Plan ahead for DVD submission to Blockbuster

Strategic planning is essential for any distribution plan.  Plan your Order Date/Street Date (official launch date of DVD) to incorporate the buying windows of the retailers.  Did you know that submissions for Blockbuster (brick and mortar stores, not online) have a lead time of 3-4 months?  Today I got a notice from Blockbuster's buyer stating that the submission TFS forms are due June 11th for Sept and October:

Period 09-2010 Dates: 08/30/2010 - 10/03/2010

Period 10-2010 Dates: 10/04/2010 - 10/31/2010

And remember, if you have set a street date prior to these windows and your product is in the marketplace, you CANNOT be considered for Blockbuster New Release.

So, when you sign with your distributing partner, be sure to ask when the windows are for Blockbuster and WalMart - these two retailers have the longest lead time for submissions.  Then agree upon a start date!

January Update - Home Video biz

Here's some interesting tidbits regarding the world of home entertainment (pulled from January issue of Home Media Magazine - always an interesting read!)

• Warner Bros negotiating a 28 day window for new releases before going to Redbox and Netflix.  Will provide a discount rate to these vendors for doing so.  Allows for the sell-through business to take off again, as stats show that 75% of just released DVDs sell in the first four weeks from street date.    Others studios to follow suit.

• However, mom-and-pop video stores will still be able to rent at street date per a First Sale Doctrine clause (no 28 day wait period).

• Hollywood Video (Movie Gallery) is filing Chapter 11 again closing (40%) of its 2,700 store chain. 200 Movie Gallery/Hollywood Video stores and 680 Game Crazy locations

• Blockbuster kiosks will number 9,000 in 2010 with the addition of 1,000 locations.

• Analysts downgrading Netflix stock and recommend selling shares!
• Blockbuster performing better with a 9% surge in stock purchases.

• Wii  and DSi to carry Netflix’s “watch instantly” streams to join Xbox and Playstation

I have a question - does anyone reading my blog ever use Redbox?  Do you like it?  Personally, I don't think it is convenient, having to go to the 7/11 two days in a row.  I stopped by today to take a look and there was nothing that I wanted to see -- even for a dollar, that was worth me driving in the rain to return the next day.  Please respond with your opinions...

Tracy

Create a free website for your film with Movieset.com. And if you have an official site, creating a free site will only help spread awareness of your film.

I met up with this very nice woman, Coleen Nystedt, at AFM who is the originator of MovieSet.com -  a very user-friendly production tool that allows you to build your audience (online) while you are in production.  Smart.  And, the great thing is that it is absolutely free.  So, even if you have an official site already and you are past post production even, using this free resource can only help you gain additional awareness.


Please follow the link below to create a new movie site on MovieSet.com.
You will be asked to sign up for a LOT PASS, or to LOGIN if you are already registered.

Click here to proceed.   http://corporate.movieset.com/tour

Once you are logged in, look for the PRODUCTION TOOLS button located in the LOT PASS. Click on this will take you to the DASHBOARD, a control panel where you can manage your new site. Begin by entering your basic information under MOVIE SETUP and the TARGET AUDIENCE questionnaire. As your production moves forward, return to the DASHBOARD to manage:

• SCHEDULE - Set your PHASE CALENDAR and SHOOTING SCHEDULE
• LISTS - Fill out A-T-L, CAST and CREW lists, create CUSTOM JOB TITLES and add LOCATIONS
• SETTINGS - Set ASSET APPROVALS for Stills and Video content, and set CALL SHEET MANAGEMENT permissions for Call Sheet Administration, Approvals and Locations.
• ASSETS - Upload and manage STILLS, VIDEOS and LIVE EVENTS.
• PUBLICITY - Write BLOGS, manage NEWS and create LINKS to your fan site.

MovieSet is designed to integrate Production with Marketing to build core audience from the beginning and throughout the entire movie lifecycle.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact them directly: info@movieset.com

Don't wait for distributors to market your film, take control of your own project

As an independent filmmaker, you may ask yourself - "why do I have to market my film myself -- isn't that what the distributor will do for me?" The short answer is no. Distributors idea of marketing a film today is vastly different than marketing a film in the past. It takes a lot of dedicated work, and an individualized strategic plan specific to your film. Marketing a film has grown beyond a typical print and TV ad campaign and most distributors do not have the manpower to launch the grassroots campaign that is needed to grow your audience.

The plan begins by identifying a niche audience to target. Researching this audience and discovering how to reach them virally is key. Look for organizations, associations, blogs, website portals to partner with that have interest in your subject matter. Tell them about your film and form a following. Social networking is relatively free and as direct as you can get. Plaster your trailer, publicity stills, clips, across all online platforms. Optimize your website with keywords to attract an organic search audience. Announce your film (targeted publicity), lead them back to your website or blog, use this audience for community screenings to act as your test audience, use affiliate marketing to have these groups help spread the word about your film. Ask them to blog. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool.

Now you may ask, "what do I do with the target group once I identify them?" The research data gathered is ammunition to help sell your film to a distributor, by identifying and quantifying the built-in audence. This in turn helps the distributor sell the product to the buyers (exhibitors, wholesalers, catalogs) - the trade. If you don't get picked up by the trade, the consumer will not be able to see your film. Very important.

Then, when you have secured distribution you can go back to this identified group and let then know that the film is released - theatrically, non-theatrically, on DVD, on VOD, iTunes, etc. Seed the website portals with good reviews on the film, get the attention of critics and film reviewers - a good review on Rotten Tomatoes or a similar portal will increase your exposure.

It seems like a lot of work -- but if you have passion for your project, then it will be easy to spread the word.

Press here to visit the blog of a fellow filmmaker who is building his audience. http://trulyfreefilm.blogspot.com/2009/11/twenty-new-rules-what-we-all-must-try.html

IndieMarketing - DVD distribution

This is a test of the blogspot for IndieMarketing.

IndieMarketing is a marketing/pr consulting firm
helping filmmakers find distribution for their passion projects.

Visit indiemarketing.com.