SELF DISTRIBUTING INDIE DOCIES

By Pascal Schmitz from Amariam Pictures

Overview • PR And Traditional Press • Website, FB Page, Twitter • Posters, DVD Covers, POS • Merchandising • Theatrical Screenings In Independent Cinemas • DVD Distributors Local • Online Sales - Amazon And Create Space • DVD Retailers Local • Indie Retailers • Broadcasters Local And Local Sales Companies • Festivals And Markets • International Sales Companies, Distributors And Broadcasters

PR and Traditional Press

• Press release and press kit (include pics etc..) • PR person – Sam Swaine ; someone with good

personal contacts in the right media for your film

• PR strategy – all about timing; you can’t run the story twice

• Launch – something unique will attract press • Newspapers, Magazines, TV and Radio

Website, FB Page, Twitter

• Website first! Central portal for all distribution platforms (www.unhingedsurvivingjoburg.com)

• Word press – content management • FB Page – grow your audience • Twitter – update and engage • Blogs – engage with relevant audiences

Posters, DVD Covers, POS

• Posters – Start early. Something that stands out

• DVD cover – align to poster design

• POS: Standies – Timing and cost – Perspex stands – cost

effective; Mr Plastic. Retailers won’t accept though

Merchandising

• Love Jozi Partnership • T-Shirt DVD combo • Stickers • Water Bottels

Theatrical Screenings

• The Bioscope (JHB) • The Labia (CT) • Avalon Group ? • Own screenings:

– Residents Associations – Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples – Community Centres – Pubs

DVD Distributors Local

• Long term partnership and also the right distributor for your type of film. A lot of retailers require an account which only distributors will get e.g. L&L, Exclusive Books

• Soulcandi – Hip/Music www.soulcandi.co.za • Fireworx Media - Niche www.fireworxmedia.co.za • Max Play – 100 DVD start www.maxplaysa.com

Online Sales - Amazon and Create Space

• Create Space is self distribution division of Amazon.com • Banking fees are high because they send cheques • You need to register for a Tax number with IRS using the

SA – US Tax treaty to be exempted • Amazon.com sales = 55% royalty minus $5 DVD cost.

Approx. $6 on $20. Using Amazon traffic • E-Store sales = 85% royalty minus $5 DVD cost. Approx.

$12 on $20. Using your own traffic • SA online sales through Take2. Supplied by Soulcandi

www.take2.co.za

E-Store

DVD Retailers Local

• Partnering with one brand why? – Easy for public to remember – More support from that retailer – Creating a relationship and getting information – Quality retail as opposed to quantity

Indie Retailers

• More margin to be made with Indie retailers but smaller quantities and more work involved – Bioscope – Own Screenings (100% of the Margin) – The Cameraman (Gear Rental House) – DVD Gurus Melville – Love Jozi – The Street Store – My Mom’s Place – Boot of the my Car

Local Broadcasters and Sales Companies

• Pay TV first and then free to air • Max $6000 for 18 month license (TOPTV) • Dan Jawitz from Fireworx our sales agent

– I don’t want to deal with broadcaster – Long standing relationship usually required or lots

of time and patience (and airtime)

Festivals and Markets • Strategy for premiere required: world/continent/country

• Festivals: IDFA, Hot Docs, Sheffield • Markets: IDFA (Docs for Sale), Hot Docs (Doc

Shop),MIPCOM, MIPDOC • Local: TCFF, Encounters, DIFF, Africa on Screen • Financial Assistance:

– NFVF: Accepted film and letter of invite. Only cover basic costs but reimburse quickly

– EMIA: DTI division. Requires company with TAX clearance certificate. Refund after trip. Cover more

International Sales Companies Distributors and Broadcasters

• Picked up sales company at Docs for Sale called Sideways • Select sales company that has a catalogue with films similar

to yours – they usually specialise • Ask other filmmakers in their catalogue if they are any good • Sales company will try to sell to distributors or broadcasters • Takes very long for sales to be realised • We contacted all the broadcaster, sales agents and

distributors in the Docs for Sale catalogue before the market and set up a Swedish TV sale

• Insist on minimum sales amount after 24 months and minimum exposure at markets

• 20%-35% sales commission – watch the costs they take off

Thank You