ANGELO J BELL First things first: I’m a realist. My American Film Market experience in
November 2010 would not have been possible had it not been for friendship, generosity and sponsorship. Thank you Tony Comstock of Comstock Films. The American Film Market (AFM) is an annual film industry event held at the beginning of November in Santa Monica, California. It’s reported that over 8,000 people regularly attend the eight-day annual event in order to network, to finance their feature film projects in development, to sell their completed films and to acquire finished films.
In this event the tern ‘elevator pitch’ comes to mind, as it is a fast-moving pitch catering to Type-A personalities, assertive salesmanship and even begging. To get an audience to watch you film you have to pitch. To get an audience to review your prospectus to finance a film you must pitch. To buy a completed film you must pitch to prove your company has what it takes to properly distribute the film and put cash in the filmmaker’s pockets; The more money the better.
Second things second. Here’s the thing: I suck at pitching.
So, a little later on when I mention how I pitched a film buyer my completed film Resurrection of Serious Rogers or the concept for, my epic fantasy Legend of Black Lotus, I want you to imagine a big burly black guy, passionately pitching...badly.
Got stammer and stutter? I did.
I preface this article with the above in order to convey an absolute truth: Neither my successes nor my failures were the result of crafty, shrewd, or eloquent pitching. No, such rare dessert was not on the menu. Whatever success I had was born of a finely honed idea that seemed to come across as sell-able despite flubs, stammers, stutters and restarts.
I came away from the American Film Market with twenty-five action items. Tis to-do list was a result of, 1) a meeting that was scheduled before AFM began, 2) a personal introduction or 3) a carefully planned popover aka the drop-in.
Scheduling: If You Fail to Plan You Plan to Fail:
Chat with a legitimate producer. That would be someone with a finished film. Everyone else is simply a wannabe – not that there’s anything wrong with that. But if you chat with a producer about his or her AFM experience and the response you get is less than exciting or hopeful, it's probably because that person did not plan properly. The un-researched AFM experience is akin to going grocery shopping on an empty stomach: everything looks good, even the stuff that's not good for you.
No film, script of prospectus is one-size-fits all. This probably goes triple-double for independent films where the film’s niche is integral to its
marketing. Attending AFM without having done research gives the false hope and impression that every distributor and every production company is
perfect for your film.
However, conducting just a modicum of research coupled with an engaging walk through the atrium and it becomes clear just how many distributors are not right for your film.
Above and beyond deciding what he wants as a producer, a filmmaker must also clearly define and understand what will be good for his film. Two things that come to mind are:
1. A film distributor who pays advances
2. A distributor who has a diverse selection of high, medium, and low budget films (Distributors often sell films as packages. If your low-budget film can be squeezed into a package of high and medium budgeted films you might be able to make some money)
About #1: In this day and age being paid an advance on your film is a rarity. Seriously, It’s like finding a unicorn in the Garden of Eden on the day the NY Jets win the Super Bowl. Once a producer acknowledges this she no longer needs to unilaterally dismiss any distributor who does not pay an advance. The absence of an advance is not a deal breaker.
In 2010, I was able to purchase a half-market badge. That is, I paid to attend the latter half of the market. With this purchase I was able to access
information about the distributors. I opted to attend the latter have of the market because I had good information (a source working at Starz
Entertainment) that most distributors focus on selling their films to buyer during the first half of the market. Deals are done. Paperwork is being signed. Now, they have set aside time to buy. That means they have time to hear your pitch.
The first day that half-market badge holders were allowed in I witnessed a ton of folks descend on the distributors and production companies like hungry wolves, nipping at everything in sight. Two minutes of research would tell if a distributor was there to sell, buy or buy & sell. Nevertheless, many people winged it and "No, I’ll pass!" became the phrase heard most often.
