Rich Indie Filmmaker…Oxymoron
“How do I make money off my film or at least make my money back so I can afford the next one?” The short answer is, if your film was made for under $500K and doesn’t have a huge name, generally you don’t.
That said…it’s not impossible. You just have to make it your job to make it happen.
Here are some ways to go towards breaking even and beyond:
Making a micro-budget genre film, such as horror or sci fi. If you keep the budget low (as in under 50K), can build your fan base and fit a very specific type of film within those genres (such as, intellectual sci fi, time travel, slasher, etc.) you have a base to market to and can make the money. The key is relentless social media campaigning and having some ad budget. You also need to be really entrenched in these communities so the fans of those genres know you are not an outsider, but one of them.
Build up a following. This is an ongoing task that involves constantly posting online about your work, other people’s work, films you like, etc. When I say ongoing, I do mean whether or not you currently have something you are releasing or promoting. Also, go on podcasts, vlogs, and just generally get yourself out there by appearing on panels and being involved with the community that you feel will love your work.
Have big names in your film. This does NOT always work, but in some cases really can make the difference. Having a big name will bring in more budget. More budget means marketing dollars and the ability to pay that name. It won’t affect your production budget, but will affect how well you can get it out there, promote it and get people to want to pay for to see it.
Cross promote with other filmmakers who share a similar audience. Believe it or not, it is NOT a competition. I know festivals and the industry with all their award shows make it seem like it is, but it is not. There is plenty to go around. And think about it…as a viewer, if you like dance films, are you only watching one filmmaker’s dance films? That’s it! I found my one dance film and I love dance films but I will watch no others. No. That’s insane. You are watching many dance films by many filmmakers and are always looking for more. So cross promoting (as in, “If you like my dance film, check out Jane Smith’s dance film. You’re bound to like that, too.”) to the same audience can help all the filmmaker’s working in that genre. And the viewer is happy because they don’t have to sift through the void of the internet looking for their next choice. You have handed it to them. Getting people to watch another filmmaker’s film is not going to stop them from watching your films. It’s quite the opposite.