Step V Intro

This section covers all of the aspects of selling your show.

Chapter 32, "Conjunction Junction: Who You’re Selling To" details the different buyers of shows, while Chapter 33, "Festivals and Markets" details the most popular festivals and markets, what happens at a festival or market, and how to go in ready to do business. Chapter 34, "What You Sell: The Shape Of Distribution Agreements" covers common elements in a distribution agreement.

Before you dive in, however, you may want to review Step I. "Development: Hunting and Gathering." Selling isn't a one-time experience. The movie business is fueled by both deep friendships and equally deep animosity. To sell your show means developing business relationships. The movie you just finished gives you some credibility, and a topic of conversation, with buyers across markets and territories.

Sell this show with the goal of finding distribution for the next.

Set Your Goals

Set some goals for yourself. If you never plan to make another movie, then having a scorched-earth policy toward buyers may work. But if you want to continue making shows, then you'll want to develop good relationships with buyers and other producers.

Seller Beware

Some people have always been crooks and always will be. Your job is to find out enough about them so you can steer clear.

But not every buyer in the motion picture business is a thief. Unfortunately, many buyers live on the float—the interest earned on funds that accrues between the time they get paid and the time they have to pay you. Many have to use a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul strategy to cover their bills. No matter how much money they make, they always owe somebody. It's easy to get swamped by thin profit margins, heavy debt and obligations, and an almost-insane optimism that the next acquisition will solve all their problems.

As a producer, your job is to protect your show and reputation from getting involved in a sticky financial situation. You need to research your potential buyers to see how they've behaved in the past. Past behavior isn't always an exact prediction for future behavior, but it's a pretty good indicator.

For example, if you're considering an offer from a home video distributor and you find out that this particular buyer has been sued seven times in the last two years for non-payment, you may want to re-think accepting anything beyond a free drink.

In the retail market it's buyer beware; in the motion picture business, it's seller beware.

Handling Rejection

As you know by now, a lot of producing requires being able to handle rejection. Buyers will say no and often for reasons that have nothing to do with your show. Rejection is part of the business and it’s nothing personal. You may want to ask why they're giving you the ax, though brace yourself for an answer you won't like.

Still, don't argue. People have a right to their opinions, regardless of how shallow or ill-conceived they may be.

People will tell you there's no such thing as bad press, but I think that you have to keep in mind who's saying it. Some bad reviews won't even sting, but to get one from someone you respect can really hurt and influential critics can make or break a movie.

That's the risk you run anytime you take something public. People will shoot arrows at your project and some of them are bound to hit the target. You can take some consolation in that someone from the press watched your show then took the time to write about it. Take the high road—whether you get good press or bad, send a thank you note. Better luck next time.

What can really sting, though, is when regular folks, like your friends, tell you they just don't like your show. It happens. You'll be standing around after a screening and people are muttering to themselves. Most won't look you in the eye and tell you your movie is terrible. The ones that do, though, deserve your thanks.

Pay attention to the things that can help you, and move on.