I mean they just buy a URL, open shop, use a fancy website and promise indie . Unfortunately, most independent filmmakers will argue how hard it is to generate profit or even make back the money used in the budget. Follow the right strategy to start Netflix-like app building Step 2. To get your film on Amazon: The deal with Amazon Instant is set at 50/50% split on rentals and purchases and on Prime, you will earn $0.10 for every stream over 6 minutes long. Spot check a few pieces of content to ensure the content is correct, current and any links work correctly. The encoding house processes the content in the Apple-specific encode that is required for distribution on iTunes. The easiest way to distribute video on these platforms is to go through a movie aggregator such as Quiver Digital. Again our model for our INDIEs and premium channel partners is unique to the industry as what we are bringing to the industry is indeed unique and "outside the box". Thanks for sharing, Ed. While in the past filmmakers have decried their dependence on the middle men of distribution, in this case, an aggregator can be a great ally. If youre serious about properly promoting your film, the marketing process should begin at the start of pre-production. try.rev.com/Nh36Z Let's connect:Twitter - @thejhortonInstagram - @thejhortonFTC Legal Disclaimer - Some links found in the description box of my videos may be affiliate links, meaning I will make commission on sales you make through my link. I quickly lifted the cardboard box and tossed it over and landed with a thud and a Yelp! Distributors meet regularly with Netflix buyers, pitching a portfolio that ranges from their catalog of completed programs to productions that are underway but require finishing funds, and others that are unfunded proposals. new film distribution avenues and platforms emerge, looking to maximize their budget and generate profit immediately. Quick video on demand vocabulary: transactional or TVOD is referring to where users pay a fee to watch your film, like iTunes. Flat fee for first platform: $950Each platform after that: $175Revenue Share: 0%. bitMAX is the easiest path for global distribution. Anyway I learned my lesson, I think the percentages are decent for iTunes. It will teach you how to avoid predatory film distributors and aggregators, what to look for in distribution agreements, VOD myths, film deliverables, working . The aggregators claim they can get your film onto iTunes in 30 days which is pretty impressive. Separate from a film distributor, a film aggregator is a third party service that assists independent filmmakers in getting their films distributed to VOD platforms where audiences can purchase and view their work. Join this youtube channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmvatwf1ox5n_szo8snLNnw/join If podcasts are more your thing, I repost these on FILMMAKERS ON WITH J. Horton where ever it is you listen to your podcasts. Unless you have a ton of big credits under your belt or are Quentin Tarantinos son (hi Leo), for better or worse youll need an aggregator or distributor to get on iTunes and other major VOD (video on demand). With an idea for a story that needs to be told. However, even though film aggregators can offer much assistance with finding a platform and an audience, they are often not cheap. April 2020 - Named Best Aggregator of 2020 by Filmmaker Freedom Content Preparation Bitmax has the systems and expertise to ingest, QC and prep any video content for any media project on any platform. Our expertise in the art of digital preparation and packaging is unmatched, and our streamlined method for swift, error-free deliveries to all digital platforms is among the most dependable in the industry. The more people that are aware of your film, the more exposure your work will get. Youll need to contact them though for a specific quote. It works with both feature films and short movies. Keep in mind that not all VOD platforms require aggregators, like Amazon Prime Video. Distributors control all the distribution (or at least within specific territories) and usually marketing for that film. So youll need to research the right price points for yourself to find the best aggregator for your film. We have you covered there too, with translation and captioning services. Phone: 514.247.9096. 2)This may sound naive but is there anyone at netflix who I can write to or call? Bitmax is an Apple Preferred Plus encoding facility. All Rights Reserved. You can also check the domain authority to see if the source is credible. To get your film on Netflix: Unlike most of the other VOD services, Netflix offers a 12 year deal at a fixed rate for the rights to show your film an unlimited number of times. Sometimes, the difference is extremely significant, a fact that's noticeable because . These fees are around $10001300 (750980) and do not guarantee your film will get an offer however if it not selected, the majority of your money will be returned minus processing costs. Required fields are marked *. At the risk of sounding wishy-washy, yesand no. Flat fee: Film plans start at $500.00; contact for quote.Revenue share: 0%. 