Want Your Film At AFM? Here's Some Guidance...

Hi there everyone,

Hope you’re having a great week so far!

It’s been a minute since my last dispatch pre-Labor day but a lot has happened since then… mainly that I went into Production on two features back-to-back which let’s just say I don’t recommend LOL. Prepping #2 while #1 is still shooting does your head in… but in the end, there will be two completed films to introduce to the market next year which is feat no matter how you slice it.

Boy how I miss the summer doldrums!

If you’re just ‘waking up’ from a lazy summer and you missed my last dispatch on the lead up to TIFF and AFM, you can check that out here.

Obviously TIFF has already happened but AFM is on the horizon - about a month away to be exact….

I’m working with a select group of clients on preparing for AFM - both completed films and ones in development/packaging. If you’re interested, you can read more about my FS Pro coaching group here and apply. Or if you prefer a more individualized experience, perhaps Film Distribution Consulting is for you which you can learn about here.

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So let’s talk about AFM! I want to share a few observations I’ve had and see if it can help any of you out there trying to get a leg up in the market.

Let’s start with completed films. The good news is that even though streamers are cutting back and spending less on third party acquisitions right now, the AVOD boom means demand is holding strong for indie features. I have to say, it seems every buyer or sales agent I talk to though is emphasizing Horror, Family, Thriller, Action…. of course with some level of talent (though admittedly the bar is a bit lower now from pie in the sky theatrical level names thankfully!)

I have to be really careful when taking on comedies… they typically require a higher level of talent and/or a major festival play. For example, one of the films I produced last year is premiering at Hamptons Film Fest this weekend. Solid second tier festival and we’re thrilled to have it. But will it move the needle when it comes to distribution of the film… especially since it’s a quirky romantic dramedy? I don’t know… we shall see. But the financiers are eager to find out of course! I will report back but I can tell you the offers we’ve received so far definitely don’t match the budget :)

On to films in development/packaging stages. The handful of films I’m prepping for presenting to potential financing/sales partners… what can I say, it never gets easier! BUT, maybe it does with each film I do? So if you’re just starting out as a filmmaker or producer trying to attach the director or talent that gets financiers or sales agents excited to work with you, it can seem like pushing a boulder up a hill because it is. But stay with it! Several years into my producing and EP journey after retiring as a sales agent, it finally feels like I have some wind in my sails. In fact, we just launched a package at TIFF I’ve been working on for years. It takes time so patience is key when shopping a film at the financing stage to potential partners.

Relationships with agents, managers, and talent themselves is key in expediting things and getting taken seriously. So do whatever you can to keep expanding your network (for example attending festivals and AFM) or hack it in the early days by hiring someone who has those relationships you can leverage. There’s no real shortcut to the relationship building necessary to expand and grow in your career as a filmmaker or producer in film or series, you just gotta plough through the fire on that one and keep at it until there’s movement. For the films I’m packaging and selling now, some of the relationships I’m tapping into go back over a decade. Some are newer as in the last few years, but regardless it gets easier to go back to people you’ve done business with before and done right by. And that goes for financiers, agents, sales reps, actors, directors, pretty much everyone.

OK so what questions do you have? I’m available to answer anything in the comments section below!

On that note, I’ll wrap things up for today. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead and I’ll speak to you again soon.

To your success,

Stacey