TO V.O.D. OR NOT TO V.O.D.

Yeah, yeah, I know. But the wait still continues. I promise, my very next post will be the aforementioned JERRY LEWIS opus.

This past week in Variety, Ann Thompson continues the discussion that my inaugural post introduced to the Film Industry Bloggers community. Namely, that of the state of the indie film industry, especially in terms of distribution.

Some of the highlights:

These days, any seller hoping to land a distribution deal at a fest or market like Toronto in September realizes that only a few lucky winners will land a seven-figure minimum guarantee from a studio specialty division.

(Let’s hope this doesn’t effect DEAD GIRL, an uber-cool new horror/thriller made by my boyz Trent Haaga and Gadi Harel that’s opening Toronto’s midnight section.)

She goes on:

But another set of indie distributors is still in the hunt for product. As Picturehouse’s Bob Berney deliberately builds the foundations of a new-model distrib, the indie sector is checking out several alternative distribution models. IFC Entertainment and Magnolia Pictures‘ video-on-demand/theatrical releases, for example, have proved so successful that more distribs say they will emulate them. And frustrated filmmakers are increasingly turning to customizable — but costly — service deals to execute their own release plans.

I’ve been advising low budg indie filmmakers the last few years to add at least another 50K to their budgets in case the dream scenario of getting bought at a major fest doesn’t come through. With 50K, you can do your own limited theatrical and can even buy some remnant media time to advertise on TV via DR (direct response/infomercials.)

Anne goes on to put the whole turkey sandwich in perspective. I highly recommend reading the whole article to anyone who cares about getting your movie seen.

In other news,

- This guy’s film reviews are great. Posted Saturday nights.

- Peter Bart advises us to stop making arthouse films.

- The Democratic National Convention’s this week! Bloggers on the scene…

 

 

THE END OF THE WEEK AS WE KNOW IT

I lied, unintentionally.  (The best kind.)  My Jerry Lewis opus will have to wait as I sip fruitjuice on an undisclosed beach for the next week.  And I promise– It is worth the wait!

Til then:

Variety’s Peter Bart reports

Agents tell me they’ve never had a tougher time negotiating paydays for their top stars. Upfront salaries are shrinking along with percentage slices on the back end.

Whoo-hoo!  Ya know, a lot of people in the industry say that it was the star salaries (and first dollar back-end grosses) that revealed the first major cracks in the American cinematic floor. (That and the lawyers!)

Jeffrey Wells over at Hollywood-Elsewhere (among others) takes the once-were-funny Zuckers to task for turning their talents to right-wing propaganda…

Speaking of which, I came up with a new way to frame the oil debate.

Oil is to the planet like blood is to the human body.  Take too much blood out of someone and what happens? They get the sweats, then the shivers then die.  It’s not “foreign” oil that we must ween ourselves from…  It’s OIL, period.

Try it on one of your wild-eyed pseudo-religious Cuncles at this year’s Labor Day beef ‘n beer.  Explain that Jimmy Carter tried his best by installing solar-panels on the White House roof, but caved and took them down when the wrong-wing freaked out that oil companies would get their feelings (and 70’s style record profits) hurt. Then they killed the electric car. Is it any wonder we’re in the mess we’re in? You’d think us “don’t take no crap” Americans would actually stand up to pressure by evil people. Nah. Well, at least at the same time all this is happening, technology has brought us to the point where we can all work from home (or that deserted island) anyway. Funny how things work out like that.  Thanks, God!

DIRECTORS BEWARE: The reign of the creative producer is back!

*Next Week: The day I punk’d Jerry Lewis in front of 600 people and the MSM, all for my filmmaker client

**********************************************************

What follows below can be considered a “rant” in blogger parlance. I ask for forgiveness in advance.

Times are tough and it’s time to tighten the leash. Some say it’s been a slow decline for American independent film, mounting for decades. I say it’s the directors’ fault. Yep, you heard me.

