The challenge of profiting from social issue films

"Waiting For Superman"

The New York Times recently published an article about Participant Media‘s struggle to profit from films they distribute about the important issues of our time. It’s no secret that social-issue docs and thoughtful fiction indies sell significantly worse than major blockbuster thrillers in 3D.  Yet Participant’s efforts are compelling. They continue to work to distribute films and develop social action campaigns that go along with them. The challenge is not only making this distribution sustainable but being able to reach beyond the crowd of people who already support your cause.  How to make a do-gooder film self-sustaining?  Below are a few general suggestions:

• Help from the Community: Films like Waiting For Superman or The Cove need to be supported by more than just movie ticket sales. Screenings need to be supported by non-profit organizations and community groups whose work is aligned with the issues presented in the film.  Marketing films is really expensive and so we need the activist networks already reaching to the wider world to spread the word.

• Help from Theaters: This may be controversial but let’s encourage theaters to support films with do-gooder messages to get a better cut of ticket sales.  Many for-profit companies have a percentage of their profits go to philanthropic organizations. Why not encourage theaters who are profiting from films to support those that help to make our world a more open place?

• Help from Corporations: Do-gooder films need to rely on funding not just from non-profits and grants, but also from for-profit organizations.  This funding model needs to work in a way that there is not conflict of interest; that underwriting is made without the organization having a say in the vision and voice of the film.

What are your ideas for making do-gooder films more sustainable?

Hindsight is 20/20 When Using Marketing Goggles

Keeping the Kibbutz is now beginning to screen at festivals, community centers, synagogues, universities and museums across the US and abroad.  It’s a wonderful feeling to see our work screened before audiences and to hear their feedback.   Yet what is most interesting about this stage in the life of the film is that it is providing us incredible insight into what worked and what didn’t in the making of this film. The editing process resulted in many Homer Simpson ‘doh’ moments as we noticed a mic muff in the frame, a dirty lens, a missed opportunity. But it’s in the marketing, outreach and engagement stage that we’ve really begun to realize what connects a film with engaged audiences – the ultimate goal of producing a documentary. Here are some of the lessons we learned for the next time around. Hopefully these reflections will be helpful to other filmmakers.

1. Identify core audiences immediately and solicit their support right away.

We were so focused on the creation of the film that we neglected to seriously think about audience. While we had a rough idea of who our core audience was, we never surveyed these communities to get a sense of their desires and needs with respect to the topic of the kibbutz experience.  I think their questions could have provided us a more refined direction while making the film. We also would have been well served by developing early on the personal relationships necessary to connect the film to the public.

2. Funding matters and not just for money

We made a few small efforts to obtain formal funding for Keeping the Kibbutz but once turned-down we failed to search for less competitive funding opportunities or evaluate our application and submit again (which is common for many filmmakers). We had the stubborn and naiive attitude that we would finish the film with or without funding and hopefully make some return on our investment. In retrospect, while helpful, it isn’t the money that we most missed out on. Rather, it’s the outreach support and connection to key communities that a large funder could have provided us. While we have a wonderful film on our hands, we are no match to the organizations with clout to connect their films to audiences. The lesson is that funding matters, and not just for money.

3. Hire an executive producer

Never create in a vacuum. We knew this as a fundamental truth in filmmaking but I’m not sure we understood the extent of outside support we needed.  We utilized works-in-progress screenings and employed the feedback these screenings produced. But perhaps that support wasn’t quite enough. We needed a skilled, experienced and well-connected executive producer to come in with fresh eyes and help us sculpt the film into something that would be well-marketed.

4. Make more than one version of the film – one 70 minute and one 50 minute.

Our film ended up being 54 minutes, the length we felt best told the story. The length is perfect for television and community and university screenings as it allows plenty of time for discussion and Q&A without being exhaustive or extending beyond a classroom period. However, it’s a nearly impossible length for film festivals. In fact some festivals won’t even accept a film of that length. It can only be realistically programmed with two other shorts, and many festivals favor screening short films in a group, rather than at the front or tail end of an ‘essay length’ film.  Most advisable is to film enough strong content to warrant a 70-90 minute film for festival and theatrical screening, then cut down to a 56 minute film that can be used in TV and educational screenings as well as marketing for television.

