It's sad that our artistic expression avenues have been systematically degraded to such a degree. All of our outlets have become institutionally censored and agenda-based and doesn't even reflect what the customer even wants.
Projects such as films require so much funding that I don't see any way out of this negative feedback loop without completely tearing down the system. Do you see any way out of this?
I do think there is a way out EG. I think the total neglect of the sector is an asset. There are a large slew of necessary operational improvements which if addressed in unison could start to rebuild the revenue stream that might allow low budget films to bypass the the SVOD model. It will require several years of build and loss but could emerge as a non-dependent indie ecosystem. Oh, and it would be best to not build in the US.
The standardized methods of production are antithetical to low budgets as well as aesthetic boldness. Working where there is both greater support for the arts, and an attit
I learned early on that it doesn't take money to make movies, it takes talent with passion and a dream. I love working with people who have that talent, that passion and that dream. With it the films get made. And if that same kind of talent is used in the sales and marketing of those films, they can find their audience and we can continue to make it happen, again and again and again.
Let’s play a tiny violin for all those who are now up Schitt’s Creek. Welcome to the world of the underprivileged filmmaker who doesn’t have access to wealth, isn’t in the right skin, or worse, wasn’t at the right place at that specifically right time, but they were oh so close. Not that it can’t still happen. For some, they find it early; for others, they might find it later, but for 99%, it’ll never happen (not based on any actual data;). That’s the #filmlife. The obsession to make films is a disease you are on your own to endure for the long haul. The worst is having it your way for a stint but then losing it. Having to start over is never fun, but that’s exactly the current prompt. How do you foster competition? Make a competitive product. It’s as easy as writing a hit song. I’ve never needed the industry to make my kinds of films, and where I sit in my current timeline, I’m so used to it now that the only way I see myself making a studio film one day is because they need me more than I need them, which is most likely unlikely. But if the time does ever come, truth is, I probably won’t need them. If it’s not me who will make the DIY equivalent of East Rider for the 2020s or a film that will disrupt the attention economy in the nave of cinema 🙄⚡️⚡️😉, then hopefully someone else reading this post is already on the path to do so. It’s just a matter of time.
WOW! What an incredible breath of fresh air. Maverick insider, I salute you. So we all blog then. Spar, sense make, grasp crowdfunding and build real grassroots. Interlink a following with others and node a way forward as blockchain. For its individual people, not all, that will change the world (in this case - story telling). Lifeforce, wifi emitting as a personal frequency, people are pulsating further (those at least, not stuck under the bed, waiting for the late, late netflix show on a flu jab). Some, if we look deeply enough, have dreamt up a world around them, others being mere character actors in surround sound. Subtle, across the world, these Islands are, not seem by the majority with our current bifocals. Shout me a topic, in your opinion ,that would be worthy of a script write. I might have to bang the blog. Both Politics and Alt are doing all our heads in. By staying I'd call them all out and get in too much trouble. Better on the quite, writing alone to Bach. Will be reading more for sure, thank you for the breath of fresh air. Cheers Ted, Phoeagdor.
Did the following small Irish made movie, make it across the pond? Are you aware of this film, made for less than 10 million. Is that the lowest bench mark price now? A post of how does a film maker make a movie on the cheap, might strike a nerve or a spark. For this could come to pass, what? A movie through crowd sourcing, never again, to be reliant on corporate or grant. Movie theatres are closing round the world. All could be bought up now for a song, through crowd funding. All comes down to trust. In god we trust? In money we trust? In People we trust? (after Covid, with the current brigade for US Office, are you crazy! Hey 2020 showed us all the ones not to trust!) It's time, Here the scotch tape and cardboard movie from Ireland.
But also to the distributors, and no bites. Pathetic. Have you tried mounting a crowd funding campaign? SO MUCH work, I understand why many artists fear them. But yes, they can be helpful in many ways too. I'd love there to be company that financed and distributed such films on a global basis. In many ways, that is all I have ever wanted to do.
