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2 ACADEMIC DIY It’s not what you think it is!

3 AGENDA 1.The new business environment of selling your film and the problem of approaching it 2.How I approached it… my background – how I come to know this stuff 3.My main take-aways for today plus more on the differences between academic DIY and other types of distribution

4 4.An overview of the nuts & bolts of academic DIY 5.Selling to public libraries and specialty markets 6.Q & A - hold your questions until I discuss the topic in the agenda or pass them forward on 3x5 cards

5 The New Business Environment Do I Really Have to Distribute My Own Film?

6 Main Types of Distribution 1.Theatrical & broadcast 2.Sales through social media 3.Catalogue distributors 4.Advocacy and Interest Group DIY 5.Academic DIY

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9 Sales through social media

10 Social media purchase points

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12 “Earth Keepers” distributed by Icarus Films Distributor: 80% ($238.40) Filmmaker: 20% ($59.60)

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14 Academic DIY

15 MY BACKGROUND

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17 MY MAIN TAKE-AWAYS FOR TODAY

18 What is Academic DIY? A traditional target marketing approach used to create a website that will sell your film to academic buyers. How much can you make? $150-$400+ per DVD Public Performance License + the physical DVD

19 You will act as your film’s publicist instead of putting it in a distributor’s catalogue. NO blogging or social networking required. It’s NOT where films go to retire, and will probably be your best, most consistent, and longest-lasting form of revenue.

20 CAN YOU REALLY SUCCEED? YES ! It is possible to make $25-30,000K/year or more per film for several years. This depends, though, on your film’s educational value more than film quality, grassroots interest, or commercial appeal. And on your ability to “market” your film like any retail product to the correct target market.

21 Aggregating a fan base is not necessary, though, and could work against you. (More about that later). Correct pricing is key. Documentaries only? No, but the majority are because of their educational value. Less than 60 minutes preferred.

22 WHAT IS YOUR TIME AND MONEY COMMITMENT? About 40-80 hrs. to launch your “platform”, i.e. target your audience, position a correct website, get the right quotes, and choose the right education lists. About $500-1000 to get up and running, then $0 to $5000/year for lists.* The rest is the sweaty labor of putting your film in an envelope and taking it to the post office! * These are your costs and do not include consultant fees. You may or may not need help. My fees are on your hand-out.

23 WATCH OUT THOUGH! Academic DIY is very different from other forms of film distribution. If you don’t know the difference, you could sink your ship before you’ve even started.

24 Self-Defined Buyers v.s. Targeted Buyers Sales through Social Media and Catalogue Distributors Academic DIY Grassroots & Special interest Main focus: Draw buyers to your website Information is general Decision to buy is self-selective Main focus: Pre-select buyers Use custom advertising

25 EFFECT ON MARKETING & WEBSITE DESIGN Social Media Use social media to draw potential buyers to your blog and complex website. Build your fan-base until they buy, rent, or stream for homesale price or for free.

26 EFFECT ON MARKETING & WEBSITE DESIGN Catalogue Distributors: Buyer finds you in a catalogue Film is spotlighted for a determined time. General advertising, not based on academic discourse Some search for targeted buyers from some distributors using education lists. Share your academic revenue.

27 EFFECT ON MARKETING & WEBSITE DESIGN Academic DIY Search for targeted buyers with custom advertising and e-lists. Website is streamlined and to-the point, based on academic discourse. Film is sold as long as buyers buy Revenue shared with no one.

28 The key to academic DIY = Effective target marketing

29 Target marketing is based on positioning WHO ARE YOU?

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32 WHO AM I? RESEARCH & POSITIONING

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38 The nut of succeeding at academic DIY is CORRECT POSITIONING Who are your primary and secondary markets? What are your selling points? Make the match, and you have a sale!

39 THE THREE STAGES OF ACADEMIC DIY 1. Research & Positioning Find your primary and secondary markets Understand selling points Get academic endorsements

40 2. Platform Development Design an “academic website” Cut trailer or use 60 sec. clips that support selling points Price your film correctly Write an email cover letter Write an effective subject header THE THREE STAGES OF ACADEMIC DIY

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44 PRICING

45 Create a sales strategy based on your film’s value. This is an estimate of my film’s value. Judge the value of your film honestly

46 PRICE YOUR FILM FOR ACADEMIC/SPECIALTY SALES Price = DVD price + public performance license ($150 - $400+) Find comparable films for content, length and quality on several academic distributor sites, and price accordingly.

47 “Don Don War” distributed by New Day Films

48 “Harassment” distributed by Employee University

49 “Judy Chicago and the California Girls”

50 BE CAREFUL, THOUGH!

51 From a discussion on COLLIB-L the American Library Association discussion list of college librarians. "You can engage in workaround practices, by using a 3rd party vendor to buy the copies you need, or you can arrange for the home use only copies to be purchased by a staff member, who you then reimburse. These practices are legal, and the copies are legally (if not ethically) acquired."

52 www.crookedbeautythefilm.com

53 www.crookedbeauty.com

54 Cover Letter and Subject Header Write a clear, quickly readable letter that highlights the main points of your website and encourages readers to click on the link. Don't say everything in the cover letter. Think of it as the "draw". Your goal is to get the reader to your site.

55 Cover Letter and Subject Header Subject Header should be concise and highlight primary selling points NOT YOUR TITLE. Example: “Historic Judy Chicago DVD highlights early performance art, Ti-Grace Atkinson”

56 Tone Keep the tone in all your materials straight-forward and non-Hollywood. Academics are allergic to Hollywood!

57 3. Deployment & Follow-up Buy correctly targeted education lists Look for other ways to publicize to your market Best calendar dates for academic campaigns Launch, tweak, and repeat – Track your sales and profit! THE THREE STAGES OF ACADEMIC DIY

58 Ways to Find Your Buyer Start with your toe in the water & build confidence. Subject Specialists (free) Independent list sellers ($) Commercial list sellers ($$$)

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67 Best Calendar Dates Max 3 campaigns per year

68 Track Website Traffic, Sales & Profit

69 Conversion rate Percentage of targeted buyers making a purchase General Rule: Around 1% is good Above 1% is excellent Below one percent: adjustments needed Draw conclusions only based on long-term data.

70 SELLING TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES Price: $20-$40, more branches Subjects of broad public interest Similar list providers

71 …AND SPECIALTY MARKETS Brainstorm all applications. Alter cover letter/subject header as necessary.

72 YOUR JOURNEY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

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74 Put your toe in the water. Begin!

75 Services NewFilmMarketing Offers Marketability Analysis & Report Coaching to Construct A DIY "Platform" Full Services A Combination An Academic Portfolio to Support Fundraising

76 Q & A

77 Networking Lunch Today at 1.30pm El Cholo Restaurant 1025 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90401