Over the last three years independent filmmakers have been doing well in the box office. Major film studios have long cut funding for the unknown filmmaker. In fact without insider connections new filmmakers cannot pitch their movie scripts to the major studio movie producers. This exclusion has caused independent filmmakers to create creative ways to produce their films. Independent filmmakers have turned to do it yourself low budget movies, DVD only releases, and Video On Demand.
Who remembers the crazy college students from Florida who took a few video cameras into the woods and filmed a story about a witch? Well the Blair Project cost less than $35,000 dollars to make and grossed over $48 million opening week at the box office. The Blair Witch Project continues to be one of the highest grossing horror movies in history making over $500 million dollars to date. The low budget film approach has proven to work in Hollywood. The movie Paranormal Activity cost $15,000 dollars to make and grossed $67 million opening weekend at the box office. I am beginning to see a trend here, aren’t you?
DVD released movies have literally leveled the playing field for independent filmmakers. Major studios own or control film distribution in the US. Simply put without a distribution deal independent filmmakers cannot get their films out to the theaters thus filmmakers cannot make any money. Also there are absorbent costs to market films that can cut into the filmmakers profit. By releasing a film straight to DVD, filmmakers can save millions of dollars in marketing while earning larger gross margins from films. The independent Christian movie “Fireproof” was released straight to DVD in 2008. It became the highest-grossing independent film of 2008 grossing over $33,000,000 million dollars. (www.thenumbers.com)
What’s with the “RED”? I know you are wondering why am I asking this question? The answer is simple, Netflix and Redbox aka the blockbuster killers has redefined the way people few movies at home. Society has shifted from spending the weekend at the movies. Skyrocketing gas prices, bad economy combined with good old fashion laziness has created a stay at home trend. People are more comfortable lying on the sofa with a can of coke and microwave popcorn to order a movie from the local cable provider. The cost of $3.95 for a video on demand is a lot more economical than a whopping $10.00 ticket at the theaters. The formula is quite simple for independent filmmakers, straight to DVD + V.O.D= double profits. A successful straight to DVD release will certainly do well in V.O.D sales. According to modelsandmogul.com DVD and VOD sales in 2009 were $683 million dollars. (www.modelsandmoguls.com)
All the elements are available for new filmmakers to go out and make movies. Anyone can buy the same cameras and post production equipment that the major film studios use. As of now these trends are here to stay. If you are serious about making a mark in the film industry the time is now.
Sources
www.thenumbers.com
www.modelsandmoguls.com
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