Surely other factors are involved, but mostly I’d like to lay the largest portion of the blame at the feet of those who normally have them kissed. And here’s why:

Starting sometime after Dubya-Dubya I, the “Director” gained an enormous amount of power, surpassing even that of the producer. Everyone started kissing his/her butt, from the stars to the studios to yes, even the producers. Once that happened, The Fall began.

Now don’t get me wrong. If the director is a Master, then by all means leave him/her alone and let the cinematic miracles happen. But there seems to be only a few masters of cinema in the world at any one time and just maybe every director under the sun shouldn’t be given the kind of autonomy that should be reserved for the Greats only.  (Oh boy, I can hear it now: “Well, someone has to be in charge, and well… he/she’s the director!”  Oi vey…  Puhlease.)

I’ve been on sets where the director was, let’s say, un-masterful…  Yet everyone still treated him/her in a way that let ‘em get away with cinematic murder, with million$ at stake!   How many movies made in the last 25 years could have been great but weren’t because no one was supposed to “get in the way of the director’s vision“?  Even 2 is too many, I say!  Give the money to charity instead.  Or buy real estate.  Or let your Cuncle put that dough in his SEP IRA account.

And so it ’tis, I now proclaim the reincarnation of the Creative Producer. Remember him/her? Probably not. Last seen during the Golden Age, when Sam Goldwyn made the calls on story and casting and David O. Selznick told the director what to do. It was such a simpler time (from what I’ve read.)

On a Goldwyn or Selznick picture, you can bet your prohibition whiskey flask most directors did not get to do a rewrite on the script, have final say on casting or final cut. I’m talkin’ way, way back when a director was a member of the team and not it’s messiah. Directors had to prove themselves to be treated like a genius– then maybe, MAYBE Sam or Selz gave them some leeway.

Instead, for over half a century now the conventional wisdom has been that “film is a director’s medium.“  Well, not in this millennium!  And before things get any worse, I solemnly declare:  “Film is The People’s medium,” ’cause without them, we got nuttin’.

Now, this new/old paradigm shouldn’t be confused with the “decision by committee” programs the studios and all the others in the kitchen cook up. Hardly. What I’m suggesting is that the power structure is brought back to a more harmonious balance.  The guy/gal who developed the property, raised the money and took all the risks in bringing the project to fruition is responsible for seeing it through beyond just hiring a director and relinquishing all the juiciest of production decision-making power.

If the property in question is initiated by a writer-director (run!)– or any manly/womanly Creative Producer will tell ‘em like it is before hopping on board, with a list of “I’ll produce this project IF this, IF that, etc.” Heck, make it a loooong list. And make ‘em sign it in front of a notary. Drive home this point: indie films’ standard Private Placement Memorandii [sic] split the equity 50/50 because “there is no movie without the money. And too bad for you, smart money doesn’t back auteurs.” (And stupid money loves the sexy stuff.)

CW also says if a producer does a good job in development and pre-production, then during the shooting he/she can can just sit back and relax by the monitor in video village.  Sure… Rest on your laurels and let the production manager take over complete control as “the money guy/gal” and give the director carte blanche to do what he/she will with the production. Smart.

How’s that workin’ out for ya?

(And yes, of course, actors, esp. “Stars” can be a pain in the tuckus, too. But at least they’re fun to watch most of the time. They’re also really insecure, therefore much easier to control in that Dale Carnegie way.)

Okay. Ranting’s done. I’m normally not like this. Really, ask anybody. In future posts I promise to go easier on directors, if I can help it.  But for those directors who read this and think to themselves, “Mental note: Don’t work with Keenan,” I’d just like to say:

“(insert name here), baby! You’re a genius! Let’s do lunch– Text meeeee…”

*Next Week: The day I punk’d Jerry Lewis in front of 600 people and the MSM for my filmmaker client

 

 

THE (CELLULOID) SKY IS FALLING!!!

