Hollywood’s Star-Studded California Surety Bonds

This is a guest post by JW Surety, the #1 surety agency in the US. Here they take a look at the completion bond,a surety bond common in California that’s often needed for independent movie financing.

With May in full swing, it’s only a matter of time before summer blockbuster season kicks in at movie theaters. Most of the action-adventure-romance-horror-comedy-thrillers making it onto the big screen are made and produced by Hollywood’s giant studios.  However, every now and then a great indie film sneaks up and surprises audiences, outselling even the most widely promoted Vin Diesel sequel.

While studios like the “Big 6” (Paramount, Warner Bros., 20^th Century Fox, Touchstone, Columbia and Universal) have more than enough capital to withstand the risk of producing what could be the next big flop, smaller companies don’t have the same luxury. When up-and-coming directors or producers want to get a project off the ground, they generally have to look for outside backers and financiers. These investors, hoping to discover the next Napoleon Dynamite but preparing for the worst, will require a Completion Bond before they start signing checks.

Also known as a Guarantee of Completion, the bond assures investors that the producers will adhere to the film’s screenplay, budget and timeline. Though these bonds are issued by specialty agencies with an expertise in the movie business, they work essentially the same way as all other contract bonds.

Instead of evaluating a contractor’s financial and physical ability to complete a construction project, completion bonding agencies look at the track record of the film’s directors, producers, managers and cast to determine the likelihood of success. Producers with a track record of completing projects on time and on budget will have a much easier time getting bonded (and at a much lower rate) than those constantly making headlines for their on-set shenanigans.

After issuing a Completion Bond, the bonding company essentially takes over the production from an administrative standpoint, requiring regular updates and retaining the ability to hire or fire key personnel should the production fall behind schedule. In the most extreme cases, a Completion Bond company can seize control of a film and take over remaining work to complete the project.

Perhaps the most notorious example of this was Arabian Knight, the 1995 animated equivalent of Disney’s Aladdin. Canadian animator Richard Williams, who won an Oscar for his animation in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, began production on Arabian Knight in 1964, eventually gaining financial backing in the late 1980s. When his 1991 deadline came and went with no finished film in sight, the Completion Bond company overseeing the project seized control of the film. Williams, after spending 26 years developing the film, was removed from his position and replaced by another producer who completed the project in 18 months. An estimated budget of $24 million had been used to create the film, which returned less than half a million in revenue.

Fortunately, most film crews who have enough passion for a project to pursue independent financing are able to follow through on the contractual obligations to complete things on schedule. Completion Bond companies allow financiers to take a chance on smaller productions that could just be the next cult classic.

Just like the evolution in film and video technology which has allowed film makers a more accessible path to making films with lower cost, high quality cameras and digital media, there has been an evolution in distribution channels that now allows film makers greater freedom and an increased ability to get their films into the marketplace and exposed directly to audiences.

Here’s an example.  Ten years ago a friend of mine completed a 42 min.  aviation themed documentary.  It was designed for cable TV broadcast and the subsequent home video release.  So he got a distribution company to pitch it to the cable nets and searched for a DVD distributor.  In those days, other than those outlets, it was a dead end for a show like that.   We independents were very dependent on the  Gatekeepers of the marketplace—the distributors who knew the TV  buyers, and the TV acquisitions execs.  It was they who decided what would get bought and seen.

The companies that handled the marketing of my friend’s show eventually went out of business and the show went off the market.  Today, because of the unique role that Cinesouq plays, that show is back in the marketplace, and is being offered to video-on-demand sites, and has a chance to be seen by more people than ever before.

Today’s online distribution models:

Video-on-Demand (VOD): Video-on- Demand is a general term used for a technique that allows users to select and playback video content over a network including, but not necessarily limited, to the internet. The VOD concept is the evolution of the home video rental concept as pioneered by Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and those thousands of mom and pop video rental stores.   The user does not receive a permanent copy of the title. Playback of the title may be limited by a monthly subscription fee, pay-per-view, pay-per-day or other restrictions.