2023 NONETWORK, LLC. The Complete Film Distribution Blueprint. Make money. Digital surpassed sales of physical mediums for the first time in 2015. Write a short film. BingeWave allows filmmakers a platform to showcase their work by either streaming or going cinematic where your film is screened at a specific time and day similar to a movie theater. Watch the Trailer Here! That is, can a film maker sell his film to Netflix multiple number of times, for different countries? I'll never forget when I was a kid and I made my first feature! This allows us to focus to the sectors who are more likely to have up-to-date first-hand knowledge and to study the difference of opinion between sectors. Of course, the pros mentioned may not apply to your unique projects needs. Compose a detailed account of all avenues of marketing and advertising your plan to do to promote your film or films. Phew.) :) Email for Business Contacts only = jason@thejhorton.com#filmdistribution #filmaggregator #independentfilmThe number one Independent Film Channel. All of the work a distributor does in negotiating and preparing the film comes at a cost. When the film is in the can, the work of production counsel continues. The encoding house processes the content in the Apple-specific encode . Our in-house post capabilities speeds the process of getting content to market. Dont sell your years of hard work for a small up front payment and a vague promise that will most likely result in nothing. Then out of nowhere his dog began barking! It's also a wise idea to get ecommerce web hosting for your website. So that's when I bought a gun and- Distribber allows filmmakers to keep 100% of all profits generated, which effectively removes any middlemen from taking undeserving revenue Distribber. Some of these "aggregators" have no experience in film aggregation AT ALL. A content aggregator website is a site that collects data from other sources across the internet and puts the information in one place where users can access it. You don't need a distributor or sales agent to get an aggregator. No matter which distributor you're using, or aggregator. One answer, however, is that getting on these big platforms gets you more eyeballs. iTunes, for example, will only accept content from an approved encoding house, many of which are also preferred aggregators. Film aggregators like Distribber and BitMax make it easy er, for filmmakers to distribute their films across multiple VOD platforms, but that comes at a price, and so far, in my experience . Thats why most indie producers turn to film aggregators, who can open the door for a fee. Creating a License. Thanks! The content you gather might not have proper SEO. Dont. But digital music distribution has taken the center stage. I dont think its too old, but it really depends on a lot of factors, some of which include topic and production value. With the advancement of technology and new digital platforms, independent filmmakers have more options and a much better chance for their work to get noticed. I recreated a torture scene! Filmmakers have a hand in every aspect of the production process. Growth comes whether youre ready or not. It gives you complete freedom over the CSS. Have a question? What is an aggregator? Check-Out: Microphones - Best Deals this week. Otherwise, there are many aggregators now who don't demand revenue shares, so its hard to justify forking over 10-15% for no reason.Additionally, some platforms offer discounts, say for using Compressor. My friend said he knew where he lived after some illuminati orgy he attended, being a kid I had no idea what he meant. Once you list, our technology automatically markets your title to the most relevant buyers. Thanks for signing up - you will be redirected to the Curator Dashboard. Make it easier for the readers to get the information in less time by making a summary of the major points discussed. 1. Blackmagic Cameras Get a Major Update and Netflix's Stamp of Approval, Blackmagic Adds New AI Tools and Text-Based Editing to DaVinci Resolve 18.5. Regardless of whether you choose to use an aggregator, all content must be encoded and delivered by an Apple-approved encoding house. Since they also do post, license content management software, and have other revenue streams, you wont have to worry about BitMax being a fly-by-night operation. Stage 32 is A Global Powerhouse This conventional approach to aggregating information and republishing is cumbersome and time consuming. More exposure, reach, and awareness for content creators is always the best benefit they can ask for as it opens the door to greater opportunities. Revenue generates from the streaming numbers reported on those platforms. Need money for your film? The data collected can be based on many things, depending on the channel or