Marshall Herskovitz (Blood Diamond, Quarterlife)

• I got into writing because i didn’t want to work in an office and have a boss, can’t do that with how networks are run today
• called in every favor of the last 20 years to make the quarterlife pilot knowing that he would break it up to be viewed on the web
• could we bring the knowledge we had of television production and bring it to the web? No. But we could do it for the internet for 1/2 the cost of TV
• I’m going to do what I’m going to do as cheaply as I can
• do a series that is twined off of a social network, but the social network can stand on its own
• when he made quarterlife he purposely got rid of all of the television reality (demographics, “rooting factor,” etc.)
• quarterlife yanked from TV after one episode. It was an internet show, not a TV show.
• haven’t been able to raise enough money for a second season
• trying to find a way to do a second season as internet only.
• trying to offer something that other social networks don’t
• paradigms of internet commerce come out of no where and hold sway until someone proves it untrue (i.e, social networks are a great investment one day, the next day social networks don’t monetize and are a bad investment)
• We’re looking for an iPod moment where people see a new product and immediately adopt it. We’re waiting for that with scripted content. The one product that changes how people view content.

There’s been much discussion about the democratization of the tools but what’s really involved in taking your film from a concept to something an audience will pay to see? How can you fight your way through the clutter and what are the pitfalls to avoid when you decide to go it on your own?

Discussion Leader: Mark Stolaroff (producer and founder of the No Budget Film School)
- Arin Crumley (Four Eyed Monsters)
- Ondi Timoner (DiG, Join Us, We Live in Public)
- M dot Strange (We Are the Strange)
- Hunter Weeks (10 MPH and 10 YARDS)

• Once you have your product and you’ve put years into it, its your baby and its not going anywhere. It’s out in the world, and sometimes the public needs to catch up to what you’ve already made.
• 10 Yards has a distribution deal with a sandwich shop with 5,000 locations to help with distribution (and CBS Sports, and Crocs)
• Work with brands to get money ad spread the word
• The secret to a core audience is an audience that doesn’t give a s**t how good it is. (i.e., fantasy football)
• M dot Strange’s next film is funded off the dvd sales off of his last film
• You can’t really have a day job and be a filmmaker. Be focused and not scattershot.
• Wanted to make a documentary as compelling as a feature. Filmed the story unfold.
• You have to be as dedicated to their lives as they are when doing a documentary. Then they start to trust you.
• Its actually a challenge to live a normal life while you’re working on a film.
• Your first feature is your film school. You’re never going to feel ready. You’re not supposed to feel ready, just get out there and do it.
• Trying to make a really great film is hard core, but it is key to learn to making.
• Technology is so great. Once you learn the technology then you can focus on your vision and not let the technical stuff get in the way.
• Some films get too hung up on the traditional model and when that doesn’t happen they loose sight of trying to reach their audience themselves
• Its time to stop expecting to sell your films to large distributors
• You should be selling dvds at your festival screenings
• know if the festival will have a big enough pay off to make going worthwhile
• You need momentum to keep going and know that you’re on the right path
• You’re going to get a lot of rejections from festivals. You can’t let rejection hurt your momentum.
• It was much more rewarding to screen our movie for our own audience that we set up, than for festival audiences
• Festivals are good for getting recognition in “the business,” but if you’re doing it just to make films then they do nothing for you
• I saw the sales go up in the areas where I screened at a regional festival, its a great way to reach niche geographical audiences. Interacting with them was so rewarding.
• Don’t pay the submission fees. The likelihood of rejection is just too great.
• With 10 Yards the dvd came out before the theatrical tour. We were just trying to get as much as we could at the right time.
• People love to interact with you after the screenings. Its a great time to sell dvds.
• Split deal with the house – you split the sales money with the theater instead of having a flat fee
• You can fill up the house for the night instead of the three people that would have shown up for the major studio release
• build an impression and create your won story to help your distribution
• 10 MPH DIY manual
• if your product is available people will naturally gravitate towards it. Find as many distribution channels as possible.
• Capture audience information and find ways to use them in the future. Emails, subscribe to a myspace blog, blogs, RSS, twitter
• For emails make people feel like their address makes a difference. More likely to screen in their area, etc.
• people will one day be able to favorite content creators like they do on Netflix but on a world wide level using the whole internet
• utilize new technology to interact with your audience

Keynote by <a href=”http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0339254/”>Robert Greenwald</a> (Outfoxed, Wallmart the High Cost of Low Price, Iraq for Sale) of Brave New Films

• Came from commercial world, felt the need to begin creating more meaningful content post death in family and 9/11
• Switched from Avid to Final Cut Pro
• Fell in love with purity of experience in documentaries
• Producing is high class begging for money
• The gatekeepers for distribution move incredibly slow
• How do you get a political documentary out while the conversation about the subject material is still going on?
• Independent distribution – MoveOn.org did a promotional email to get members to buy the DVD, Center For American progress held a screening in Washington DC (MoveOn.org raised $1 million through DVD sales)
• MoveOn.org suggested having their members throw house parties to show the DVD to their friends
• Mission of Brave New Films became clearer and clearer to create social change, film screening created discussions of what to do about the subject that required change
• Our job is to put a spot light on the issue and bring attention to it
• Iraq For Sale documentary led to Greenwald testifying before congress about war profiteering
• Because of the time crunch to get relevant information to the public in short enough period that its still relevant, changed from full length videos to short videos to be posted on the web, short form has gotten 23 million views
• Keeping videos under 4 minutes gets more views
• email list is essential, media department focuses on blogs, another person focuses on involving groups (action, special interest, social), occasionally involves traditional media
• Idea > video > email list > groups > blogs => Action
• videos become a piece of the larger campaign
• views are at your video for their own reasons, get involved in groups early using their own motivations
• 1st act is the documentary, 2nd act is the short internet films, 3rd act is live shows featuring bloggers that more reflect the American demographic landscape
• Able to show numbers and results to potential fundraisers