As a follow up to the posts about TAAFI funding panel, I'm going to write a bit about the derivative sales from the film Requiem for Romance.
(Photo Credit: Grayden Laing / Canadian Animation Blog)
The funding of the production of the film was purely for production expenses. This means that everyone that worked on my film got paid a competitive rate comparable to their normal industry rates, while I the director/producer, took a much lower wage than normal industry rates, but it is my own project and therefore I retain more ownership of the project. This production model touches upon something that Hector Herrera mentioned on the TAAFI funding panel, whereby instead of asking for favours, you offer a paid contract in exchange for professional work and you can demand a deadline. So the production budget, pays strictly for the production of the motion picture itself.
Once the film is done, however, there are all kinds of other things to do with the film. Namely, touring the festival circuit, TV distribution, online distribution (including Film Annex of course!), DVD sales and other types of derivative artworks.
Some call it merchandising. Some call it derivative revenue streams. Some call it Jay-Z hustling out the back of a trunk. Whatever you want to call it, it's hard work, a lot of preparation and can also be extremely satisfying.
I've been selling at screenings in person for the last year, and am starting to accumulate significant revenues, little by little is has started adding up. And now, I have just recently set up the option to buy the DVD from my website. I sold my first online copy this morning and shipped it out.
What has continually surprised me is the interest from people in supporting indie filmmakers in this way. It allows for a certain amount of revenue to be made for the film and for the filmmaker, with the goal of raising funds for the next production. But it also helps to build your audience, by the simple fact that it allows film audiences a chance to take a direct piece of the film away with them. One thing that film festivals don't do well, is allowing the audience to take a tangible, physical piece of the film away to share with others. The top complaint is that audiences see a plethora of great films that they see at a festival, and want to share it with their friends and family. But they can't find it online, they might never make it to theatrical, and they find out it must stay offline for a year or two which by that time the momentum is gone, the fan base is lost. Let the people buy directly from you, whether it's artwork, prints, buttons, T-shirts, DVDs, whatever works for the concept of your particular film.
It's a common cliché that short films don't make any money, but is that really true anymore? I take pride in defying that paradigm at every turn.
