I should add as part of this effort I'm also working on building a community of documentary filmmakers in my home state of NJ by establishing a Video Consortium hub.
I'm glad I'm at the cusp making my first documentary on activists and out of sheer ignorance have been creating my own distribution plan as sort of an organizing project similar to those I've done as an organizer for social justice movements. The first and most essential part of organizing is to listen and understand the community. My ears are wide open here.
It will be useful. My model at the outset is geared toward building an audience. Rather than putting it in a context using industry jargon I'm pitching the idea as a possible way to amplify and support their work. I'm creating mutually beneficial relationships that while potentially monetary more so focus on what my documentary can do for them. I've been meeting with community organizers, organizers and leadership of organizations. Even though I know these people I'm taking it slow so as not to be perceived as being exploitive. I'm working with folks like Black Lives Matter who although they know me and I've been at protests I'm still an outsider. I've noticed this in conducting my interviews. Whereas people of my race and associated experiences have welcomed me to interview them in their homes, the persons from Black Lives Matter and the Newark Water Coalition, black and latino have preferred to be interviewed in their respective offfices.
My goal is to create a community (a real audience) that will amplify my film via their email lists, local and national networks. I could potential reach tens of thousands of people with this approach. Concurrently I do plan to show at festivals and then theatrically, focusing on independent theaters where I can demonstrate a built in audience. This is a quick exposition. I can get into more detail if you think it would be of interest to others. I'm also starting to document this journey on my Substack.
Love the idea of a manifesto. And this is a phenomenal start.
I should add as part of this effort I'm also working on building a community of documentary filmmakers in my home state of NJ by establishing a Video Consortium hub.
I'm glad I'm at the cusp making my first documentary on activists and out of sheer ignorance have been creating my own distribution plan as sort of an organizing project similar to those I've done as an organizer for social justice movements. The first and most essential part of organizing is to listen and understand the community. My ears are wide open here.
Was the Distribution Template I drafted useful to you, Tom?
https://tedhope.substack.com/p/how-do-you-best-prepare-for-your
It will be useful. My model at the outset is geared toward building an audience. Rather than putting it in a context using industry jargon I'm pitching the idea as a possible way to amplify and support their work. I'm creating mutually beneficial relationships that while potentially monetary more so focus on what my documentary can do for them. I've been meeting with community organizers, organizers and leadership of organizations. Even though I know these people I'm taking it slow so as not to be perceived as being exploitive. I'm working with folks like Black Lives Matter who although they know me and I've been at protests I'm still an outsider. I've noticed this in conducting my interviews. Whereas people of my race and associated experiences have welcomed me to interview them in their homes, the persons from Black Lives Matter and the Newark Water Coalition, black and latino have preferred to be interviewed in their respective offfices.
My goal is to create a community (a real audience) that will amplify my film via their email lists, local and national networks. I could potential reach tens of thousands of people with this approach. Concurrently I do plan to show at festivals and then theatrically, focusing on independent theaters where I can demonstrate a built in audience. This is a quick exposition. I can get into more detail if you think it would be of interest to others. I'm also starting to document this journey on my Substack.
Thanks
Yes! You read my mind, I was just about to throw it out there that it’s time to create a manifesto. ❤️
How did I do? Let's build this together.
Great start. I need to think on it a bit and I’ll throw out some suggestions.
These are all so great! But 14 and 15 are my favorites
Yessssssssssssssssss