On the flip side, an appointment is worth its weight in gold. In order to
schedule an appointment a producer must introduce himself by sharing a link to a trailer or a clip from the film. He nonchalantly enters the suite and
states, "I have an appointment with so-and-so." Automatically he is perceived to have importance, more so than someone who is pitching a film that's
completely irrelevant to that distributor's needs. Networking Mystery Solved
As a filmmaker, have you ever heard or overheard someone say something like, "I met this producer at [famous production studio] a year ago and he helped me get funding for my film"? If you’re like me, you were thinking, “Wait a minute! How did you meet so-and-so?
At the end of my AFM experience I stood at the doors to the Santa Monica Lowes hotel holding thirty business cards from distributors, production companies and investment companies. That was thirty individuals, from Los Angeles, to New York to China, whom I'd met in the course of three days who had the ability to get films made.
AFM is one way to meet that producer who can help get a film cast and funded. It goes back to what I've learned from one of my mentors about filmmaking: Don't make your first film until you're committed to making your third film. I walked into AFM with two completed scripts and three film projects in script form.
I can only imagine how desperate I might have been if my success (and I use the term loosely) at AFM depended on a single film. In such a case, every "no" would sound and feel like the deafening slam of a door... right on my
manhood parts!
Instead, if the company didn't like one idea, I pitched another. And in the back of my head I was working out whether or not the company would also be a good candidate for script 1, 2 or 3.
Also, I always looked at the distributor’s or production company’s posters for their current films. The faces on the posters told me what actors they valued. Distributors assign rank to B and C level actors based on the actor’s
perceived international appeal. Appeal equals worth.
Examining posters from fully funded independent films is like cheating off someone’s test. I looked at their current films and immediately knew the answer to how to package (cast) my action thriller and sci-fi horror movies to make future deals more enticing.
Don't Do It Alone
Get help. There's courage in numbers. Attending AFM with a friend makes the experience exponentially more enjoyable and fruitful. If you have a business partner, bring them. If you have a filmmaker colleague with a project, convince them to accompany you.
Having a support system in place helps you get more out of the experience. You have someone to bounce ideas off. You have someone to pump you up to go into that room and pitch!
I had guidance, support and encouragement in place long before AFM started. I was lucky enough to have an inside man at AFM for real time guidance. Then, I was lucky enough to run into actress and fellow AFM neophyte, Karina. She and I teamed up to improve the experience of our journey.
Again I was lucky. My good-looking friend opened more doors and softened more hardened hearts than I ever could. Folks who likely wouldn't have given me the time of day suddenly became open to meeting me, as long as Karina
was at my side.
Karina joined me on some of my scheduled appointments and was able to exchange business cards and introduce herself to some big wigs. She had a short film she’d produced and shown on YouTube. Karina witnessed a part of the business that few of her actor colleagues have witnessed. In fact, very few filmmakers have experienced what she has experienced.
I showed Karina how to embellish her accolades by adding the phrase, "I hope to..." before her statement. This way, you sound as if you're actually planning to do the thing you hope to be doing. For example, she was a little anxious about seeing a particular distributor because she'd made an
appointment and then found out that the company does not accept short films. I suggested she say this, "I hope to start production on the feature film in early 2011."
BAM! It worked. Not only did the guy ask for a copy of her short film, but also they had a chat afterwards. He won't forget her, and when she follows up, she'll have made a significant contact in the industry.
I think Karina used the exact same strategy two or three more times with positive results. It works if you work it.
There's More To A Name Than U.S. Recognition
There's more to a celebrity name than the names we associate with big American made blockbuster films. Often we believe a certain actor hasn't worked for while because we haven't seen them in films released in the United States. Not so. The world is a lot bigger than the U.S.
A casual tour of AFM affords one the opportunity to look at actors who are working like crazy in international films. A decent distributor in an english-speaking European country knows what actor can help sell/market a film in that territory. Having that actor in your film makes things a lot easier. Many of these actors are easier to connect with than one might believe. Seeing all the faces, some familiar, some new, on these international films from the UK, Belgium, South America, Canada, France, China, and Japan made me
Oh, and if a producer considers making a horror thriller he should feel
confident in a ton of freakin’ insight to be gained from just walking the halls. He gets to see what's selling…around the world. Traditional horror is ebbs and flows, but horror thriller films with smartly written scripts and
interesting concepts (not gimmicks) always seem to do well. Follow-up Strategy
Success at American Film Market often starts after the market is over. Make a rough draft of all possible action items; include everything from general follow-up emails to sending links to films, videos, and trailers or proposals, and budget top-sheets. Some say DVD’s are dead; considering the cheap cost to encode a Blu-Ray disk on a MacBook I’d say, go for it!
