My First Distribution Deal!

About a week and a half ago now, I celebrated a pretty big milestone… I signed my first distribution deal with a web channel for my short films.

Meaning that, for each short film I churn out, I can actually be paid. Paid. For SHORT FILMS. Who knew?

Short films are up-and-coming. (Yet another reason to make shorts, in addition to learning about film-making, getting your name out there, building a resume, and making connections.)

Shorts have always existed, but in a way that was pretty much limited to film festivals. The average person didn’t see too many of them. Now, thanks to the proliferation of online content, shorter attention spans, and the encouragement of the big leagues (this year was the first year that the Academy of Motion Pictures released a DVD of the Oscar-nominated short films), they’re in demand.

What’s more, a number of web channels have sprung up and are looking for content, and this includes short films. I got my deal by responding to a post I saw on one of the many industry newsletters I subscribe to (I think it was Media Source) about how iflixtv.com was looking to build new content partnerships. I applied, submitted my links - and the rest is history.

I signed a 6-page contract (after asking about 1,000 questions) and will now receive 70% of what viewers pay to iflix to watch my shorts. I can upload as many as I like (once each short makes it through their clearance process, that is.) What’s more, the deal is non-exclusive, so I am still allowed to submit my shorts to festivals or post them to my Vimeo or Youtube pages if I so choose.

I think this will provide a great means through which to learn about what’s marketable and what’s not. Since my earnings correspond directly to what people will watch and how long they watch, this deal gives me a great new tool for gauging what people like and want.

The best part of all though is having both #1. Validation that my short films are worthwhile, and #2. Inspiration to make more shorts in the coming months. A producer friend and I are discussing one in particular, and this opportunity is making me reevaluate what I can do on my own, cheaply and quickly, to get more shorts up fast.

Also, since a recent study I read showed that people are more likely to watch and pay for ‘episodic content’ than to log on for one-off shorts, I’m mulling over ideas for a few series… stay tuned. J

Meeting Bob Goodman

Occasionally, I meet interesting people with the same type of creative dreams that I have and, occasionally, they agree to meet with me and answer a few of my questions about what they’re doing with their lives and why.

Bob Goodman is one of those people.

I met him during a Christmas party at an NYC film school and instantly wanted to know more about his two babies: The Actors Ensemble and Done in a Day. In that first meeting he described how he’d created these things because he’d often come across acting students who, out in the real world, had very little idea about how to approach their careers.

It sounded familiar. 

A SAG actor who has been teaching, performing, writing, and directing for 30 years, it was only when Bob lost a full time job of 8 years that he discovered a new opportunity to put his expertise toward his passions. He’d realized that, in other acting schools, film equipment was antiquated, teachers hadn’t actually performed in years, and students weren’t actually getting to be onstage or on-camera. It was no wonder that, after graduating, they were lost in the woods. 

It occurred to him that there’s no summer stock equivalent for film, a way for newcomers to learn through immersion. A typical acting degree consists of learning theory, having a few stage performances, and - usually - no TV or film experience. 

As someone who loves to teach, Bob found that not having an MFA caused him to hit a wall whenever he applied to bring his teaching methods to most institutions; so, he took matters into his own hands and started his own programs. This is the same DIY spirit that I try to embody with the No MFA Project. His emphasis is on small classes, so that his students get the chance to try, fail, and therefore grow. Everyone is involved in every aspect of production. Bob is even known to cause a few (on purpose) disruptions on-set so that flustered students learn what it is to cope with issues at work. As he says, “You can’t prepare trying to be perfect.”

Done in a Day is another one of his programs: within one day he guides student actors in creating their look and their image, does their headshots, brands them with social media, and follows it all up with an end-of-day acting class and panel discussion with industry professionals.

If you’re struggling to become an actor in NYC, I highly recommend checking him out:

www.theactorsensemble.com