Liz Manashil Film Distribution Post-Pandemic Film Industry

What about festivals? Will major festivals closing down or going digital affect film distribution? 

There have been quite a few major festivals that have decided to cancel, postpone a year, or occur virtually. What I do love about what is happening is that we’re shedding light on how acquisitions actually happen. Sure, a fun post-screening cocktail party and a standing ovation at your premiere can influence the sentiment of an audience or a buyer… However, those things do not guarantee a pick up. Films are still being acquired in spite of the festival world not being at full capacity.

A lot of filmmakers in my network had their hearts break when SXSW cancelled their in-person events. We all want to premiere our films to an audience that will embrace us, and the presumed success feels more tangible when you are in the room. But let’s look at the bright side: You just saved on plane tickets. You can use that money to retain a publicist and get the film some recognition in the press. The laurel itself, as well as the press release from the festival, may be enough to entice representation to track you down to find your film. The thing is, most agents will find a way to see your film, or will look into you (if you are unrepped) at the announcement of your film in a festival program. That logline goes a long way, as does the rumor mill. So, although buyers like to gather, travel, and party, none of these things are required to keep the marketplace going.

Also read: The Best Online Film Festivals of 2020, Presented by FilmFreeway

So, I encourage you to be available and easy to track down online. If you are in the festival world, put your contact information on IMDbPro. Have a website and share your email address widely. Be on social media and set up notifications (if you’re not a social media nut) so you know when people are trying to contact you. Because you can’t be approached as you exit the festival stage post-screening, make it easy for distributors and reps to find you on the internet.

All that said. I want to acknowledge how unsustainable many festivals are — in spite of the pandemic — and suggest a path forward.

It has long been known that festival staffers are working insanely long hours for low wages — all for the love of indie film. Festival infrastructures are built on a spine of volunteer laborers. Similarly, we’re learning that filmmakers are having a hard time deriving their entire income from their films. Filmmakers who pay to submit their films receive no cut of the ticket price for festival screenings, nor do they receive data on the people who enjoy their films. Sure, there are screening fees, but these do not go to the mass majority of films selected. Filmmakers are not motivated financially to sell tickets or market their appearances at screenings. There are very few festivals where laurels are valuable to distributors.

Filmmakers should be deriving value from those “lower tier” festivals through ticket sales and coming together with a community of film lovers through attendance, Q&A’s and eventizing their screenings. Please note I feel like a horrible human referring to festivals as higher tier and lower tier. There are many festivals that may not be seen as “top-tier” whose staff, curation, and organization are top-tier of our hearts. However, there are traditionally only a few festivals that buyers see as valuable in terms of acquisitions.

Arthouse theaters, like film festivals, are also suffering (and of course suffering even more during this pandemic). There are efforts for filmmakers, exhibitors and festivals to all work together to help make the merger of art and commerce more sustainable in this community (and especially during the pandemic). Perhaps this is the time where we are all able to see the dire need to keep festivals and arthouse theaters alive and can work together to do so.

Liz Manashil Film Distribution Post-Pandemic Film Industry

(L-R) Speed of Life actor, Kimball Farley, writer-director Liz Manashil, and 1st AD Haley Lannon. Courtesy of Liz Manashil

I’d like to suggest that we involve filmmakers more directly in the revenue streams of festivals. My hope is that if filmmakers get a cut of the ticket price, they will be more motivated to market the events — even more than they are already doing. Perhaps the increased interest can help support the staff with higher wages. Perhaps there’s a way for arthouse theaters to communicate more directly with indie filmmakers who are interested in theatrical runs. Right now the process is fairly oblique to those who have not booked before.

Additionally, if virtual events manage to capture the attention of festival filmgoers, perhaps there is a way to involve filmmakers in the marketing process of those as well. Which leads me to…

What is the value of a virtual event? What is happening to semi-theatrical? 

I work at an impact distribution agency called Picture Motion. Focusing on grassroots screenings, our model (with a few exceptions) was traditionally getting people in a room to watch a movie, build community, and encourage people to take action (inspired by the film) to make the world a better place. So when the pandemic happened, we pivoted. We’re currently overseeing virtual events and screenings that community organizations, colleges and universities can take part in in order convene virtually. What we’re all testing right now is the value of a virtual event.

Should exhibitors or platforms be charging a traditional movie ticket price for a virtual screening that has an impressive panel of guests from around the world to talk to the audience post-screening? With the advance of technology and the reduction of travel, we have access to high-profile individuals who can send intimate pre-recorded musical performances or can participate in a talkback. What is the value of that? And how long are audiences willing to stick around? Do they want to watch full length content and a panel while sitting at a computer? Do they want to watch clips and have access to a Q&A where they can upvote their favorite questions to the filmmaker?

We’ve researched platforms and we’re surveying audiences post screenings. Watch this space and watch exhibitors like Kino Lorber experiment with different rates to see what audiences are willing to pay for truly exciting virtual content.

Speaking of the digital world…

What will happen to my VOD numbers? Is now a good time to release a movie?

Streaming is up. In fact, I spoke to a distributor who told me that for his titles, streaming has doubled. AVOD, TVOD, SVOD… all the numbers are climbing and even for library titles. I, for one, have discovered Married at First Sight and I am not stopping at one season. However, platforms are squeezing every cent. Amazon Video Direct has the right to choose what the per-hour streaming rate for your film is on an algorithm you have little to no control over: its CER rating. Also, think of all the additional avenues for revenue for filmmakers that cannot be relied upon at this time — cruise ships and hotels (and I’m just naming two). Anecdotally, I was even told that some airlines were retroactively negotiating lower rates for license fees that were set before the pandemic.

Just because streaming is up doesn’t mean acquisitions are up. Before the pandemic, slates were getting smaller, and distributors were laying off staff. Let’s not forget about the bankruptcy of TUGG and the fall of Distribber.

So, consider that since acquisitions operate at least several months in advance, right now may not be the best time to release a title. You may be able to leverage a better fee later on, when companies are more solvent. However, if you have something already up on a streaming platform, I would promote like hell! And, this indie distributor I spoke with is incredibly optimistic about the 2021 marketplace, as they feel there will be streaming war platforms vying for content from emerging voices.

Continue for more of Liz Manashil’s thoughts on the future of film distribution post-pandemic

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