, allowing us to focus on new projects. Limited Rights Deals: 🎯 These involve splitting rights between platforms or territories. At film festivals, we explored limited rights deals to target specific markets without losing control over all aspects of distribution. Self-Distribution: 🎬 You retain all rights and manage distribution yourself. While it offers control, it requires significant resources. We considered this for a documentary but ultimately partnered with a distributor. Hybrid Deals: 🤝 A mix of traditional and self-distribution. With Dark Beacon, we partnered with Gravitas Ventures for wide distribution, while retaining control over certain marketing aspects. 💬 Have you navigated distribution deals before? What challenges did you face, and what strategies worked best for you? 📖 Read the full blog for a deeper dive into film distribution strategies: https://lnkd.in/e4usgS2f 🎥 Join the conversation on the Future Film Academy Community Forum to share your experiences and connect with fellow filmmakers:  https://lnkd.in/ehrby97h #FilmDistribution #Filmmaking #IndieFilm #FilmDeals #FilmBusiness #FutureFilmAcademy #DistributionDeals

Up-and-coming filmmakers are critical for the movie industry. They provide fresh ideas and can produce some of the best productions on the lowest budgets. They’re rare, but some films have meager budgets but garner exceptional box office revenue. If you want to create the next big hit, you’ll need funds. Use these six ways to secure financing for your production. Raindance Film Festival #IndieFilms #IndieFilmmakers #IndependentFilmMaking #IndependentFilmMaker Oscar Collins

📽️✨ Aspiring filmmakers, have you considered Florida? From stunning locations to generous tax incentives, Florida offers a wealth of opportunities for those looking to break into the film industry. Dive into our latest article to see why this sunny state could be your next big move. #Filmmakers #FilmIndustry #FloridaFilm #ProHUBblog

The Misconception of "Making It": African Filmmakers at International Film Festivals and the Struggle for Recognition "Remember, you can't complain about being ignored by the press because you're African while simultaneously ignoring the press that is there specifically to cover you..." I'm writing this in the thick of awards season film festival coverage, with Venice and Toronto now behind us. My experiences during this relentless whirlwind of events reminded me of a persistent problem. The journey of African filmmakers through the labyrinth of major international film festivals is fraught with expectations and missed opportunities. The excitement of having a film selected for a prestigious event is often tempered by the reality of the festival's aftermath, where visibility and media engagement are critical yet elusive. There appears to be a prevailing belief that acceptance into a major international film festival means you've essentially "made it." This couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, festival placement is just the beginning of a crucial phase that demands strategic thinking, relentless promotion, and savvy media engagement. There is a disconnect between African filmmakers and producers whose films are selected, and the international press covering these events. It's a two-sided coin of frustration that needs to be addressed for the benefit of African cinema as a whole. Last week, Akoroko Premium subscribers received an in-depth look at this conundrum from key industry perspectives. To receive the newsletter and more, subscribe at the link: akoroko.com/subscribe/

Delving into the world of documentary filmmaking, Anthony Kaufman's recent article prompts us to ponder the intricacies of one of the industry's grandest events - DOC NYC. Boasting a lineup of 114 feature documentaries, 129 short films, and key attractions like the DOC NYC PRO conference, the festival has become a formidable force over its 14-year evolution. At first glance, DOC NYC appears as a sprawling haven for documentary filmmakers , offering promises of exposure, validation, and the coveted awards buzz during the crucial campaign month of November. Yet, as Kaufman uncovers, the sentiments within the nonfiction industry are nuanced. The festival, with its grandeur and extensive U.S. industry attendance, provides a unique platform for connecting and celebrating nonfiction in the heart of New York City's fall charm. However, skepticism lingers regarding the festival's ability to deliver on its promises. Questions arise about its money-making initiatives and for-profit status, being under the ownership of New York's IFC Center and its corporate parent company, AMC Networks. Some industry insiders even go so far as to label the event as "disingenuous" and "opportunistic." How can we balance the genuine celebration of nonfiction with the ever-present business considerations? Your insights are welcome! 🎬🗽 #DOCNYC #DocumentaryFilmmaking #FilmIndustryInsights

