Cinefile

So you’ve made your film. You’re confident your film tells an engaging story from beginning to end. You also have a trailer for the film online. Heck, it might even play at an obscure local film festival. But more than likely, with the direction film festivals are going, it’s harder for your film to be picked up which means it won’t be playing at megaplexes across the country anytime soon. So now what? Close up shop and move on? Or is time to rally-up and jockey around and past the industry distribution gatekeepers?

Arin Crumley is part of the current wave of individuals who believe you don’t need to go through the gatekeepers to get your film playing on screens across the country. In his fervent speech at a recent DIY Days in New York City, he announced that the current distribution model for independent filmmakers is “fucking broken.” And it is. So Crumley and company have launched Open Indie, a website that gives you the opportunity to upload your film and then draw online fan support to get that film played in the city (or cities) that want it most. While the idea seems great (and its notions are vital), it’s only the beginning of a much larger revolution that needs to happen.

The fact is, we’re in the most exciting time for independent cinema—even if the market for distribution is tough. As discussed in this teaser for the upcoming PressPausePlay, creators (from the directors to the visual effects artists) need to become more aware of their potential reach. For a content creator to think that simply creating quality content is enough is futile. The notion of the mythic, secretive filmmaker is surely diminishing. The brave new world is here and with that announcement comes a much more informed, affluent audience that wants their product from the get go. So what does that mean? It means posting a blog entry about the film you’re working on won’t be enough. It means that filmmakers must come together and create a radical storm of thinking; a way to get their material to their targeted audiences with or without the traditional gatekeepers.

In his 38 Ways The Film Industry Is Failing indie producer Ted Hope (Human Nature, American Splendor) brings up a valid fault among filmmakers:

“Filmmakers don't own their audiences yet (and few even attempt to). What will happen when agents start to cut deals for their clients who have 1 million engaged fans, people who will pre-order their content, promote it passionately, and deliver more of their friends? There is a shift in the balance of power about to happen, and those that have prepared for it, amassed their followings, will be able to change the conversation significantly.”

Education. That’s the key. Filmmakers must lower their guards and share information with each other. The dialogue has to start now. Filmmakers need to connect and begin noting what internal and external strategies of exposure are working and which ones are failing. In plain terms, a site like Cinefile.com is the direct result of such an urgent need. Basically, if there’s going to be a revolution for indie cinema distribution, it needs to begin once you finish reading this article.

And then maybe us filmmakers--like Crumley urged in his DIY address--will eventually get mad as hell, and won’t take it anymore!