10 Tips for Making Your Own Distribution Arrangements
When you are doing your own distribution, besides your other efforts to gain awareness and sales, such as setting up theatrical and local showings, entering film festivals, and contacting the media, you still need to set up sales channels through distribution platforms. Here’s a brief overview of how this works and the different distribution arrangements you might make.
1) A first step is to understand the different types of distribution platforms, where you can offer your film for sale. Often you can use multiple platforms, based on having non-exclusive agreements, whereas a distributor normally wants an exclusive for a specific territory or worldwide. These platforms include the following:
- Third-Party Aggregators. These are vendors who have arrangement with a number of Video on Demand (VOD) sales platforms, such as iTunes, Netflix, Amazon Prime, OverDrive, VimeoOnDemand, and others. Besides submitting your film and brokering deals with various VOD platforms, aggregators commonly take care of everything else, including encoding, packaging, and delivering your film to the digital platforms that opt to feature your film. They also reach out to the larger VOD platforms, such as Netflix, which have a low acceptance rate for films submitted by individuals or prevent individuals from submitting films to them directly. The arrangements of these aggregators vary from free and non-exclusive listings with a commission to a high fee to submit your film and no commission.
- Ad-Supported Video-on-Demand Platforms. These platforms include ads which viewers have to watch before, during, and/or after the film, unless they offer an ad-free subscription. Some examples of these platforms are YouTube, Hulu, and Crackle.
- Subscription Video-on-Demand (SVOD). These are platforms where individuals have a subscription such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Some new SVOD platforms include AT&T U-verseSM TV and Hulu’s ad-free streaming service. Users pay a subscription fee each month or annually in return for seeing videos without any ads. However, these companies are difficult to reach to pitch your film, unless you already have a few film festival awards or a large following on Vimeo or YouTube. But an aggregator can help you get in.
- Transactional Video-on-Demand (TVOD). On these platforms, audience members pay for each film they want to watch. The two options are Electronic Sell-Through (EST) and Download to Rent (DTR). With EST, the viewer downloads the film and can view it as much as he or she wants. With the DTR model, you can view the film through streaming for a limited period of time. Some of the platforms using this model include iTunes, where you get 70% and Apple gets 30% of the rental fee, and Amazon Video, which has a 50–50 profit split. Again, it can be hard to pitch your films to these services directly, but an aggregator can readily show its catalog to these channels.
- Cable Video-on-Demand (Cable VOD). In this case, premium channels, such as HBO, STARZ, and Showtime, buy the rights to stream your film to their subscribers. Cable boxes at hotels may also offer such videos. Again, it may be difficult to pitch to these cable platforms as an independent, unless an aggregator pitches this for you.
- Free Video-on-Demand (Free VOD). These are platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, where anyone can post anything when they have an account. These VOD services can be ideal for posting trailers to introduce the film, but not for making film sales. However, Vimeo does have a professional yearly subscription service for $20 a month billed annually where you can sell your film.
2) Learn what you can about how the distribution process works, so you know what to do and expect. There’s a great resource of articles that you can use to inform you: “72 Awesome Resources for Distributing Your Film by Jason Brubaker, published August 7, 2019 through FilmmakingStuff.com (www.filmmakingstuff.com/distributing-your-film). The articles on the Film Making Stuff site include titles such as “Three Tips for Digital VOD Distribution,” “The Entrepreneurial Filmmakers Guide to Self-Distribution,” “The Secrets of Successful Online Movie Advertising,” and “What Filmmakers Need to Know about VOD Distribution.”
3) If you want to get on the bigger online streaming platforms, such as Netflix, find an aggregator or distributor and work out a strong pitch that showcases the value of your film. You generally need an aggregator or distributor representing your film, since these channels prefer working with established companies. Also, it has become increasingly difficult for filmmakers distributing their own films to be selected, since Netflix, AmazonPrime, and other major VOD platforms are increasingly creating their own content and no longer want many low budget films. While they are still releasing independently produced films, mostly they are obtaining them at major film festivals, so considering entering the major festivals, and if you get awards, that will help you get accepted by these major VOD platforms.
4) Consider the major online film distribution platforms. They have links to video on demand (VOD) retailers around the world, such as iTunes, Google Play, and Netflix. They commonly offer non-exclusive deal, an opportunity to choose or limit your distribution channels, and even an opportunity to opt out whenever you want. They have varying fee and commission structures ranging from a substantial upfront fee and no commission to no fee and a commission of about 20%. Some of the services list their prices online; some don’t, and you have to enter information about your film online and then speak to a representative of the company to get a quote. These online platforms include both aggregators and those that are more like places to post your film for sale, much like publishing a book on Amazon or Kindle.
Check out the different terms and possibly place your film on different distribution platforms, especially if there is no or a low upfront fee to feature your film. The advantage of entering into an agreement with an aggregator is they can present your film and handle the logistics of providing the materials for accepted films to the VOD retailer. However, they generally don’t actively promote the films featured on their platform. So you have to help in creating awareness and promoting sales of your film.
5) Quiver Digital is one of the popular aggregators. It was even described as the preferred aggregator for Sundance’s Creative Distribution Initiative according to an article on Filmmaker Freedom.com by Rob Hardy: “The Best Aggregators for Indie Filmmakers in 2019. However, the service is expensive, since the cost is $1395 for the first film platform, and $225 for each platform after that, though you keep 100% of any revenues. Their website is (https://www.quiverdigital.com).