#LA1Shorts Film Festival - selection process, thoughts and tips! As we get close to selection notification for this years entries, we wanted to share some of the factors at play when selecting for our film festival. It isn't as straightforward as you think. We have a group of industry professionals who view the films with us. These judges help with first pass selection, and then we might ask them to watch a smaller selection once we have narrowed things down... Finally, we vote for the LA1 Best Film in the National category. As always, the Lancashire category is up to the audience on the night... The audience vote is tough! Sometimes the count is extremely close, and the types of films in competition can vary greatly, like opinions between judges and audience. This makes it exciting for our audience, but sometimes unfortunate for some really talented filmmakers. We don't always screen everything we'd like to... Perhaps there are similar films or themes, a subject matter that just doesn't really fit with our festival, which is why we encourage local filmmakers to attend our event to understand how we work, and feel our vibe through whats on screen. Don't rush! Rushing to hit a deadline is challenging. On occasions, we've seen a great idea let down by rushed execution. If you're cutting it fine (haha!), drop us an email, send us the rough cut to start with. We might offer some tips and advice for your edit if that helps? Time is interesting... For starters, we have a total screening time for our festival. So we may not be able to fit in loads of 15min films. We need variety so we can sneak in a really well-made 2, 3, 5min film. Tell the story with what is needed, not with all of your footage! Equally, make sure your film speaks with the right tone for a festival. Not every film fits every festival, and not every festival is right for your film, and that's ok. Basics - Story is key, make sure it hangs together! Have good sound quality and keep the credits short! There's probably more tips tricks and advice we can offer. Let us know if we can help, it's part of our ethos. Feel free to add tips and insights below... Meanwhile - Date for the diary Saturday 25th May 7pm start @TheDukesCinema #LA1Shorts Best of luck to you all. Keep rolling! 👍 https://lnkd.in/etXdCGz7

In a recent post, I called out to all filmmakers who are doing distribution outside of all-rights deals to stop using the terms "self-distribution," "DIY Distribution" and even "Direct Distribution". Let's reclaim the term "distribution" and recognize that all forms of film release are simply distribution. It's a multifaceted process that can involve a range of strategies and tactics. I generally prefer the term “hybrid distribution”. See the full post here: https://lnkd.in/g35vv5mJ

Brian Newman Column This is a must-read for anyone who makes #films, wants to make them, or has friends who do. —Dana Harris-Bridson, Editor-in-Chief “Theatrical has never been more important, or interesting Many of the better and curated arthouses say that audiences are showing up for strong narratives, and there’s a growing sense that the theatrical window is becoming more important than ever before. If a film can make it past that first week and be doing well, the word of mouth can spread. In addition, younger audiences are coming back to theaters, especially for repertory cinema and special events. There’s a bit of a problem in getting screens — it’s a crowded marketplace in arthouse land (not the case with the megaplexes right now). If you’re not a U.S. filmmaker, this sounds crazy, but it’s still true So, your sales agent might take a deal from a tiny U.S. distributor for a very low minimum guarantee, and guess what — your film won’t perform well here, but you’ll close those other deals and be on to your next film. But if you raise some funds, you could do a service deal with a distributor or booker in the U.S., and keep your rights, get a better release, build your fanbase and audience, and maybe come out ahead. That’s much better than getting no distribution in the U.S. or very poor distribution in the U.S. This is a tough one, I know, but humor me — it even pays for international filmmakers to think about doing this, because it can be better for your film and your career. This works better if you are making a film for a very specific, sizable, underserved audience In all of these cases, the #filmmakers identified a core audience that was not being served by the media; their niche was not small, but quite large, and it was begging for good films. I always tell people: Make a film that’s film festival- and distributor-proof. Meaning: It doesn’t matter whether you get into any film fest, or if no distributor buys your film, because you have such a sizable potential audience that is hungry for your film that you can go directly to them and succeed.” Read the full article: IndieWire I got just a few inserts, but you should read the whole article; it is worth your time. #IndependentFilm #FilmAdvice #FilmIndustry

(CONT.) Recent film industry-related regulatory reforms and other noteworthy developments in key African regions. #Malawi: - Inaugural Malawi Film Festival: The Malawi Film Festival was launched in 2022, and organized by the Film Association of Malawi (FAMA). The festival is part of FAMA's strategy to provide a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work and celebrate the artistry of Malawian cinema. The aim is to highlight the potential of the film industry in contributing to the country's socio-economic development. - Training: As part of the festival's activities, film training workshops focusing on film production and acting, will train hundreds of filmmakers. Women are particularly encouraged to participate in these training sessions. - Government Support: The Malawian government pledged ongoing support to the creative industry, including film, to contribute effectively to the country's development. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, Owen Chomanika, as part of the country's Malawi 2063 (MW2063) initiative, which seeks to transform Malawi into a wealthy, self-reliant, industrialized middle-income country. - Challenges and Calls for Support: Despite these positive developments, FAMA's President, Gift Sukali, has cited a lack of funds as a major setback to the industry. He emphasized the need for more government-sponsored programs to support filmmakers. These developments demonstrate the Malawian government's awareness of the film industry's potential for cultural representation and economic growth, although challenges remain to be fully addressed.