When an actor, director, writer turns rogue like rapper Andre 3000, the next twitter type explosion, like Aston Kutcher started, then it could come to pass. Grassroots never starts at the very bottom. Has to be from a middle or higher up position, so we await. If that little thing they suggested - UBI ever kicked in, when they change money to digital, then maybe a raggle-taggle bunch of Jodorowsky's could get together and make a start. Cinemas in community hands is a must. Recommend "The Dance of Reality" and "Endless Poetry" for living the artistic way and healing through this strange life of broken dreams which is also part of the dream. Everything is instantaneous. Who knows where noding takes us all. Cathartic film and theatre, not simple minded Christian/heart warming happy endings. Though not, lets suck a tailpipe rapper lyrics either. Everything we went through, had a reason. All my writing, all yours, the worlds actions collectively and individually these past 3 years, also ask invisibly for our request. We'll continue on, doing our own thing, birthing in that. Lets see what '24 brings in................ Happy Talkin', talkin', if you don't have a dream.
It makes me smile when I see "made for less than ten million" celebrated. The Hollywood mentality is contagious and should be ignored by aspiring filmmakers. Get out in the hinterlands where millions of talented young kids want to make good, not just make money.
The simple answer is, if you don't like the way things are, change it. I remember when our filmmakers felt that they were not making enough money in the marketing and sales of their low-budget, independent films. We got together and decided we knew our films, their strengths and weaknesses, better than anyone else, so we started our own sales and marketing company.
Whenever you come up against a problem, be as creative as you are in making your films and develop your own marketing. Every filmmaker should be thinking about how they will market their product, yes, it is product, even if a product of your imagination. They should be thinking about how to sell and market their film from day one, even before writing the script. If we do this together, as a team, helping each other to not only make, but to market our films as well, we will change the whole world of cinema.
I’ve said this before in some paraphrased form to my family and friends. They don’t seem to get it. I come off as being a ranter or somebody who doesn’t think movies should make money. Or somebody who doesn’t like mainstream movies. Or somebody who always wants violence (I’m a horror guy so your points dig deeper than ever). How many times do I have to say all movies of a certain strain feel and look the same and lack heart and meaning and are frankly, diluted. This truth resonates.
I could go on a separate tangent about genre revolving around their own tropes. I could go on about technical aspects of movies and shows that aren’t brave at core level. And these points all aim squarely at those people who aren’t brave enough to try something new or even trust their human or creative instincts. Creative or human instincts. Not the money assumptions.
By the way, I'm not anti money. I've always judged the success of my work by how many folks it's touched, and that's how many bought/buy my books ( see L. J. Martin on Amazon) and now how many watch my film(s), see EYE FOR EYE on streamers. Make a good product, do your best to get it in front of as many folks as you can, and like that cornfield/baseball field, they will come.
I've watched the change in publishing through over 70 books and saw change after change. I couldn't disagree more as to opportunity in film. With the availability of digital equipment, free software such as Davinci Resolve, and distribution production of a film is easier than ever. Distribution with innovative companies like FilmHub makes the world in reach for the most inexpensively produced film. Social media and opportunities to raise money via the net make $$ available as never before. I fear I'm the undying optimist but it's worked for me for 82 years. And I'm editing my second feature film now.
I feel films of grand budget and mediocre quality are being forced on the masses with so much backing that the better independent films with less clout are being pushed out. Think of how many mom and pop burger joints were pushed out by McDonalds in the 70's how many disposable music acts were promoted over quality musicianship in the 80's, how many small coffee shops are still shut out by Starbucks and Dunkin on the east coast. It's the kid who has the most toys wins factor. When Netflix started they championed independent films and they did well, now they pay way too much for marginal films by the kids with the toys and force it down everyone's throat and like Mc'ds, bad pop music, Starbucks and Dunkin, the masses eat it up for a while until the next generation comes along and questions why, or better yet the outliers break through. Big studios have to be looking at Blumhouse and Tyler Perry, even Asylum and asking themselves maybe we should do it that way... Notable is Plan B announcing a micro budget division, which we can all hope will create a mad rush to micro or lets face it... realistic lower budget, quality films. If the major distributors don't like it, the bigger names can figure a way to distribute as will happen. The key is getting quality delivered to the masses while the bloated projects do all they can to nudge them out. In a time where marketing can be done very cost effective, I hope it's a matter of smarter people who know how to leverage a dollar that figure it out. These are the same type of people who will offer back end points on a film for filmmakers and actors, not rip them off and if a sequel is in the works, the budget will still be modest and it will be developed not force fed. Remember when Pepsi and Starbucks tried a drink for the masses, anyone? Or endless pop music offerings that tanked, while a small band from Seattle spoke to the masses. We can be hopeful for more genuine filmmaking and story telling.
1. You mentioned producers making a movie and then going to only one buyer. If the buyer is interested, then great. If not, P will wait until the mood shifts. This feels like knocking on doors agian, except instead of space being the thing that separates the doors, time is. Just a thought.