platform it's pulling from Gone are the days when businesses would manually curate information from influencers and industries to find useful information that engages the audience. Producing a film from start to finish requires enormous resources, so one of the key duties of a producer is to secure funding from a film. 5360 Boul St-Laurent Montral, (QC), H2T 1S1. Due to increased demand for instant gratification and having instant access to films and television shows offered online, many independent filmmakers find themselves pursuing and capitalizing on VOD platforms. Here are 5 components you should have in place before becoming a payment aggregator: Capital: Development time and effort coupled with due diligence costs can easily exceed $50,000 and in cases be much higher. Netflix is the biggest VOD platform boasting over 109 million users from 190 countries including 52 million users in the USA. Bitmaxs proprietary PayPanel lets you see exactly how your content is performing on any platform. Enrich the quoted information by adding your views as well as excerpts from other sources that support the quoted text. A profitable future is only a satisfactory claim. We will get your content to market faster than anyone. Curator is a social media aggregator that pulls your social media posts from multiple channels into one feed that can be embedded with a branding choice of your own. Flat fee for first platform: $945Each platform after that: $195Revenue Share: 0%. Include all news releases, social media strategies, publicity stunts,. Creating an aggregator website is super simple. Whether it be to turn a profit or gain publicity for their work, filmmakers are always searching for an audience and a platform. Aggregators are the gatekeepers between you and the big platforms. I hired a sales agent and got an offer from a reputable distributor, but it wasnt tempting. As we enter a new digital age of movie and television consumption, new film distribution avenues and platforms emerge specifically VOD, or Video on Demand, platforms. Aggregators have direct relationships with digital platforms and often do not take an ownership stake. If you work with an aggregator and they can get your film on Hulu but ask for a percentage, youre sharing a bigger overall piece of pie. As an aspiring filmmaker looking to take your work to the next level, you may be wondering how film distribution works. DIY https://linktr.ee/zapruderflix Check out my Patreon for more tips and help. Then ask for them to provide referrals you can reach out to. To build a multiple source blog, you will need a self-hosted WordPress site. If you are using a premium site on . Distribber $697 and again the $150 annual charges after the first year. A filmmaker differs from a director in that a filmmaker is the one who writes the script, auditions the actors, directs the piece, cuts the film and even supervises the sound design of the film. Try Googling platforms like https://www.distribber.com/. I could picture it in blockbuster! We offer the fastest delivery turnaround time in the industry. Major studios aren't handing out film director jobs and you can't just walk in and apply for one. This leads to less marketing and more organic traffic. Hi Ed! Youre very welcome. There is a risk of the site going beyond its intended scope, therefore, becoming irrelevant. Users of the blog check the breadth by deciding what content they want to read. Knowing where to network is just as challenging as knowing how. When an aggregator website becomes too big, the depth of the content becomes overwhelming. Today, I'm talking indie film aggregators. not sure if your still looking Leanne Campbell but I am working on something at the moment that we need funding on, comedy and fresh. I cut my hand while working and thought maybe I could spell out the title on the box! So basically they manage your film distribution across whichever VOD outlets you choose and allow you to monitor views, sales, rentals, and engagement. As of the time of writing, Renfield holds a critic approval rating of 59% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Get your completed film, series, or short to the right buyers at the most fitting channels. The cost of this is $4.95 a unit + 15% of the sale. Our direct relationships with major platforms which include iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and vevo allow anyone anywhere on any platform, device, or operating system to access your Film, TV Show, Concert or Music Video . You're giving up 30% of your share to iTunes, but it's 30% of something you wouldn't have gotten if you weren't on iTunes. This can include helping you pass QC, packaging your film's assets for CC and subtitles, and putting together all your artwork and metadata according to the required format of each of the platforms/territories. When should use an aggregator?My mission here is to help independent filmmakers earn more money what they love, making movies, and to make a positive