That's right – I am doing something different this year, self distributing my production company's indie feature film, In Corpore. It's not my decision alone, my partner and co-director is jumping on this rollercoaster ride with me and we plan to market our self funded, no stars attached, micro feature in all four countries we shot it in – Germany, Malta, Australia and America. Not only that, as part of our self distribution plan we are looking to use four wall distribution where possible, and even tour smaller states in America should the interest be there.
You are probably wondering why. You are probably screaming it at the screen. Please stop yelling, it will be ok.
Well, with all those distributors, aggregators, online platforms and sales agents who seem supportive and constantly hungry for fresh content it's a fair call to ask why we would go at it alone. For us, the first reason is that we have lost faith in handing our hard work and money to someone who does not have the film’s or our own best interests as the main priority.
Read MoreIn 2019, when filmmaking has long since been revolutionised by digital technology, when movies shot on smartphones open at Sundance, when there are festivals dedicated to vertical filmmaking, and when so many people are making features that the ‘mystique’ of it has long since dissipated, the one area that still seems to hide behind a shroud of secrecy is distribution.
We’ve all heard the adage getting your film made is only half the battle; the real work begins when trying to sell it. Many filmmakers don’t understand the best practices when it comes to distribution, and choose to explore that path only when forced to, and I am prepared to admit that I am one such filmmaker.
Is working with sales agents, producer’s representatives, distributors the most viable method to release a micro-budget feature film? Or is self-distribution the best approach? One year later, after releasing our first micro-budget feature, myself and my partner Sarah Jayne are asking ourselves that very question.
Read MoreNot only did we shoot a feature in a single night. And not only was it entirely improvised (without a script, without a shot list, without regrets), but we decided to do it on the craziest and most chaotic night of the year... New Year’s Eve.
The film is called Friends, Foes & Fireworks and it explores relationships, love, friendship, and the truths we try but fail to keep to ourselves.
We have been asked one question numerous times: “How did you actually manage to shoot this in a single night without a script?”
The second question, often unspoken, but lingering on lips nonetheless is “…and have a story and structure that actually makes sense without a script?”
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