These days, it feels like only a handful of American companies have cash on hand to finance feature films. (And I ain’t tellin’ who All over town, producer development deals are being dropped like John Edwards, even deals with bankable “name producers.” Gone at the drop of a, well… name. It’ s being reported that even The Hollywood Reporter’s going out of business. Sheesh.

“The future of American independent film is in Asia,” he said.

He’s a friend from India, formerly known as “Bollywood’s Bad Boy.” Educated at film schools in the U.S., he went home to Bombay and became a “name” director/writer/producer. He’s been prophesying the current state of world cinema affairs for years… And he thinks we American indie filmmakers are crazy for making films starring “white people.”

He asked me one day, “Who do indie filmmakers make their films for?”

“Duh–” I replied. “People.”

‘WHAT PEOPLE?!,” he screamed at me. “What people are gonna go see or rent some indie movie when they can see a studio movie with Brad Pitt?”

“Well, there’s plenty of people who love indie film–”

“WHO THE HELL’S gonna see your indie movie if you have white people starring in it? You’re competing against the studios! You’ll never win!”

I got quiet. The ‘ole Davey and Goliath moment does that to me. Then I heard the theme of “Rocky” inside my head and saw the great glimmer of hope– That all we need is that one shot, the bulls-eye, the sure fire hit… But still, I had to admit… For every indie film that does well, there’s thousands that go nowhere, losing people money (ie. depleting mom and dad’s retirement account, putting grandma’s mortgage in jeopardy or your life in danger ’cause whats-his-name wants his money back… NOW.) And on top of that, there’s something like 250 movies released on DVD EVERY TUESDAY, all fighting for shelf space. Then it dawned on me:

“Well,” I say, “maybe most American indie filmmakers are in fact making their films to attract the attention of the studios, sort of like an ‘audition’ for the big time… Ya know, to land that illusive 3-Picture deal.”

“STUPID!,” he goes on. “Niche markets is where it’s at! Put a gay guy in the lead, or a black dude– or better yet, a gay black woman!– Then you have a chance! There’s under-served audiences all over America looking for those movies. If investors make some money on a film, then more will invest in future projects.”

Ah, there it was: the century-old cinema question: “WHO is the audience” for any particular film? It doesn’t really matter if a film is groundbreaking, innovative, cool-looking and made by a genius– if there’s no target audience then it can only go so far, (like film festivals.) A “cool” film does not beget an audience. Lack of audience is lack of success. Who do we make films for? Ourselves, or other people? And if other people, WHAT other people? Everyone? Good luck. That’s what the studios are for with their bad scripts and special FX. So if not everyone, WHO?

Niche audiences, he says. Let’s see… We got hillbilly movies, urban movies, spanish-language, gay cinema– But how about movies for cat-lovers, working-chick sports flicks, gay black southern pride movies, little-people movies, films for the handicapped, films for the blind, you name it– the list goes on.

I once did some research on the “underground” Christian Market, evidently as punishment for some sin I needed to have absolved. Now they got it down. Although it’s near impossible to dig up the real numbers on the B.O. and DVD take on evangelical-specific product– all signs point to the fact that it’s a model that works. The “Left Behind” series and others, (if you can get past the end-times hoopla), some of which are made for around 20 million dollars, are “self-distributed” by the filmmaker-preachers and their disciples who show up every weekend to a 10,000 strong megachurch and play their movie on a jumbo-screen then unload DVDs after the service. Let’s see… 10,000 people at $20 DVDs… Every weekend. Hmmm…

Amen!

Next week: “DIRECTORS BEWARE: The reign of the creative producer is back!”

THE INDIE FILM PRODUCER

William Keenan spent 13 years in NYC making independent films before relocating to LA in 2003.   Once categorized as “the hardest working man at Sundance” by the Hollywood Reporter, Mr. Keenan was an actor, stuntman, writer and director before realizing that his greatest passion is producing.  He’s been an invited participant in numerous film festivals around the world,  as well as The Cannes Producers Network and The Sundance Institute Film Labs.