A Valuable Marketing Guide for Filmmakers Who Are Self-distributing Their Work

Research groups and organizations
It can be very difficult to self-distribute and independent film on DVD. Filmmakers may be able to sell more copies easily by partnering with a local club or organization. These groups have tons of members, which offer filmmakers a chance to make multiple sales in a short amount of time. However, the right club must be contacted in order to have success with self-distribution using this route. It would not be wise to partner with an animal rights club if your movie is about an eagle assassin.

Filmmakers must research clubs and organizations to find the right candidates for a potential partnership. The ideal club would be one whose mission is similar to the subject of your film. If you do not have a social conscious film, it may not be easy to match the movie's subject matter to the purpose of a particular club. In these cases, it is still possible to self-distribute an independent film through club partnerships. Clubs have something that many filmmakers can benefit from. They have a large organization that can support a film and get it into the hands of more consumers.

Fundraising opportunity
Some clubs may not be willing to partner with filmmakers to distribute a film. This may be due to the fact that they do not want to help someone else make money if it doesn't benefit them. This is where a self-distribution partnership can come in handy. Many clubs have fundraisers by selling cake, candy and products from a catalog. Independent films are a unique product that club members can use to raise more funds for the organization.

It is easier to form a partnership with a club if you offer to share the profits from each sale. Filmmakers can split the money generated from club supported sales or offer a percentage of the total. This may sound like a decision that will cut into your profits. However, sharing profits with a club or organization will not make a deep impact on the amount of money that you get to keep. More people in the local community may be more inclined to purchase a copy of an independent film that is associated with a club or non-profit organization. This is another benefit of forming a partnership. Local clubs are popular among residents, which can work in favor for the independent filmmaker who is not well known.

Provide marketing materials and sales tools
Forming a partnership with a local club for the purpose of self-distributing an independent film can be a fun and profitable experience. One important thing to keep in mind is to not expect club members to do all of the sales work for you. Filmmakers cannot drop one thousand copies off at a club member's doorstep and wait for money to pour in. You must offer to provide marketing materials to club members to assist in self-distributing your independent film. These materials include postcards, flyers and swag that will promote the film.