Electronic Sell-Through: 
Instead of buying a VHS tape or DVD the user purchases a permanent digital copy of the title allowing him unlimited playbacks.  The user downloads-to-own and stores the digital file in his collection.

The great thing about these new forms of distribution is that they are little or no cost to the film maker.  All  you need to get started is a master that the digital distribution site encodes to its server.  And some nice artwork is essential in listing the film in catalogs.  But the film maker doesn’t incur printing costs for posters or flyers.  Just email the artwork file to the digital distribution site.

Which rights do you need for online digital distribution?

Online distribution of audiovisual works is a new and independent exploitation method.  Traditional home video rights, broadcasting rights and/or theatrical rights are not sufficient to license the title to online distributors.  Now online distribution is a separate and distinct market.

So you are allowed to enter into an agreement with an online distributor if:

You are the original copyright holder of a title (author/producer) and have not sold the VOD rights to anyone else exclusively for an appropriate fee.

You have either bought the VOD rights specifically for an appropriate fee from the original copyright holder or you are licensed to exploit the VOD rights for an appropriate fee.

By Jeff Steele. The Wrap.

A producer recently inquired as to how much she should allocate to the producer of marketing and distribution (PMD), in her film’s budget.

Seriously?  Another producer title?!

While initially dismissive of that concept, I’ve actually come to terms with the viability and necessity of such a role, given the inability of most independent films to acquire distribution in the United States, which is mostly due to:

>> Prohibitively expensive marketing, advertising and distribution costs (if you’re not spending at least $25 million on a national campaign, then you probably shouldn’t spend anything at all).

>> An overall dearth of independent U.S. distributors (due to the high cost of marketing).

>> Studios shifting their focus to a few blockbusters and franchises, rather than indies.

It used to be quasi-acceptable to assume that in a film’s finance plan, that 20 percent of a budget would come from exploitation of U.S. theatrical, video, and TV rights.

Now the U.S. can only be reasonably relied upon for a $150,000-$250,000 “fire sale” price, for direct-to-DVD/VOD rights — regardless of whether the film was made for $2 million or $25 million.

With this measure of uncertainty in the air, it makes sense to have somebody at the producer level who is focused solely on developing and executing a marketing and advertising campaign, starting from the first day of pre-production, until the film is delivered to the distributors.

Most films have a unit publicist, who works on-set with the still photographer and a small video unit, to put together basic marketing materials like footage and interviews for DVD extras and press-junkets, all of which is necessary for facilitating the delivery of some standard/basic marketing materials for U.S. and international distributors.

The producer of marketing and distribution, however, would operate on a much higher level:

>> Creating and managing the social marketing campaigns (which start on the first day of each cast and crew member’s hiring, including the writer, director and producers).

>> Generating an overall marketing and distribution strategy and implementation plan.

>> Wooing investors who specialize in financing Prints & Advertising (P&A);

>> Making sure that key executives at every distribution company are aware and kept abreast of the project (building anticipation for possible acquisition).

I believe that an actor’s social media stats (the number of Facebook friends, Twittter followers and Linked-in connections, along with the overall frequency of social media activity) are as important as their head-shot, resume, and demo reel.

Agents and managers need to start including their clients’ social stats on resumes: this is as true for writers, directors, producers and actors as it is for cinematographers, production designers, grips and other crew members.  All of this falls under the purview of the producer of marketing and distribution.

Traditionally, this higher-level marketing strategy fell within the producer’s role. But speaking from experience, most producers are too mired in the daily demands of physical production, post-production and delivery to have the time and clarity to contemplate all the facets of a film’s marketing campaign, which means it gets put-off until the film is completed, which is way too late in the game.

Most indie films (of any budget) would benefit from having a creative producer, production producer, financing p[roducer, and marketing/distribution producer, all of whom report to the producer of record: the person who gets the “produced by” credit and all the accolades.

This may sound like a saturation and further dilution of the producer role/title, but it really does take a village to make a movie.

It’s also important that the film not be comprised of all generals, with no soldiers.

Independent films that don’t have the luxury of being backed by studios, mini-majors, or large production companies (that already have an internal infrastructure of creative, production, financing, and marketing executives and staff) will benefit in the long-run from the delegation and compartmentalization of these core producing functions.