2. If the streamers make or purchase movies, the end is the same as long as they are the gatekeepers. Either they will make what they think they need, or they will buy what they think they need. In either case, they get what they need and the audience is left with whatever the streamers decided to feed us. And, based on the past decade, (most) producers will change what they make in order to appease the desires of the streamers. If that's the case, how would mandating streamers buy instead of make their own movies change the quality delivered to the audience?
If seems, to me, that the real solution would be to bring quality content somewhere else. Even if it's something as siloed as selling directly via something like Vimeo. The go-to place might be a recommendation source, the way I feel when you post a list of movies you want to watch; they immediately go into my Letterboxd queue. Maybe that type of recommendation/curation might be the future?
The difference between making and buying is that being forced to buy vs. make requires you to see things you may not have thought of. The buyers get exposed to cultural course correctors. They don't always know best. The super power of art and artists is that they express things in ways otherwise unheard of. That model was once required of US Television networks (FinSyn decree) and it is what we need now across platforms and all formats.
That exposing buyers to things they hadn’t thought of hadn’t occurred to me. Thanks for sharing that.
However, I feel that the lack of FinSyn may have enabled indie projects in making and distributing their own movies directly to customers. The Spanish movie THE COSMONAUT (2013) comes to mind. But I’m sure there have been more recent examples. There have also been examples using the block chain that do this as well.
I would love to see an article, or even a list I could research, on block chain movie "success" (however someone wants to define this) and the best practices that could be derived from them.
Our mutual friends Marty Lang and Miles Maker have been telling me about them for over a year now. I don't remember any specific names, but a quick Google Bard search turned up some interesting leads: https://g.co/bard/share/f75503bd6ba8
And I think www.Film.io might be a good place to get started for that research. It'll give you the keywords for more depth.
Heartily agree - vertical integration is terrible for our business - and its time to get those consent decrees working and enforced.
It's sad that our artistic expression avenues have been systematically degraded to such a degree. All of our outlets have become institutionally censored and agenda-based and doesn't even reflect what the customer even wants.
Projects such as films require so much funding that I don't see any way out of this negative feedback loop without completely tearing down the system. Do you see any way out of this?
I do think there is a way out EG. I think the total neglect of the sector is an asset. There are a large slew of necessary operational improvements which if addressed in unison could start to rebuild the revenue stream that might allow low budget films to bypass the the SVOD model. It will require several years of build and loss but could emerge as a non-dependent indie ecosystem. Oh, and it would be best to not build in the US.
Quick question: why do you think it would be best not to build in the Us?
The standardized methods of production are antithetical to low budgets as well as aesthetic boldness. Working where there is both greater support for the arts, and an attit
and an attitude of collaboration will likely yield more exciting results.
I learned early on that it doesn't take money to make movies, it takes talent with passion and a dream. I love working with people who have that talent, that passion and that dream. With it the films get made. And if that same kind of talent is used in the sales and marketing of those films, they can find their audience and we can continue to make it happen, again and again and again.
Let’s play a tiny violin for all those who are now up Schitt’s Creek. Welcome to the world of the underprivileged filmmaker who doesn’t have access to wealth, isn’t in the right skin, or worse, wasn’t at the right place at that specifically right time, but they were oh so close. Not that it can’t still happen. For some, they find it early; for others, they might find it later, but for 99%, it’ll never happen (not based on any actual data;). That’s the #filmlife. The obsession to make films is a disease you are on your own to endure for the long haul. The worst is having it your way for a stint but then losing it. Having to start over is never fun, but that’s exactly the current prompt. How do you foster competition? Make a competitive product. It’s as easy as writing a hit song. I’ve never needed the industry to make my kinds of films, and where I sit in my current timeline, I’m so used to it now that the only way I see myself making a studio film one day is because they need me more than I need them, which is most likely unlikely. But if the time does ever come, truth is, I probably won’t need them. If it’s not me who will make the DIY equivalent of East Rider for the 2020s or a film that will disrupt the attention economy in the nave of cinema 🙄⚡️⚡️😉, then hopefully someone else reading this post is already on the path to do so. It’s just a matter of time.
From your lips, Santiago, from your lips -- or be it, your fingertips. May it be so!
