Guerrilla Filmmaking

IFP FILM WEEK COVERING: Connect with your Audience. Exclusive Interview with Charles Choi & Tom Hicks, Founders of caachi.com

Charles Choi and Tom Hicks are entrepreneurs with a background in computer engineering, radio and theater.

About a little more than a year ago they launched caachi.com a place that allows independent filmmakers to sell their undistributed films to a wider audience.

Now, what makes caachi different from any other online distributor?, something called the Vidget, a video widget that allows, pretty much everybody to become a sales agent for any good film.

Let's face it, for years we had been watching short films for free on youtube, after some of those films you totally feel that you would be willing to pay something because the film was really good, right?, in the other hand there's a lot of horrible pieces, you feel they owe you money for the waste of time. Now with the Vidget you can avoid those terrible films, you just see which films your friends are supporting, you know your friends' taste, so if they are displaying the Vidget of any particular film is because that film is interesting! you can even ask them if is worth to buy... so you buy it, you loved it and you display the Vidget of that film too. You become part of that filmmaker's audience while you see something that make you happy, everybody wins! Plain and simple, is digital word of mouth or another form of viral marketing. Do you want to know how the Vidget would save independent filmmaking?

In this interview we talked about the future, and the future is to cut the middle man (The Big Distributors) and take the wheel of your success getting directly to your audience, well, caachi is a great way to start building that audience.

The Mini Interview

LIVING THE DREAM: Exclusive interview with Scilla Andreen, CEO of IndieFlix

Scilla Andreen is a mother, a filmmaker, CEO of IndieFlix.com and an active member of her Seattle community. Yes, in that order, that’s how I figured she’s a good mother, she put that title first: Mother.

But let’s talk about a broad meaning, we’re talking about a person that treats every project as a baby, she nurtures it, feeds it, watches it grow and then feels proud of it. IndieFlix is 4 years old and as Mozart did, is making the difference since the early years. It’s not only a distribution company it’s a distribution experience.

She’s very passionate about her life at this moment, she sounds really happy and she’s decided, along with her partner Carlo Scandiuzzi, to make IndieFlix the link between the independent filmmaker and their audience. They recently announced their deal with all the major online distributors such iTunes, Netflix, Joost, Hulu, Vudu & Tivo.

This is a long interview, almost an hour, but every second is worthy. We talked about numbers, pay-per-view streaming, DVD Distribution, Digital Distribution, Non Exclusive Rights and her latest adventure IndieFest, among many other things.

The Interview.

IFP FILM WEEK COVERING: DIY Theatrical Distribution

• As audiences for films become more segmented, how can filmmakers work directly with art house and alternative venue programmers to showcase their latest content and bring audience back to the theatres? This session will bring together DIY filmmakers and programmers to discuss what works best to market, position and program independents films in art house theatres and alternative venues to maximize financial impact for both parties.

"The old model is broken, but it's still in place and the new model it's not fully functional" this was the conclusion of Wendy Lidell, president of International Film Circuit, in other words, we're in a moment of transition where the filmmaker, specially the guerrilla filmmaker, it's in absolute control, because the studio executives and the indie filmmakers don't know how to confront the new model, but for us nothing has changed, on the contrary, we have more resources.

The panelists: Karen Cooper, Director of the Film Forum, Ned Hinkle, Director of the Brattle Theater, Cynthia Swartz partner of 42 West PR and Cora Olson, Filmmaker. Brilliantly moderated by Mark Elijah, Founder of Rooftop Films.

Highlights of the panel down here

IFP FILM WEEK COVERING: No Budget, No Problem

• How can filmmakers utilize new technologies to get their next project budgeted, developed and completed for less time and money? Hear how filmmakers around the world are actively using new technologies and innovative cross platform collaboration for creative and financial gain to get their big ideas with small budgets off the ground and out to global audiences.

My favorite quote from the panel was "Technology is no substitute for craft" by Bryan Poyser, the rest of the panel was conformed by Barry Jenkins, Todd Rohal and Melissa Scaramucci, it was moderated by Gabe Wardell, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival.

All the filmmakers agreed that the best way to start is starting! Bryan Jenkins said "Film is like a sport, you need to train to be good, and the only way to train is making films".

Funny how this entry is totally in the same line of yesterday's interview.

Here the highlights of the conference, boost the volume, I was kinda far.