It’s important to remember that each film is both a start-up company and an initial product launch.

Like a start-up, it has development and financing stages; and like a product launch has a production stage, marketing stage, and a distribution/retail stage.

If the CEO of a start-up claimed he could manage all the start-up and product launch phases by himself, he would be dismissed as too naive to run his business.

Yet most independent producers set out to do just that — then they wonder why the buyers weren’t interested and the film didn’t recoup its money.

So back to the initial question: how much should the producer allocate to the PMD?  The answer is: the allocation is inversely proportional to how inherently commercial the film is (at home and abroad).

Putting it another way: how important is making your investor’s money back?

You have completed your feature film and now it is ready for worldwide distribution. So how do you know what each territory sells for and how much do you ask and take on an all rights basis, or broken down into separate rights (TV, DVD, VOD).

That is where the Sales Estimates or Projections become priceless.

Two things to keep in mind, the budget of your film and the territory you are licensing it to:

1. Is it an ultra low budget, made for TV. Or a theatrical feature film
2. The territory itself, is it a major territory like Germany, or smaller territory like Thailand

Usually for ultra low budget films, most distributors from a major or small territory will license all rights of your film and will pay a minimum guarantee (MG) for those rights. There are small distributors in some territories who release titles straight to DVD so naturally they will only license DVD rights, but since the business have been changing constantly; the norm is that they will want all rights, and keep in mind this applies to U.S. domestic and international distributors.

If your film works for TV and you are dealing directly with a broadcaster then they will only license the TV rights, and in this case you license the other rights to other distributors.

If your film is theatrical, it is totally a different ball game besides the MG you will also share in the revenues generated from exhibiting the film in theaters.

Let us just focus on DVD and TV titles, nowadays it is very difficult to do a theatrical film without being connected to a major or mini-major studio and in that case, you would have those estimates from those studios prior to commencing production.

Here are the percentages of ask and take to consider when creating your pricing per territory.

Sample Sales Percentages for Filmmakers

These percentages of a feature film’s budget reflect prices recently paid by foreign distributors in key territories for licensing of all rights.

When adding pricing to your title on Cinesouq, you can utilize these percentages as a model to use, to determine what to ask for per territory.

Europe (West)

UK                                                          7-10%
France                                                  6-7%
Germany                                             7-10%
Italy                                                       4-6%
Spain                                                     3-5%
Benelux/Netherlands                    1.5-3%
Scandinavia                                        1.5-2%

Europe (East)

Russia                                 3%
All other countries       .5-1%

Latin America
All territories                  2-4%

Asia

Japan                                  0-5%
South Korea                     1.5-2%
China                                   1-2%

Others

Australia                            2-4%
India                                    2%
Middle-East                      2%
Turkey                                1-2%
South Africa                     1-2%

North America

USA + Canada                  20-50%

When preparing the initial asking prices, you should consider certain economic factors in some territories that can affect your final sales estimates.

For Example: Japan, considered by many to be the most difficult territory to license to nowadays, but also depending on the genre and budget of your film, Japan can be a lucrative sale, adding up to 10% of your budget.

If you have a completed film, you can approach us and we will evaluate your film and prepare accurate ask and take prices per territory.

The Cinesouq Team

E-mail: info@cinesouq.com
Tel (818) 734-7261

One of the most important marketing and sales tools when marketing a film, is the Key Art. Initially, it is the key art that draws the buyer’s attention, to make him or her want to screen the film, and potentially license it.

Cinesouq offers affordable solutions to Key Art, Movie Poster Designs, Sell Sheets, Title Treatment, DVD Cover Art and Packaging, Advertising and Marketing Campaigns, to help independent films gain the right exposure to succeed in the marketplace.

We will work with you to translate your vision from concept to completed keyart. Let our team of experienced designers create an unforgettable campaign for your project to give it the attention it deserves.