6) Walla is a service that is closely tied to iTunes. It guarantees you will get iTunes distribution within 30 days, and it will get you on other platforms, such as Amazon, Vudu, and Xbox in 110 territories around the world. The cost is $999 for the first iTunes territory, $49 for each additional iTunes territory, and $199 for the other platforms. Walla keeps track of your film’s performance across each platform, and it provides a step-by-step guide on how to meet the standards of every platform, along with information on the different territories available. Besides these upfront fees, Walla takes a 15% cut on the backend. So this platform doesn’t seem to offer a very good deal. But if you want to contact them, their website is https://walla.la.
7) FilmHub is a combination aggregator, distributor, and tech platform. The advantage of FilmHub is that you don’t have to pay any money upfront, and you can reach VOD platforms all over the world in addition to the small number of major VOD retailers, such as iTunes, Amazon, and Netflix, and it is not limited to the U.S. and U.K. markets. Another advantage is that FilmHub doesn’t have any upfront fees and takes only 20% as a commission for as long as it features your film, though in the long run, you might make more with a service charging a fee upfront and no commission. Still another advantage is that you can cancel the non-exclusive agreement at any time, and you can concurrently do your own distribution on other platforms. As FilmHub describes its service, it “allows filmmakers to upload your film for free, while streaming channels discover, order, and stream your work — worldwide. Once revenue starts flowing, 80% goes to you. No deductions or fees.” The many retail channels it connects with include “VimeoOnDemand, Amazon Media on Demand, Amazon Prime Video, Punchflix, Streampix, iTunesStore, and many more. For more details:http://www.filmhub.com.
8) JuiceDigital is another aggregator which has an upfront charge, and then you keep all of the revenue. Though this platform doesn’t list the costs online, Filmmaker Freedom reports that listing a feature film starts at $995, with subsequent platforms at $195, and no additional per territory or backend revenue share fees. As Juicepoint describes it services, it “distributes film and television content across the major digital download and streaming platforms worldwide,” including OTT, cable, satellite and telco distribution to over 1400 service providers globally. Its VOD retailers include Amazon, iTunes, Google, Hulu, Microsoft, Netflix, Sony, Vudo, and many others. For more details: https://www.jiceworldwide.com/distributors.
9) BitMax comes to being an aggregator from over 20 years as an independent digital supply chain provider with digital media management expertise. Now, with locations in Hollywood, New York, and London, it has distributed thousands of films and TV shows. Like other aggregators, it has direct relationships with major platforms, which include iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Hulu, Vudu, and many others. For more information: https://www.bitmax.net.
10) Vimeo on Demand is still one more platform. It starts with a Vimeo Pro subscription, which costs $20 a year billed annually ($240), and then there is a 90/10 split less the transaction fees, charged by American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and PayPal. Or if you sign up with one of the aggregators or have a distributor, they will offer your film to Vimeo on Demand like other video platforms they handle.
In sum, these are the major aggregator and online distribution platforms which make your film available to online retailers. However, with all of them, you still have to provide extensive marketing and promotion support to call attention to your film. Thus, if you are doing all of this marketing and promotion work, another possibility for self-distribution is setting up a film website or page on your website, where you sell your film direct to the consumer. Often you can combine sales on your website with sales through an aggregator with a non-exclusive arrangement. And if you are doing all the work and have a pay portal, it may be even more profitable to direct your promotional efforts to get buyers to your own website, aside from sales through other retailers.
In fact, that’s what Film Maker Freedom recommends after listing the best aggregators in its article on “The Best Aggregators for Indie Filmmakers in 2019.” As author Rob Hardy writes, “If you’re already doing the work to market your film, consider skipping this aggregator/platform model altogether, and sell directly to your fans.” Should you do that, he recommends using Gumroad (https://gumroad.com) as a platform for this purpose. Among other things, you can sell copies of your film for download or set up rentals where buyers have 72 hours to watch the film within 30 days. You can get started for free, and then the professional features for a listing are $10 a month. Perhaps combine selling there with selling on Vimeo on Demand and your website.
This do-it-yourself approach also has the advantage of building a target email list of people who like your work, so you can let them know when your next film comes out.
GINI GRAHAM SCOTT, Ph.D., J.D., is a nationally known writer, consultant, speaker, and seminar leader, specializing in business and work relationships, professional and personal development, social trends, and popular culture. She has published 50 books with major publishers. She has worked with dozens of clients on memoirs, self-help, popular business books, and film scripts. Writing samples are at www.changemakerspublishingandwriting.com.
She is the founder of Changemakers Publishing, featuring books on work, business, psychology, social trends, and self-help. The company has published over 150 print, e-books, and audiobooks. She has licensed several dozen books for foreign sales, including the UK, Russia, Korea, Spain, and Japan.
She has received national media exposure for her books, including appearances on Good Morning America, Oprah, and CNN. She has been the producer and host of a talk show series, Changemakers, featuring interviews on social trends.
Scott is active in a number of community and business groups, including the Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek Chambers of Commerce. She is a graduate of the prestigious Leadership Contra Costa program. She does workshops and seminars on the topics of her books.
She is also the writer and executive producer of 10 films in distribution, release, or production. Her most recent films that have been released include Driver, The New Age of Aging, and Infidelity.
She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco Law School. She has received five MAs at Cal State University, East Bay, most recently in Communication.