However, I never send a DVD without a phone call or preferably an in-person meeting. Obviously, an in-person meeting is more valuable than an exchange of words over email. Moe importantly however, is the building bridges and networks through personal interaction. If the film deal falls through there’s still a useful contact in play.
For instance, I met with a production group from the UK. When I entered I immediately noticed the posters on the wall, i.e. lots of animation and kid films alongside some genre films. I'd scheduled a meeting in advance
regarding my action thriller. However, the wall art suggested she might be interested in my epic fantasy. After my pitch for the action thriller a DVD was requested. Then I launched into my very pitch for my epic fantasy martial arts love story, in the vein of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon meets Snow White and the Huntsman
Eyes light up.
I tell the associate about a Dutch company, which has already expressed strong interest in funding 50% of the film. I throw in a couple of references to the success of the live action version of Mulan (2009), made in China. I tell her I’ve investigated a 30% funding opportunity through co-production partnerships out of Hong. The biggest hurdle was First Money In. I tell her I know I can get 15-30% in production costs covered if I shoot parts of the film in China and used the services of a local production services company. Turns out the Hong Kong companies I spoke with earlier already have access to
those production companies.
I declined to mention that I had already met with a gentleman I call the "Harvey Weinstein of Hong Kong" and he'd offered to personally walk me through the process of doing business with China.
She asks my budget. I tell her. She says it seems kind of low. I refer to the ability to use CG for larger war sequences and shooting in ready-made sets in Hong Kong to save on construction and teardown costs. She asks my wish list. Been there done that. Michelle Yeoh, Ming Na and perhaps AngelaBaby, a HK pop star that was cast in a film opposite Chinese actor Tony Leung. Everyone else will be so-called unknown actors.
Heads start nodding. “Yeah, I know my shit and my strategy is legit,” I think to myself.
Ten Shocking Things I Learned at AFM
1. Very few distributors will tell you that your short film will never sell. Instead, they will say something like, "Um, yeah, wow, hmm,
see...short films are kind of hard..."
2. Regardless of what you've heard, distributors are not fooled by flashy trailers. A good trailer might get you in the door, but then they want to see a 3-5 minute clip of the film. In the future I will consider emailing a link to the trailer along with a 3-5 minute clip of the film I keep on an unpublished YouTube link.
3. Distributors don’t give a damn about your a short film… unless you are in production for the feature film version.
4. When you look at all the shit packed into these suites, and you realize that these folks have to pack and lug all that shit back to their offices at the end of the event, you'll realize that an email and perhaps a follow-up call will work better than leaving a one sheet or DVD, that will probably get tossed in the trash.
5. Thinking about making a short film to showcase your filmmaking talents and how well you can do with a feature film? Don't. Instead make a cinematic video presentation to go along with your prospectus and start looking for talent to attach to the project.
6. If you're a filmmaker (indie producer) and you're having second thoughts about owning an iPad, get over it. Buy one.
7. AFM isn't just about selling films. It's about making connections. I saw someone actually conduct an elevator pitch…inside an elevator!
8. Buyers want to buy. That is, they need films to buy in order to
sell/distribute and make money. Give them what they want, and they will buy.
9. If you don't know, ask. Someone will have the answer.
10. Producer meetings at AFM have one purpose, and that’s not to sell your film. The main purpose of the meeting is to get to the next meeting.
Above all else, when a filmmaker commits to attend AFM he must make a decision that is more important than any film. He must be determined not to walk away from AFM lamenting missed opportunities because he was too scared or too nervous to take action. In the end, people are people. It is time to focus on what must be done and to do that one must align himself with any and all people who want to help.