5. Take excellent photographs!

Taking excellent photos of the characters and setting of your film seems like an extraneous measure but it’s just as important as your cinematography. These photographs will ultimately be used to market and sell your film on your website, posters and postcards, and DVD cover. Think about flipping through a film festival catalogue or through the independent section of the video rental store. It is the jacket cover images that make you want read the synopsis.  While the video equipment of late makes for excellent stills, it’s rare that in the run and gun of verite, you’ll capture that iconic image that will say everything you want to say about the film.  After filming or even throughout the production process, leave time for taking phenomenal photos of your characters, the setting, and even symbolic items – such as a flag, a typewriter, or paintbrush – whatever will help to portray your film. And don’t forget to have someone taking pictures of you at work, especially behind the camera. You can use these pics for the “about the director” section of your website and press kit.  We did a very poor job of taking photographs and so we ultimately had to utilize stills from the film that did not necessarily have the clearest resolution.

6. Keep a production journal

This is one of the actions we did do right. We kept a thorough production journal, which at the time helped us sort through our thoughts and experiences while filming. Later on, we were able to re-post these blog entries on our Keeping the Kibbutz website blog. We’ve also used some of the anecdotal stories, which may have been otherwise forgotten over time, to provide audiences with some insight into the “making of” during post-screening discussions.

7. Film Extras!

While it’s very important to have a distinct focus when filming a documentary film, your deep exploration of a topic may lead you to many interesting stories you never imagined. And while these stories may not exactly fit into the narrative trajectory of your film, they can be integrated into featurettes that can be included in your DVD ‘extras’.  They lend additional insight into the topic and are viewable at the discretion of the home viewer. For example, one of our characters’ Francois and his wife Esther cared for wounded birds, turning their backyard into an eclectic bird hospital and sanctuary replete with a massive turquoise cage and a 20 ft. tall bird home for “Craw” the friendly crow. This footage was ultimately made into a 5 minute featurette entitled “The Birds.” We also filmed elements of Ben’s grandmother’s life: entertaining friends, exercising, going to the salon, eating lunch in the dining room, riding around on her little golf cart. This footage ultimately became a featurette entitled “Savta”.

8. Gather email addresses early

This wasn’t something we would have necessarily thought of gathering in the production stage, but it could have been easily done by adding one more prominent line on our appearance releases: add your email address if you want to be updated on the progress of the film. We had over 60 appearance releases, so that could have been 60 additional people on our newsletter, on facebook and ultimately spreading the word. An additional email sign-up could be in your hand if you are in a crowd that is not being filmed but is still interested in the film.

Copies, Copies Everywhere.

By Ben Crosbie

Ok, so you’ve finished your masterpiece – color corrected until your eyes watered and sound edited until your dog could no longer hear that slight hiss in the audio – but finally your life’s greatest work is complete. All that remains is producing a bunch of copies of the DVD to send off to film festival — err, wait a minute, what is the difference between DVD replication and duplication? What are all these websites touting the best/fastest/prettiest/will also ship with a Ronco Showtime Rotisserie oven-DVD replication/duplication services? Can I just order 50 DVDs – or do I have to order 1000 of these things, and use the remaining 950 to build that sick DVD fort I’ve always wanted? All these questions are natural when you’re sitting bleary eyed at 3 AM, trying to completely wrap up your latest film. So, go get some rest and come back in the morning and we’ll give you the answers you so desperately seek.

Making Mothers DVD Case Wrap

Enough to feed myself, or an army (AKA: DVD Duplication vs. Replication)

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and so the independent filmmaker has two options when it comes to mass producing DVDs – replication and duplication. But just as with skinning cats, it all depends on your budget and the final number of copies you want.

DVD replication is generally only used for runs of 1000 copies or more. Replication lends itself to higher runs because of the longer and more complicated manufacturing process involved. Replicated DVDs look exactly like the DVD you would rent from Blockbuster (if anyone actually went to Blockbuster anymore for any other reason than to look at those weird people who still don’t use Netflix). This type of DVD is called a DVD-5 or DVD-9 (single layer/dual layer). They are made from a glass master, which is then used to stamp the data on to blank media (the whole process is more detailed, but you get the idea). This is very different to what happens inside your home computer when burning a DVD, which uses a laser to “burn” the data on the blank DVD-R. If you don’t believe me, grab a burned DVD and compare it to a rented DVD. You can easily see the difference on the data side. One is blue and has a darker area where your data was burned, and the other is a solid shiny silver. That is the magic of the glass master stamping process.