There were 200 doors. I count 8 now. (semi-joke)
WOW! What an incredible breath of fresh air. Maverick insider, I salute you. So we all blog then. Spar, sense make, grasp crowdfunding and build real grassroots. Interlink a following with others and node a way forward as blockchain. For its individual people, not all, that will change the world (in this case - story telling). Lifeforce, wifi emitting as a personal frequency, people are pulsating further (those at least, not stuck under the bed, waiting for the late, late netflix show on a flu jab). Some, if we look deeply enough, have dreamt up a world around them, others being mere character actors in surround sound. Subtle, across the world, these Islands are, not seem by the majority with our current bifocals. Shout me a topic, in your opinion ,that would be worthy of a script write. I might have to bang the blog. Both Politics and Alt are doing all our heads in. By staying I'd call them all out and get in too much trouble. Better on the quite, writing alone to Bach. Will be reading more for sure, thank you for the breath of fresh air. Cheers Ted, Phoeagdor.
Did the following small Irish made movie, make it across the pond? Are you aware of this film, made for less than 10 million. Is that the lowest bench mark price now? A post of how does a film maker make a movie on the cheap, might strike a nerve or a spark. For this could come to pass, what? A movie through crowd sourcing, never again, to be reliant on corporate or grant. Movie theatres are closing round the world. All could be bought up now for a song, through crowd funding. All comes down to trust. In god we trust? In money we trust? In People we trust? (after Covid, with the current brigade for US Office, are you crazy! Hey 2020 showed us all the ones not to trust!) It's time, Here the scotch tape and cardboard movie from Ireland.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11366674/
I love LOLA! Great film. I championed not just in this newsletter https://tedhope.substack.com/p/2022-was-a-great-year-for-first-features
But also to the distributors, and no bites. Pathetic. Have you tried mounting a crowd funding campaign? SO MUCH work, I understand why many artists fear them. But yes, they can be helpful in many ways too. I'd love there to be company that financed and distributed such films on a global basis. In many ways, that is all I have ever wanted to do.
When an actor, director, writer turns rogue like rapper Andre 3000, the next twitter type explosion, like Aston Kutcher started, then it could come to pass. Grassroots never starts at the very bottom. Has to be from a middle or higher up position, so we await. If that little thing they suggested - UBI ever kicked in, when they change money to digital, then maybe a raggle-taggle bunch of Jodorowsky's could get together and make a start. Cinemas in community hands is a must. Recommend "The Dance of Reality" and "Endless Poetry" for living the artistic way and healing through this strange life of broken dreams which is also part of the dream. Everything is instantaneous. Who knows where noding takes us all. Cathartic film and theatre, not simple minded Christian/heart warming happy endings. Though not, lets suck a tailpipe rapper lyrics either. Everything we went through, had a reason. All my writing, all yours, the worlds actions collectively and individually these past 3 years, also ask invisibly for our request. We'll continue on, doing our own thing, birthing in that. Lets see what '24 brings in................ Happy Talkin', talkin', if you don't have a dream.
It makes me smile when I see "made for less than ten million" celebrated. The Hollywood mentality is contagious and should be ignored by aspiring filmmakers. Get out in the hinterlands where millions of talented young kids want to make good, not just make money.
The simple answer is, if you don't like the way things are, change it. I remember when our filmmakers felt that they were not making enough money in the marketing and sales of their low-budget, independent films. We got together and decided we knew our films, their strengths and weaknesses, better than anyone else, so we started our own sales and marketing company.
Whenever you come up against a problem, be as creative as you are in making your films and develop your own marketing. Every filmmaker should be thinking about how they will market their product, yes, it is product, even if a product of your imagination. They should be thinking about how to sell and market their film from day one, even before writing the script. If we do this together, as a team, helping each other to not only make, but to market our films as well, we will change the whole world of cinema.
I’ve said this before in some paraphrased form to my family and friends. They don’t seem to get it. I come off as being a ranter or somebody who doesn’t think movies should make money. Or somebody who doesn’t like mainstream movies. Or somebody who always wants violence (I’m a horror guy so your points dig deeper than ever). How many times do I have to say all movies of a certain strain feel and look the same and lack heart and meaning and are frankly, diluted. This truth resonates.
I could go on a separate tangent about genre revolving around their own tropes. I could go on about technical aspects of movies and shows that aren’t brave at core level. And these points all aim squarely at those people who aren’t brave enough to try something new or even trust their human or creative instincts. Creative or human instincts. Not the money assumptions.
We humans love to shocked, surprised, appalled, and have our minds blown. It doesn't happen enough. But when it does, everyone turns up.