Call or e-mail us and we will work with you to capture your vision:

Tel (818) 734-7261
E-mail: info@cinesouq.com

There’s only one way for people to truly appreciate a film, and that’s to see it. When an artist paints a painting, or an author writes a book, it is with some thought or hope that other people will experience it in some manner. When you finish the post-production process on a film, the very next thing you have to do is screen it. This first screening might be a private one with just a few people involved in the film invited, or it could evolve into a more public screening where you can fresh perspectives on what you did or didn’t do right on the film. No one makes a movie that is not meant to be seen. It’s built into the nature of the medium, so ultimately, the screening or screenings of the film become more and more important over time.

Screening your film to distributors and other industry professionals is just about the most important thing you can do. This should be the first goal of any filmmaker who just completed a feature film, as it is the only way to get the go-ahead to get your film further out into the world. You want to screen it to distributors, because that’s the only way that they can fully judge the film’s merits, and decide whether or not they want to distribute the film. You want to screen it to industry professionals, because your peers, as well as those who are veterans in the film business, are the very people who may be able to help advance your career when the time comes. Word-of-mouth, or “buzz” as we call it in the business, is still one of the most powerful gauges of what is hip, cool, or commercial. You can attain this buzz from successful screenings, and continued exposure to your film or film’s branding.

Film festivals and theatrical bookings are great ways to showcase your film, or to premiere it to the public at large. With the popularity and regional prevalence of film festivals all over the globe, screenings and premieres at festivals have become one of the most sought after ways to launch your film’s presence and style to the international film world. Booking your film in a good movie theater, especially in a larger city, can also be a way to drive attention to your film. With film festivals, you can gain accolades, and with the movie theater, you can garner major press. The best is, of course, to do both, and expose your film to as many people as possible. Both of these tactics are important, but they can also both be expensive to the average filmmaker.

Cinesouq offers filmmakers a private screening room that can be accessed by anyone that the filmmaker wants, including distributors and sales agents. We take the fun part of a festival screening, with the exclusivity of a private show, and combine them to create a secure method to allow industry professionals to view your work in its entirety. Along with more sales tools, and a database of distribution contacts, Cinesouq puts your film front and center in a film market setting, where you can communicate with others, while garnering more and more attention to your film. We want to help you screen your movie to the people you want.

Cinesouq is your private silver screen.

© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

How important is your film’s official trailer? The trailer for your film is the most concise and commercial tool you have to utilize to create an impression with prospective buyers across all regions. Your films’ story, talent, style, and production value all have a chance to shire in front of distributors. If the trailer doesn’t deliver the maximum potential that your film offers, then you lose potential sales.

Here at Cinesouq, we believe that crafting a superb trailer that captures your vision and capabilities is one of the most important things you can present to a distributor. If your film is funny, it needs to make people laugh. If it’s scary, it needs to make people jump. If it’s an action film, it needs to be exciting all the way through. For every film and every genre, specific elements need to be on display. We can help you make the best trailer possible for your specific film and the niche it appeals to. Not only can we help create the ultimate trailer for you, but we can use it to market the film directly to the right buyers.

Please contact the Cinesouq servicing department to inquire further about our Trailer Cutting Services.

E-mail: info@cinesouq.com
Tel: (818) 734-7261

© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

There’s one word that hangs the heaviest in every filmmaker’s head, and that word is “distribution”. Let’s look at the definition of the word according to the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary, because the fifth definition of “distribution” explains it perfectly for the film world as “the marketing or merchandising of commodities”. Film may be an art form, and it may be a collaborative medium of expression, but at the end of the day, no matter what the film is like, it’s a product. A product is something that is produced. So, when a film gets completed, it is then the product of the hard work and artistry that made it real. Distributing it to end consumers or audiences is the primary goal for any production. The film distributor is the one with the actual means to make it happen.

It’s not easy finding the right distributor, but it can happen when a filmmaker is properly educated about distribution.  There are so many companies out there that release films. Distributors handle different rights, and distribute their titles in different ways. Some distributors release films theatrically, some only on DVD, while others are now only handling digital streaming or VOD rights. All of these are avenues for your film to get more widely seen, and are also ways to make revenue from the cinematic product you’ve created. Finding out how and what a distributor releases is essential to your search for the right distributor. If a distributor releases only family films, for instance, don’t send them your bloody slasher film! At the end of the day, it’s more than time and money that’s at stake. It’s also your reputation as a filmmaker.

