The Black Hole of Current Online Distribution Models

The way we speak of independent film distribution often parallels the fable The Emperor with No Clothes. We work with models that don't work and will probably never work yet we continually use them and pretend we're happy to have them. Enough!

Let's just stop with this game of charades and move forward. We're not benefiting anyone. No one is making money off the current online distribution models and no one is happy about it. Yes, people keep using these same models that just aren't working. Enough is enough. It's time for a new strategy.

What's Broken?
No one is making money. Not filmmakers. Not festivals. Not online distribution channels.

There is a large global audience that is interested in global independent film yet the industry has all but completely failed to acknowledge them. Once filmmakers, festivals, and online distribution channels start reaching their audience they will start to fix the broken machine. But first, they must make themselves available and accessible to their global audience. Also, they need to remember that the audience not the industry comes first.

The industry is there to service the audience, yet the industry seems to have all but forgotten its role with the exception of the blockbuster. But big budget blockbuster films aren't the only ones worth seeing and although film attendance levels over the past several years have indicated that audiences want more and better choices, the call for variety seems to have fallen short of the industries doorstep.

Traditional distributors take few risks on low-budget films. Meanwhile, the industry has become far too incestuous to be able to function in its own best interest which has forced it to regurgitate most independent projects in lieu of familiar faces and names.

Online distribution channels - with the help of independent film festivals - have the ability to provide a healthy living environment for new and emerging filmmakers. If film festivals establish a reputation for showing good films, offer them online at a reasonable price within the festival dates, build a solid reputation for continually showing good films then the global audience will begin to come, stay, and value a festival's line-ups.

The film festival has the ability to become a springboard for the global audience. Under the above proposed model, festivals that did not choose good films would not flourish because there would be no industry middle man forking the bill to keep that festival's head above water. Instead, the audience would dictate the success or failure of films, festivals, and online distributors. Festivals and online distributors would rule the day based on the quality of their selection. This model would work if there were profit for all the major players involved - the filmmaker, the festival, and the online distributor.

The Art of Sharing
Many of us have a very capitalistic viewpoint toward independent film distribution. We want to own it, keep it in reach, and not share it. Think greed! Now think of what greed has done to our country. Now apply that to film distribution and perhaps you'll begin to see the mess we put ourselves in. Fine. We're in a mess. That's a great place to start. Because, if there is nothing to lose you are more likely to take a chance on something that might be profitable.

What if it were more profitable for an online distribution model to only show a film for a couple weeks than it were if it kept the film and never let it go? It works for theaters, why not online distribution channels? What if festivals no longer turned away films that were already on the internet... within reason. Come on. Everyone knows no one watches films online. That's what this whole article is about! So what if we fessed up to that and started accepting some of these films. Get honest. Do you really care if 625 people from around the entire world have already seen the film online? Let's be honest. Those 625 people probably aren't going to be the same people in your theater, your town... perhaps your state, or even your country. Let's just tell the damn Emperor to get dress and get on with it!

What if a festival were to show their films online concurrently with the festival dates (well, start the online showing two hours after the premiere to ensure first access goes to those at the live event). Then, at the end of the festival all the films are taken down from the online experience. This would hold the integrity of the films for other festivals. Do not leave the films up on a site. Instead, return the films to the filmmakers so they can continue on the festival circuit. Charge! And, share...

Let say you charged $3 per online film and split the take three ways - one-third for the filmmaker, one-third for the festival, and one-third for the online distributor. Everyone sees equal money. Everyone had expenses (1. filmmaker made a film, 2. festival put on the event, 3. online distributor shows films globally), so everyone takes an equal share of the pie.

The film festivals would be in a position to have a better chance of thriving based on the quality of the films. Independent filmmakers would have a better chance of getting into film festivals based on the quality of their work rather than names attached or who they know in the industry, and online distributors might have interest from audiences for a change.

What Can Be Done
We need to be willing to share in the profits. We need to forget about greed and replace it with respecting quality first, if we wish to profit. We need to be willing to let go of old models that don't work anymore, and others that never have. There is a saying, 'as long as you have your hand clenched to make sure you don't let go of something, nothing else will fit in your hand'. Be willing to open your hand and let good things come to you.

Fears
The current format for online distribution is basically this: A filmmaker gives his/her film to an online distributor and the distributor says they will 'distribute' the film. Many times the filmmaker never hears back, or perhaps their film simply sits on a site (or shelf) that no one visits and the film is not viewed. Such a film has gone into the black hole of online distribution. Let's all admit this model is broken and change it!

Eliminating The Greed Factor
Filmmakers, film festivals and online distributors need to work together for a common goal - showing the best independent films from around the world to the world. The selfish 'mine, mine, mine' mentality needs to be put on the side burner so that everyone can succeed in a profitable manner.

The Structure of Major Film Festivals
There are many new and emerging filmmakers out there that are creating incredible work yet much of it is unseen due to the current state of most major film festivals. Most major festivals are set up to promote works that won't fail and don't need their help anyway. Think: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Did the film need to open at Cannes to get distribution or to be promoted? No. It was fun for the industry and a feather in the cap of a few. It is the epitomy of what the industry has become. I'm not knocking it. It works well for the industry. It doesn't not necessarily work well for independent filmmakers, global audiences or independent film festivals that don't want to cater to the industry and that value independent films.

Solutions
1. Its time for independent filmmakers to stop saying their first short, shorts in general, or their first feature is 'a calling card'. That's just wrong. First off, if it's good enough to be your calling card, then it should also be good enough to profit from. I have no sympathy for filmmakers who aren't making money and think they don't deserve to. If they'd rather throw their hard earned film at a distributor who will never give them a dime for their profits and will most likely never show the film, then let them! But, I will not validate it. I simply do not believe in the 'starving artist' model! It's not necessary. If you do it to yourself, so be it. If you didn't know there was another way, now you do. It is time for you to know that you can and should profit from your work... just make sure your work is good enough to get into a festival so that you can build an global audience while creating a profit for yourself!

2. It's time for independent film festivals to step up to the plate and watch their submissions and actually take the time to find great films. If you don't want to then perhaps this isn't the model for you... at least not at a discovery level. Still, it would be a great way for festivals to play other festivals films of recognition and allow a global platform for those who would like to see them, allowing a festival to generate an income for itself in the meantime.

3. Online distributors now have a better option. Respect your position but don't force it on others. Allow the films to come to you, then to fly away at the end of the festival. If the films stay, you know they will fall into the black hole of lost profits. Instead, release the films back into the filmmakers hands so another festival may approach you on another day and you may have another opportunity to bring fabulous films to our global community while creating a profit for yourself. Build a reputation for showing great films. Become a reliable source for great viewing opportunities for the global film audience. Don't allow films to stay past their festival dates. Insist they come back again when the marketing machine (the festival) is in motion and once again all can profit!

In todays world, film festivals more than any other platform can help build the significance of independent films within our ever growing global community while creating profit for all in these tumultuous times.