By the way, I'm not anti money. I've always judged the success of my work by how many folks it's touched, and that's how many bought/buy my books ( see L. J. Martin on Amazon) and now how many watch my film(s), see EYE FOR EYE on streamers. Make a good product, do your best to get it in front of as many folks as you can, and like that cornfield/baseball field, they will come.
I've watched the change in publishing through over 70 books and saw change after change. I couldn't disagree more as to opportunity in film. With the availability of digital equipment, free software such as Davinci Resolve, and distribution production of a film is easier than ever. Distribution with innovative companies like FilmHub makes the world in reach for the most inexpensively produced film. Social media and opportunities to raise money via the net make $$ available as never before. I fear I'm the undying optimist but it's worked for me for 82 years. And I'm editing my second feature film now.
I feel films of grand budget and mediocre quality are being forced on the masses with so much backing that the better independent films with less clout are being pushed out. Think of how many mom and pop burger joints were pushed out by McDonalds in the 70's how many disposable music acts were promoted over quality musicianship in the 80's, how many small coffee shops are still shut out by Starbucks and Dunkin on the east coast. It's the kid who has the most toys wins factor. When Netflix started they championed independent films and they did well, now they pay way too much for marginal films by the kids with the toys and force it down everyone's throat and like Mc'ds, bad pop music, Starbucks and Dunkin, the masses eat it up for a while until the next generation comes along and questions why, or better yet the outliers break through. Big studios have to be looking at Blumhouse and Tyler Perry, even Asylum and asking themselves maybe we should do it that way... Notable is Plan B announcing a micro budget division, which we can all hope will create a mad rush to micro or lets face it... realistic lower budget, quality films. If the major distributors don't like it, the bigger names can figure a way to distribute as will happen. The key is getting quality delivered to the masses while the bloated projects do all they can to nudge them out. In a time where marketing can be done very cost effective, I hope it's a matter of smarter people who know how to leverage a dollar that figure it out. These are the same type of people who will offer back end points on a film for filmmakers and actors, not rip them off and if a sequel is in the works, the budget will still be modest and it will be developed not force fed. Remember when Pepsi and Starbucks tried a drink for the masses, anyone? Or endless pop music offerings that tanked, while a small band from Seattle spoke to the masses. We can be hopeful for more genuine filmmaking and story telling.
Another amazing essay. I have a couple thoughts:
1. You mentioned producers making a movie and then going to only one buyer. If the buyer is interested, then great. If not, P will wait until the mood shifts. This feels like knocking on doors agian, except instead of space being the thing that separates the doors, time is. Just a thought.
2. If the streamers make or purchase movies, the end is the same as long as they are the gatekeepers. Either they will make what they think they need, or they will buy what they think they need. In either case, they get what they need and the audience is left with whatever the streamers decided to feed us. And, based on the past decade, (most) producers will change what they make in order to appease the desires of the streamers. If that's the case, how would mandating streamers buy instead of make their own movies change the quality delivered to the audience?
If seems, to me, that the real solution would be to bring quality content somewhere else. Even if it's something as siloed as selling directly via something like Vimeo. The go-to place might be a recommendation source, the way I feel when you post a list of movies you want to watch; they immediately go into my Letterboxd queue. Maybe that type of recommendation/curation might be the future?
Anyway, thank you for another evocative post!
The difference between making and buying is that being forced to buy vs. make requires you to see things you may not have thought of. The buyers get exposed to cultural course correctors. They don't always know best. The super power of art and artists is that they express things in ways otherwise unheard of. That model was once required of US Television networks (FinSyn decree) and it is what we need now across platforms and all formats.
That exposing buyers to things they hadn’t thought of hadn’t occurred to me. Thanks for sharing that.
However, I feel that the lack of FinSyn may have enabled indie projects in making and distributing their own movies directly to customers. The Spanish movie THE COSMONAUT (2013) comes to mind. But I’m sure there have been more recent examples. There have also been examples using the block chain that do this as well.
I would love to see an article, or even a list I could research, on block chain movie "success" (however someone wants to define this) and the best practices that could be derived from them.
Our mutual friends Marty Lang and Miles Maker have been telling me about them for over a year now. I don't remember any specific names, but a quick Google Bard search turned up some interesting leads: https://g.co/bard/share/f75503bd6ba8
And I think www.Film.io might be a good place to get started for that research. It'll give you the keywords for more depth.
I hope that helps, friend!