REIMAGINING DISTRIBUTION MUST INCLUDE IMPACT

The current global health crisis has infused a new life to a decades-long debate about documentary distribution, a field that has evolved and changed dramatically in the past 10 years. 

In recent weeks, I’ve attended dozens of webinars featuring industry professionals discussing how this moment in time presents a unique opportunity to change how things are done, reminding us of the uncertainty in the industry, and highlighting the sometimes conflicting interests of filmmakers and producers, versus film festivals and distributors. 

At these webinars, I enjoyed listening to many different opinions and appreciate the intentions of hosting organizations, but often these conversations left me filled with dread, and worry that attending filmmakers would find the documentary playing field so uneven that they would leave the room feeling hopeless.  And hope is something we sure need to hold on to right now. 

During these sessions I didn’t hear much about impact distribution and was surprised that even during this enormous crisis, success in the minds of so many, is still be connected to traditional models: official selection to A-list festivals (read Sundance, maybe Toronto if the film is finished mid-year), attending with all rights intact, meeting a sales agent, getting offers from major distributors and networks, making a big sale, running through a few more A-list festivals and being ready for the Awards season. Do I have to say this is not a realistic scenario for the vast majority of documentaries? 

Just for perspective, of 1,774 documentary features submitted to the 2020 Sundance Film festival, 49 were selected. That’s a success rate of 1.8%. To make matters worse, we often see a contagion effect that informs programming for other major festivals in the spring, making it even harder for documentaries to find a prime spot to premiere. And now after all the festival cancellations, with dozens of orphaned films, and while trying to determine the viability of online film festivals, things have turned even more complicated. So what are independent filmmakers supposed to do?  Thom Powers, artistic director of DOC NYC, wrote a fantastic article on this topic just a few days ago, so I invite you to read it, but here we’re about to focus on the larger distribution picture.

Let’s start from the beginning. Documentaries are collaborative projects from top to bottom. People in love with the cinematic process and the magic of storytelling come together to create films hoping they’ll touch audiences across the planet. We should never forget that. During production, it’s incredibly important to count on a trusted, resilient crew that carries the film along to the finish line. The same logic applies to distribution. But many filmmakers only consider distribution once the film is finished, and they often forget to include distribution in their initial budgets, which sets the stage for long-term trouble.

When plans don’t go as expected, some filmmakers start thinking about alternative ideas for distribution, getting a delayed start on strategy, and often rushing to find themselves in the middle of a landscape that can be incredibly confusing and frustrating.  They contact a few major players, get rejected by the majority of them, and enthusiastically accepted by a few, only to find themselves tied to 10-15 years all-rights contracts that often don’t include much marketing or audience building, and miss many of the opportunities that make distributing a film meaningful and exciting. 

Impact distribution has emerged as a little known, sometimes hard to define ways to change old models and nurture film releases in ways that are fair and effective. It’s fair because it provides transparent data, offers flexibility, and looks at the launch and long-term distribution opportunities from every possible angle while building engaged audiences.

Impact distribution is built on a strong collaborative mindset and sheer determination to access the right markets through alternative systems. It thrives on transparency and operates through hybrid models where rights are split to make sure the film’s exposure and impact are not compromised.  It challenges the status quo.

Working with films that pose complex questions and dilemmas carries a sense of responsibility and commitment. In the course of a campaign, impact distributors nurture the film and provide both traditional and out of the box approaches that often take films on a path towards exciting and sometimes unexpected adventures. 

These paths include solid industry knowledge, meticulous planning, relentless outreach, creative marketing, smart use of networks and contacts, and a touch of trust. Trust that against all odds, a good documentary doesn’t need well-established filmmakers and producers, or feature celebrities or high profile cases to succeed. Because in the documentary ecosystem there is more than one single track to success, more than one avenue to audiences and impact, and more than one way to sales.

There are no magic formulas or perfect plans, but setting a film up for success starts at the early stages of production and involves planning and vision. When the time for distribution comes, approach the process collaboratively, do your homework, and find the people who will fight to bring your documentary to audiences with a passion that rivals your own.