Out with the Old, In with the New (Business Models...)

While developing the script, it's important to be mindful of the new business model we are embracing, as it's going to have an effect on how our story unfolds. Under the transmedia business model, we are going to tell part of our story through a different medium other than film, long before financing is secured.

With an elaborate story and a complex time-line of events to interweave through two different mediums, it's important that all our story elements work in harmony of each other. We must tread lightly and remain sensitive to the fact that we are introducing our character's back-stories independently from the script itself.

So why is the transmedia business model beneficial over the old business model? (Robert Pratten from the workbook project explains the different business models here)

With our previous film, it felt like our distributor simply stuck the film on Hollywood Video's new release wall and hoped for the best. Or perhaps they assumed that the film's slick DVD artwork would stand out from the thousand of other horror films on Netflix. They were simply trying to inflate their marketing numbers without getting their hands dirty; this ensures that the filmmaker won't see any back-end profits while the distributor puts forth minimal marketing efforts..

By attempting to gain 5,000 fans before production begins, we are taking matters into our own hands (and remaining one step ahead of filmmakers who wait until post-production wraps to start the process). Why rely solely on the distributor to raise awareness and interest for the film?

As Kevin stated previously, having a pre-established fan base is much more attractive to investors, as we are assuring them that a market already exists for a film that has yet to begin production. The transmedia model is certainly favorable in this aspect.

Alternatively, this new business model will help filmmakers gauge how a story will be perceived by fans, before the camera's start rolling. Is there even an audience for the film we want to make? The transmedia model helps test the waters. It can be viewed as a form of risk management; why waste our time (and others money) with a story that no one has any interest in?

Lucky for us, we've got a story that no one's told yet.

- Mike

Thinking Beyond the Film

I came across this great article last week (although for the life of me I can't remember where) on the Truly Free Film blog and I thought it definitely deserved a place here, if for no other reason than to allow me to access it multiple times over:

Truly Free Film: The Twenty New Rules

Ted Hope has some great insight about what the independent film producer needs to do just to sell a film these days, and let me tell you, it's a lot more complicated than just making a film.

It all comes down to PRE-PLANNING. I won't summarize the article here, but Ted's point is that "making a film" is so much more than making a film these days. I think especially now, when spending on indies by distros has been dropping steadily, self-distribution may be the only viable option for many indie films to recoup their budgets, making Ted's "rules" all the more relevant.

A couple that I hope to do with Nitecrawlers:

• Collect 5000 fans prior to seeking financing. - Since Mike and I paid for our first movie ourselves, Nitecrawlers will be our first time attempting to raise outside funding. An independent film is a TOUGH sell, no matter how you slice it (Filmmaker: "We've got a 99.99% chance of not getting a distribution deal." Investor: "Great, where do I sign?") When I put myself in an investor's shoes, seeing a pre-established fanbase makes the carrot much more appealing.

• Create enough additional content to keep your audience involved throughout the process and later to bridge them to your next work. - One of my biggest regrets on the first film! Behind-the-scenes video, stills, interviews, a blog (check!), all this stuff should be a no-brainer, and I won't forget it this time.

• Determine & manufacture at least five additional products you will sell other than DVDs. - So important this time around. Even if you get traditional distribution, let me tell you: once you get your advance, you ain't seeing another cent from DVD sales, no matter what kind of backend deal you think you have in place. I've got some cool merchandising ideas brewing for Nitecrawlers that I think will be rewarding for the fans who get on the bandwagon early on.

• Study at least five similar films in terms of what their release strategy & audience engagement strategy was and how you can improve upon them. - I literally spend hours scouring the web and sites like DVXUser.com for films similar in scope to Nitecrawlers (horror-esque genre, sub-$500k budget). Even so, it's hard to ever get the particulars of a distribution deal, which makes it tough to know if a film was able to recoup its budget or not. If anyone has a film like this, or knows of one, and would like to chat about it, reach out to us here! I'd love to trade stories.

'Til next time...

- K