Making Mothers DVD Label

DVD Duplication is generally used for runs under 1,000, and works like your home DVD burner, just on a much larger scale. Because no glass master needs to be made, the duplicating process is quicker and cheaper. Most vendors won’t even require a minimum order, with some allowing just 1 copy to be made. Of course, most vendors do offer price breaks for higher quantities, but duplication is cheaper than replication for anything under 500 discs. Once you cross 500, duplication might get more expensive than replication, and then you have to ask yourself if you want those extra 500 discs. The turnaround time for duplication is also shorter than replication, sometimes only taking a day to produce and ship.

Both replication and duplication provide the same result in the end – an exact copy of your master. Nearly all vendors that replicate/duplicate DVDs will say on their websites that the two are equal in terms of quality. I’ll have take them at their word for it.

Disc Makers, Pacific Disc, Kunaki?

One quick Google search of “DVD duplication” will yield a host of websites offering their services. Most appear to provide the same general service in the same price range – full color disc and packaging nicely wrapped up in cellophane, ranging from $2-3 per disc (without shipping) for duplicated DVDs, and $1-1.25 per disc (1000 minimum order) for replicated DVDs. I haven’t had the chance to use all of these services, so I can’t speak to their quality. Disc Makers and Pacific Disc are both very good options (no affiliation with either, just thought their pricing and services looked the nicest), but we used Kunaki for our duplication needs.

Kunaki is quite the opposite of Disc Makers and Pacific Disc. They barely have a website to speak of, and offer only one product – a single full color DVD in an amaray style case, with a full color case wrap and the option for a one page insert – all for $1.75 per disc. Kunaki offers one of the cheapest duplication services around, yet their product is superb. Before you run out and start throwing 7 quarters at Kunaki, realize that Kunaki is not for everyone. If you want anything outside of what they offer, you’ll have to shop elsewhere. Additionally, if you want lots of help getting through the designing and production process, or need customer service, you might also want to look at using a different vendor.

Kunaki has a unique interface that allows you to build the DVD packaging, preview it, and upload your data directly to their facility (another limitation: the interface is Windows only). Your DVD label and cover have to be designed prior to uploading, because Kunaki doesn’t offer robust free designing software like Disc Makers does. Once you have mastered and uploaded your final disc, you can order as many as you would like, as many times as you want. Kunaki keeps your project on their servers indefinitely as long as you place an order from it every 180 days.

Kunaki perfectly met the needs for the DVD duplication of our film Making Mothers. If Kunaki can meet your needs, it’s by far the cheapest, easiest and quickest way to duplicate small runs of DVDs. Otherwise go with another vendor like Disc Makers or Pacific Disc. But in the end, you can’t really go wrong with any of them, just make sure to pick one and go with it, or your pièce de résistance may never be seen by the masses!

Reminder: Documentary Filmmaking is a Business

By Tessa Moran

The work of a documentary filmmaker does not end when the final cut is set. Rather, his work has just begun.  Now the film needs to be packaged, marketed and disseminated.  After all, one’s film would have been produced in vain if it is never shown to the public.  And the now weary filmmaker will not be compensated for his efforts if the film never reaches a paying distributor.  

Convincing the right people to watch or distribute your film is a challenge, expecially for documentary filmmakers, who by nature tend to be averse to self-marketing.  Though your film certainly speaks for itself, it may struggle to gain a platform without appealing packaging and aggressive outreach. 

This isn’t to say that the filmmaker should now master graphic design and transform into a marketing guru.  That isn’t possible, nor is it ideal.  Documentary filmmaking is a craft, and it requires a tremendous amount of attention, especially for those low-budget guerilla filmmakers who already wear multiple hats.  However, one must be attuned to the business of making documentary films, including marketing.  After all, we want to support ourselves so we are able to make our next film.  