Certain films are better suited to certain distributors. It’s no surprise that just like a Country/Western music company releases Country/Western music, or a Hip-Hop record label releases Hip-Hop music, film distributors are sometimes just as specific as their target audience’s needs are. Now, if your film is a Drama or a Comedy, you may have better or worse chances than films in other genres of finding distribution, depending on which distributor you’re sending your film to for consideration. The more information you’ve gathered on a specific distributor, the better off you’ll be. It will save you time and money to submit your film to the right companies, while avoiding the ones that are most likely going to pass on your film.

Wait, what does “pass” mean anyway? When a distributor uses the depression-inducing word, “pass”, in regards to a film, it means they’re not interested in acquiring that film. This can be due to various reasons. Most filmmakers immediately take it the wrong way, thinking that it means that their film is terrible, and will never get released. This is not true in the slightest. More often than not, the film did not fit into the genre categories that are working for that company at the time, or perhaps found the film to be too small or too big for their respective release patterns. What it does mean is that the film still needs to find the right home, and you might have to do more research to get it there.

The road to distribution is not necessarily an easy one, but it is just as important as the road to getting a film completed in the first place. Whether it’s a major studio or a smaller niche distributor, your film has to get to the right people for it to move ahead. Many filmmakers take this road on alone, achieving mixed results. There are, of course, filmmakers who did it all themselves, and get lucky, but most films need additional help to get released properly. This is where Sales Agents and Producer’s Reps can help you. They can strategize around your film, and get your film further down the road than you can imagine. Again, if you’re armed with the right contacts and information, you may just as easily be able to sell the film yourself, but like we mentioned before, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Of course, there’s no guarantee when you make a film that it’ll find distribution at all, no matter what you do. That being said, you’ll want to cover every base to give your movie the best life it can possibly have, whether it’s released theatrically, on DVD, via broadcast, or digitally.

Cinesouq gives you a launching point, and publicity-garnering mechanism to help you go straight to the source. We help you, by giving you the sales tools to help you achieve your distribution goals. Whether it’s the contact database that you gain access to, or the online screener that’s available 24/7 for distributors to watch, or the community of industry professionals that you can share information with… We’re making it easier for you to be truly independent, while spreading the word about your film to its prospective audience around the world. Find your future sales agent, producer’s rep, talent agent, or distributor, with the help of Cinesouq. We’re helping you market your film the right way, and giving you the foundation to do it with.

Every film needs to find a home. We Welcome You!

Cinesouq – The World’s Online Film Market.

© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

Cinesouq puts all the distribution tools in your hands and empowers you to market and distribute your films globally!

How it Works.

• Register with Cinesouq
• Create your own unique Profile Page with your photo, bio, resume, and awards.
• Create a Movie Page, fill out your contact info and the title’s information, upload trailer, add synopsis, cast and crew, key art and stills, reviews and awards.
• Instantly publish your title to go live for buyers/distributors, sales agents, and producer’s reps to see.
• Interested buyers will contact you through your private chatbox.
• You negotiate the licensing fees, terms and rights with the buyers directly. Upon closing a sale, you will draft the contracts and send to them for approval and signature.
• Upon execution of contracts by both parties, the buyer wires the payment to a bank trust account setup by Cinesouq.
• You deliver your video masters to our partner lab.
• The Lab manufactures the delivery materials, and collects the materials costs from the buyer.
• The lab ships the delivery materials to the buyer.
• The buyer has 30 days to inspect the materials.
• At the end of 30 days, the bank releases the license fee to you.

Cinesouq will not have access to the bank trust account nor to your video masters.

Cinesouq to democratize film distribution!

© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

Key Art Design

One of the most important sales tools when marketing a film, is the Key Art. Initially, it is the key art that draws the distributor’s attention, to make him or her want to screen the film, and potentially license it.

When you go to the video store, what compels you to pick a movie up off the shelf to look at it? Most likely, the box art.

