Most new filmmakers make short films. There aren’t very many venues yet that will buy short films and exhibit them commercially. So, most short filmmakers make films to “express” themselves and don’t worry too much, evidently, about whose material they’ve, ahem, stolen borrowed without permission (albeit unintentionally). Until recently, selling films was a remote outcome for these “expressions.” Consequently, it was important for the filmmakers to just get something done. Maybe they could get their work into a couple of festivals, show it to some agents, maybe. Then, onward to that feature!
But now there are more and more places to get short films out to a general audience, mostly via the Internet. And, as already noted in a previous post, Mini Movie Channel is paying upfront license fees. Even if fees aren’t being offered, the venues worldwide that show shorts do require that even a little short movie has to be free and clear (legal) to exhibit to their audiences. Otherwise they risk being sued. And nobody wants that.
Then why are a lot of new filmmakers stupid? Of course, we all know filmmakers aren’t stupid, but they’re coming off that way to a lot of folks in the industry because they’re doing stupid, lazy things that make it impossible to buy their films.
Hence, I’m beginning a series of posts that will address many facets of production that need to be dealt with in order to make a film you can actually sell. These are things you’ll have to pay attention to for the rest of your career, and they apply to anything you’ll make for any market whether it’s a feature film or webisodes. Once you exhibit anything, unless it’s in the privacy of your own home, you have to own it. “Own it” means you have all the clearances, releases, permissions, and contracts that prove you control the rights to sell/show your film.
Even though the new technologies have made it easier to actually get a film done, why not make one that can be seen by other people? And, heck, you might even make some money with it. The short film markets are growing.
NEXT: MUSIC DO'S AND DON'TS
But now there are more and more places to get short films out to a general audience, mostly via the Internet. And, as already noted in a previous post, Mini Movie Channel is paying upfront license fees. Even if fees aren’t being offered, the venues worldwide that show shorts do require that even a little short movie has to be free and clear (legal) to exhibit to their audiences. Otherwise they risk being sued. And nobody wants that.
Then why are a lot of new filmmakers stupid? Of course, we all know filmmakers aren’t stupid, but they’re coming off that way to a lot of folks in the industry because they’re doing stupid, lazy things that make it impossible to buy their films.
Hence, I’m beginning a series of posts that will address many facets of production that need to be dealt with in order to make a film you can actually sell. These are things you’ll have to pay attention to for the rest of your career, and they apply to anything you’ll make for any market whether it’s a feature film or webisodes. Once you exhibit anything, unless it’s in the privacy of your own home, you have to own it. “Own it” means you have all the clearances, releases, permissions, and contracts that prove you control the rights to sell/show your film.
Even though the new technologies have made it easier to actually get a film done, why not make one that can be seen by other people? And, heck, you might even make some money with it. The short film markets are growing.
NEXT: MUSIC DO'S AND DON'TS
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