BECOME AN EXHIBITOR: Join the revolution, The Brave New Theaters

I am still in shock for this magnificent idea, I'm still processing how a guerrilla film can open in thousands of screens outside the system, and the answer is right there in front of our eyes: the people.

I need to interview these guys, I'm working on that, but in the meantime you can watch the video or reading The Pitch.

With the platform of The Brave New Theaters (TBNT), you can become an exhibitor, you can host a film party for you and your 8 friends in your living room, or you can go to your closest library and ask the director if they would be interested in projecting a movie for the community around your neighborhood.

Well, a lot of people did that, actually more than 7,000 so far. Right now, filmmakers have the chance to take destiny in their own hands thanks to this innovative way of distribution.

Stay tune I will bring more in depth information about  TBNT soon.

HOW TO GET YOUR GUERRILLA FILM IN iTUNES without getting absolutely crazy!

Apple is totally indifferent to your needs, I tried everything in order to get in touch with someone capable to explain me why is virtually impossible for a single filmmaker to sell his or her movie on iTunes... I'm still waiting for the answer. 

It was frustrating, I mean, I own a Mac. I use Final Cut. I have an iPhone and an iPod, but it's ok I'll try to explain how to avoid my frustrations.

So let's get into business! It's not that easy.

Guess what? Your worst nightmare: you need a distributor! if this is a turn off try the interfaz of CreateSpace to sell your film through Amazon Unbox, the first runner up on Video Downloads.

If you still want to sell or rent your film on iTunes here is the list of digital distributors for Guerrilla Filmmakers...

COMING SOON on your nearest computer

There's some places that buy your films to show them on the web, and even there are some distributors trying to get those films to the right site, Cinetic Rights Management and Fear Net are some of those independent studios, they are dedicated to assessing the universe of licensing opportunities in order to maximize revenue on behalf of filmmakers. They maintain up-to-the-minute relationships with and knowledge of all digital retailers, from the large portals serving the broadest audiences to the small sites serving deep niche interests. Somebody said niche? Guerrilla Filmmaking it's one of the biggest niches, so filmmakers, hands on!

I personally think that distribution is changing so quickly that we better learn as much as we can how to shoot for the web, as you cann see on the picture, even Rosario Dawson has her own web series via hulu.com here you have some tips on how to do it, at the end of the post, a list of this new exhibitors. 

INDIE FILMS CRISIS? IT'S BULLSH*T! Stop the whining and Self-distribute

A few posts ago I started smirking while I was reading all this news about how indie films are in crisis, the reason is simple, now more than ever, the Guerrilla Fillmmaker has all the weapons to have a prolific career and live out of making films. Not that I'm happy about the Indie Film future, I just think it's a storm in a glass of water. A few years ago when all the big studios started to open independent divisions (Fox Searchlight, Warner Independent, Focus Features...) everybody was saying how the independent films were going down since they were not independent anymore, they were studio controlled too. Now that all that divisions are closing, there's another crisis because they are closing them?

Creativity, Uniqueness, Vision, Voice and very Low Budget

Reading the post from established screenwriter John August about his experience loosing his virginity, as a Director with the film The Nines: Sundance, The Nines, and the death of independent film make me smile, it was not a traumatic experience, maybe because since a few months ago my mindset as a screenwriter has been changing , or migrating to a territory called Guerrilla Filmmaking.

After reading John's post, I was more than convinced that maybe Independent Filmmaking is in a crisis, but Guerrilla Filmmaking (which is independent too) is not! Actually this is a perfect moment to do it...

Netflix close down Red Envelope Entertainment, its Theatrical Acquisitions and Production Division

...via indiewire

In its short life ( 3 years), Red Envelope acquired 126 films, including the Golden Globe nominated Sherrybaby, co-produced a slate of movies for IFC TV (including Kirby Dick's This Film is Not Yet Rated) and partnered on theatrical distribution for such micro-hits as 2 Days in Paris with Samuel Goldwyn, No End in Sight with Magnolia Pictures, The Puffy Chair with Roadside Attractions, and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days with IFC Films.

Due to changing marketplace conditions and the natural evolution of Netflix, according to Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the company decided it was time to move on. "The one thing we learned this year is that there's no shortage of produced movies and there's no shortage of money for viable projects," Sarandos told indieWIRE last Tuesday. "The best role we play is connecting the film to the audience, not as a financier, not as a producer, not as an outside distributor or marketer."