Let Cinesouq create a marketing campaign for you that will help minimize your risk and maximize your returns, and get you the exposure your film deserves.

All of the examples of official key art displayed here are from our designers’ portfolios.

Imagine what they could do for you!

© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

The independent film industry is facing growing challenges in today’s marketplace. The world economy, piracy, the shrinking of the DVD market, the decreasing advances from the domestic and international territories, and the costs associated with releasing films have made it difficult for independent films to find distribution.

Even when the major studios overwhelm the market, there’s still a chance for truly independent cinema… That chance is Cinesouq.

Our Mission

Cinesouq to Democratize Film Distribution

To help independent filmmakers overcome the challenges related to the marketing and distribution of their filmed properties, to succeed and profit from their works utilizing the power of the internet and its vast possibilities, and to fortify our commitment to keeping the spirit of the independent filmmaking alive throughout the globe.

Cinesouq is a unique new publicity, marketing, and sales tool created for independent filmmakers by respected independent film producer and sales agent, Tony Kandah.

Forward-thinking Kandah launched Cinesouq in 2010, as The World’s Online Film Market, to face the growing challenges and fulfill distribution needs of the independent film world, by giving new films the opportunity to be screened (in their entirety) to distributors, sales agents, producer’s reps, and key entertainment executives everywhere in order to create “buzz”, and find distribution.

Filmmakers: Marketing and Licensing simplified.

With Cinesouq, you are in control of your film’s destiny. Not only do you get to showcase your film, but you get to promote yourself with your own profile page. We allow you to upload all of the relevant title and biographical data related to your project, along with the means to promote it from the site directly. Upon subscribing, filmmakers gain access to our extensive database of international distributors, sales agents, and producer’s reps, as well as viral marketing tools, industry-related articles, and tips on the marketing and distribution of your independent film properties.

Industry Professionals: You don’t have to travel the world looking for films.

Cinesouq brings films directly to your own computer screens, to view them in the comfort of your office or home. With a click of a button. you have the ability to connect with filmmakers to place offers and license titles. Our professional team will help you locate and access the hottest new titles that you most desire. Whether you’re a Buyer or an Agent, we want to help you in every way.

Feel confident knowing that Cinesouq is a service provided by Hollywood Wizard^†, a company which for the past 7 years has been serving the distribution needs of independent filmmakers and licensing films for buyers worldwide. Utilizing years of market research and field experience, we have developed a filmmaker-friendly program to bring multiple sales tools online to the independent film world.

_______________________________________________________

† Hollywood Wizard is a member of The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA).

© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

Filmmaking is not a lonely business. We may sometimes feel like the world is against us, or that we’re alone in our fight to create films against the grain of our day-to-day lives and challenges, but it’s not true. Hundreds, if not thousands, of other filmmakers and video artists, feel the exact same way. No matter what your budget is, or where you come from, filmmaking is a collaborative medium unlike any other. Even if you make a movie on your own with very little help, you still have some help. Even on the smallest production, you have to collaborate and work with members of your cast and crew. The best films sometimes have the largest casts and/or crews, but again that’s not the point. The point is you need a community of likeminded people to lean on when the times are tough. Sometimes it’s just inspiring to get an idea that works from someone else also.

Everyone is part of a community, even the greatest filmmakers came out of filmmaking communities and friendships with other filmmakers. When the independent film scene exploded in the 70s in America, it was because of tight groups of friends and collaborators. It’s no surprise that great filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola, and Ron Howard all knew each other. Thanks to producers like Roger Corman and Edward Pressman, the aforementioned filmmakers got to work within factory-like community environments, and subsequently made connections that lasted a lifetime. Even now, there are so-called film movements like the “mumblecore” trend in micro-budget moviemaking lately. Many of the prominent filmmakers in the “mumblecore” scene know each other, or even work together. Now, look at how far they’ve come… The Duplass Brothers, for instance, just released a new film called “Cyrus” starring Jonah Hill and Marisa Tomei!