I recently went to a seminar hosted by Kelley Baker, also known as the “Angry Filmmaker“.  Baker has plenty of unkind words for the “independent film industry,” which admittedly has drifted towards Hollywood and away from truly low-budget films.  He argues for self-distribution, even suggesting that filmmakers travel from state to state showing their films at small town theatres.  

Not everyone has the wherewithal to roam via bus with DVD in hand.  And Baker’s unorthodox approach borders on that of a used car salesman.  Throughout the seminar, he brought our attention to a table, where his “angry filmmaker” t-shirts, pamphlets, books and DVDs were on display for sale.

Nevertheless, certain aspects of Baker’s mission are worthy of consideration.  Most important is the concept that there is no sense in making a film unless people see it. Second, there is more than one way to distribute a film.  Ofcourse we all dream that our films hit the festival circuit, first premiering at Sundance followed by the usual big-leaguers: SXSW, Toronto, Telluride, Full Frame, Hot Docs, BritDoc, True/False. Then ThinkFilm and the like all scramble to pick up your film for theatrical distribution.  But few films garner that privilege, and there are plenty of films that receive their own level of success through a non-traditional route.

The following are a few notes I’ve jotted down on other distribution paths to take:

1) Sell DVDs yourself: This is actually easier than it sounds, especially these days with new self-distribution platforms like CreateSpace, which allows you to sell your DVD on Amazon.  You simply upload your film, including packaging, and it will be available for sale.  There’s no need to estimate inventory, as the DVDs will be produced as customers order them.  Your product may also be eligible for email and/or online promotion through the CreateSpace on-demand program.  The platform will take a decent cut of the sale, but it is still an easy way to get your film seen and make some money too.

Many DVD replication companies can also work with you to sell DVDs on demand, either through your own website or places like Amazon.  Kunaki, the DVD duplication company we used for our recent production, will duplicate, print and package your DVD on demand for the low cost of $1.75 (excluding shipping and handling).  Customers can order the DVD through Kunaki for the price you determine, Kunaki will pocket the production fees and shipping and handling costs, while you will pocket the rest. Good deal, no?

2) Educational: Documentaries tell stories, but they also teach, often in transformative ways.  Many of Ken Burns’ films were shown to me in my classes as an American Studies major at Georgetown to complement our traditional study.  And in my own time, I’ve continued to learn through documentary.  I knew little about the folly of the Vietnam War before being introduced to its number one player, Robert MacNamara  in Errol Morris’ The Fog of War. 

Think about putting together additional educational materials: discussion questions, background information, additional DVD footage. These materials could be sold together with the film.  Usually, “educational” versions can be sold for much more than a single consumer DVD, due to the fact that the film is being screened in front of larger audiences, usually multiple times.  

Contact Universities to inquire if their student activities organization would be interested in hosting a screening of your film.  They have budgets for these sort of events, and may even fly you out to attend a Q&A. 

3) Outreach: Non-profits are always searching for innovative ways to disseminate their message, and they are increasingly looking to documentary film as one way to do this.  Find a non-profit whose message resonates with that of your film, and contact the directors there about possibly tailoring the film to their outreach efforts.  Attend non-profit fairs, or connect with non-profits on  meet-up sites like Idealist.org.   

4) Television: Television stations such as PBS, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, History Channel, and HBO (to name the big ones) acquire a portion of their programming from third party production companies, rather than produce entirely in-house.  The competition is steep for these channels, and the requirements are strict. Watch each channel’s programming carefully to see how to tailor your film accordingly.  Make sure you have everything in check: broadcast specs, location and model releases, legal soundness.

Other stations that show documentary films include the Independent Film Channel, the Sundance Channel, Cinemax, The Documentary Channel, NOVA, Frontline.  These are just within the United States, but there are plenty of international channels that feature US-produced documentaries.  Channel 4 is one of the UK’s public television stations.  Here is their site for producers.

5) Online Distribution:  No, not youtube – the quality there is poor and you won’t make any money.  There are, however, online sites or channels that will showcase your film, with intermittent advertisements.  One example is Snagfilms, which also allows viewers to “snag” your feature film and disseminate it elsewhere, say, on a site that supports a specific cause aligned with the film.