How can indie films market themselves in a competitive market where blockbusters rule the roost? Cinetic Rights Management, a sales firm for films such as Little Miss Sunshine, is looking at digital distribution to change how we learn about new films.
Digital Journal — Cinetic Media is thinking outside the box. The standard television box, in fact. As a sales agent for indie films, Cinetic Media has always landed deals for traditional distribution through studio or TV sales. But now it is looking to gets its client the kind of Movie 2.0 exposure that’s defining the connected era – put films on the Net, get the word out through social networks, shuttle content to on-demand cable services.
New York-based Cinetic Media has built an offshoot business called Cinetic Rights Management. Whether it’s iTunes or Amazon or a popular social network, CRM wants its films out there on the Web. Progressive Hollywood sales agent need to complement their old-school delivery methods with a newfangled approach that will put art-house films in the same league as blockbusters.
“We’re pulling together a group of high-quality films that might not fit appropriately in traditional distribution paths,” says Janet Brown, CRM’s COO, in an interview with DigitalJournal.com. Cinetic Media has worked with several quality films that snuck their way into a critic’s favourites list: Little Miss Sunshine, Napoleon Dynamite, Super Size Me and many more.
Cinetic acts as a producer’s representative, Brown says, selling the film directly to interested studios. The company leans towards films left out of the limelight, mainly because the movies aren’t loaded with soaring marketing budgets or high-octane publicity.
iTunes can only have so many films, Brown notes, adding how less mainstream flicks aren’t picked up by the online rental service. That truly hurts a film’s awareness campaign, which CRM would like to remedy.
“We act as a conduit for these smaller films that don’t have a fighting chance to compete with blockbusters,” notes Matt Dentler, a sales agent for one-year-old CRM. Dentler knows all too well about plucky indie films — his last job was director of the well-respected South by Southwest film festival. “Big budget films dominate the market, while other films don’t have the manpower to support a $20 million marketing budget.”
So how can an indie film attract eyeballs before its release? CRM is pursuing deals with various portals, although Brown is tight-lipped about specifics. Dentler mentioned the firm will try to get word-of-mouth buzz to prominent bloggers, while also embracing online-video campaigns to release scenes, outtakes and trailers on various media. Some strategies may involve podcast interviews with directors; others may use offline screenings to help build momentum. “These aren’t new tools,” Dentler admits, “but we’ll apply them correctly to the films that best fit them.”
Brown says CRM will focus on all films where the digital rights are cleared. Back catalogue titles can be spread virally, as well, such as the 1994 classic Hoop Dreams. Dentler envisions those kinds of films garnering new audiences. “There are younger fans who have never seen Hoop Dreams so if they heard about it online, maybe they’d want to rent it somewhere,” he says.
“We bring a specialized skill set,” Brown says. “We get these films to audiences who want to see them.”
Easier said than done. CRM is trying to stay on top of social media and blogosphere trends in order to give producers a much-needed digital boost. But it has to promote films online without irritating Web surfers and give audiences something fresh and exciting. The real challenge to promote a new film comes when the public is being bombarded by billboards and trailers from the major studios, stiff-arming less expansive campaigns by smaller films.
“The easiest way to not go viral is to try going viral,” Dentler says, half-laughing. “There’s no perfect science in how to market and brand films. We’re hopeful our deals with major portals will lead to a satisfying and enjoyable experience for everyone – filmmakers, studios and movie fans.