No one lives in a vacuum. We exist in a social world, and that is precisely why social networking sites are so popular on the internet today. When you make a movie, you make it to share with audiences. Much like the advent of sites like Facebook, MySpace, and even LinkedIn, people are finding new and exciting ways of reaching out to new people, and re-connecting with personal and business contacts all the time. This is all great, but what about something catered more specifically to the needs of active filmmakers out there. Yes, that means you…

Cinesouq is making social media a reality for filmmakers and entertainment industry professionals, in general. We want to connect you with one another, while also opening up the doors to distribution, talent representation, and much more. Utilizing a Community approach, we’re bringing filmmakers closer together. It doesn’t matter if you’re in New York or Paris, or whether you language is English or Japanese, it’s all fair game. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to have a place where you can reach out to distributors from everywhere in the world, while also building relationships to other film professionals in just as many places? Of course it would. That’s why we’re here for you!

Let’s make the world a slightly smaller place with Cinesouq.
© Cinesouq 2010 . All rights reserved.

Film Marketing 101

You start with a script of some sort, and you end up with a finished product after you’ve shot and edited your project… That’s how it works, right? Well, only sort of. You’ve just slaved away for the past few months or years to create your commercial or artistic masterpiece, and now you feel like you’re done. The movie is now on a disc or on a hard drive or a tape, and you feel a great sense of accomplishment. You deserve to! You just completed a monumental task that most people can only dream of accomplishing. However, your mission is far from completed. You still want people to know about the film, and you need to get it out there. So many avenues present themselves as obstacles with little to no assistance available to help you attain these future goals… Films festivals, distribution, press, representation, and much more… All of these things (in no particular order) are the real necessities and destinations for both your film and your career. So what do you do?

Just like every good screenplay starts with a solid concept and outline, every finished film needs a good strategy to get it seen, heard, and talked about. The traditional approach would be to hire someone, either a Marketing Producer, a Consultant, or even an Entertainment Attorney early on in production to advise you on which way to proceed. This is an expensive and time-consuming way to go about it though, and it leaves some low-budget productions and filmmakers scratching their heads. The only real way to do it inexpensively is to do everything yourself, but this too can be an overwhelming undertaking. Ideally, independent filmmakers need a home-base or hub to host their film to actively promote and publicize their films. If your film is listed in the Internet Movie Database, and has its own website, then you’re off to a good start… But it’s not enough.

Every film needs a powerful online presence with the capability of getting the word out, while also targeting respective distributors, agents, and film fans alike. Your film’s official website is helpful, because it allows you to mold a look and feel that represents your film stylistically and thematically. The film’s listing on the Internet Movie Database is also helpful, because it gives your film legitimacy by allowing people to find more information out about your cast and crew. These two tools are very important, however, once again, they do not handle the needs of festival programmers, film reviewers, and most essentially, distributors, agents, and producer’s reps. These are the people that you NEED in your court to get your movie out there in the widest and most successful way.

Cinesouq was designed with your specific needs in mind, as we took the time and know-how to engineer a site that allows filmmakers to centralize their film’s information in a virtual film market environment. Like the big international film markets, Cinesouq, allows buyers (i.e. film distributors, broadcasters, and sales agents) to study your film, and make offers on it. This revolutionary new service we devised not only allows them to find all of the relevant information and links necessary to convey your message, it also gives you the essential strength that you most desire… A way to showcase your entire film in a private screening set-up, that enables prospective buyers to watch your film from anywhere in the world. Unlike sending out DVD screeners, the Cinesouq screening process is secure, watermarked, and Flash-driven, to insure that the film is not bootlegged or stolen.

We want to help make your marketing dreams come true. The ultimate goal is in sight, and we have our eyes locked on it for you. We give you a place to put everything you can think of, from your key art and stills to your filmmaker’s bio and much more. We also empower you with a live chatbox that gives you the opportunity to get into discussions with entertainment industry professionals directly from your own profile page on our site. Interactivity is the key to our mission, and we want to make it as easy and inexpensive as possible for you to establish and maintain your film’s presence in the film distribution world. Our service is non-exclusive, keeping you free to do what you wish with your film, from representation to releasing. We just want to give you the extra support you need to take your film to higher ground.

The Entertainment industry is at your fingertips!
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