impact in the filmmaking community through the power of video. Giving your thoughts proves you're doing more than just pushing content at your audience. . Before we jump into the best film aggregators, lets look at the pros of working with an aggregator: In some cases, aggregators are an absolute necessity. There are no fees or upfront costs: just an 80-20 revenue share once streaming channels order your listed titles. I spent $2000, Netflix rejected my film, iTunes and Amazon accepted it but after 2 months no one has watched it. Most of the publications cannot compete with search engines. The advantage of a self-hosted WordPress website is that you can automate the process of creating article snippets, links, and even posts by using a site's RSS feed and a plugin. Flixjini uses artificial intelligence (AI) driven content classification and recommendation systems to suggest contents according to the . Popular VOD platforms offered to audiences at home include: Should you decide to tackle the VOD film distribution market, you will need to figure out a method of obtaining a specific VOD platform and what the best platform is for your film. If youre a filmmaker looking to generate money from their work or to gain exposure, dont get discouraged if youre having a hard time landing deals with the more popular distribution outlets. Credible sources are typically SEO optimized, which makes your job easier. This means that all the knowledge they have remains with them and can be used to benefit the aggregator further. In theory, you can apply to send them content directly from an Apple-approved encoding house. Email: info@h264distribution.com. MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR. I retained all rights and turned down distributors as I became overwhelmed. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1862032/ Here's my podcast https://filmmakerson.buzzsprout.com This is my company pinterest page. Hi I'm a filmmaker from Nigeria. Netflix recommend we use them when we signed a deal with Netflix, they did not want to pay us directly so we had to use a "aggregator". Of course, a big question about choosing a film aggregator comes down to cost. If youre able to build a niche audience interested in your work, you will have a higher chance of getting your film relocated to other platforms and into the eyes of more audiences. Ha got off track! Quiver can distribute your short film to iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon for $1,145 or to iTunes alone for $795. Keep in mind that not all VOD platforms require aggregators, like Amazon Prime Video. But if you want to retain the most amount of money per viewer, you may even decide to distribute yourself on channels like Vimeo. Distribber charges $1595 along with the $150 annual charges (after the first year), Quiver charges $1395 + $150 pitch fee + $75 annual charges (payable after 2 years). In many circles, BitMax has a strong reputation as one of the top film aggregators. This is at no extra cost to you to use my links/codes, it's just one more way to support me and my channel! What have I done? This is another reason to be careful about the sources you use. Until I realized that it didnt have to be this way. Answering questions from your readers demonstrates your expertise to them, which in turn helps them trust you more. What are they? You had the vision. I felt powerless. Aggregators usually focus more on converting files for platforms, supplying metadata, images, trailers to platforms and collecting revenue from platforms to disperse to the rights holder. How to build and start a news aggregator site. Filmmaker Alex Ferraris Facebook group, Protect Yourself from Predatory Film Distributors/Aggregators is a great resource for cautionary tales and crowdsourcing the best film aggregators. Mainly cause its so hard to find a specific movie, and google wont exactly give you where it is available to watch. Generally, you can expect an aggregator to encode your film to the specs of a particular platform, and then deliver it to them. Customers make purchases through the . PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE We mentioned that the type of productions a person has worked on can help to determine PGA membership eligibility. 12 2 Regina Lee 1 The key to generating exposure and awareness is building an audience. Some film aggregators may also help you through the encoding process and creating assets like subtitles or dubs for your film. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. Rotten Tomatoes also lets audiences rate movies, and the score is often out of step with the critical score. 02 Submit Use our free secure high speed connection for easy, pain free delivery to Bitmax. Subscribe to receive the occasional newsletter with distribution tips, industry news, and product updates. Bringing filmmaking tips, advice and guidance to you from our learning hub Gripup.com/learn, Quiver charges $1500 + $150 pitch fee + $75 annual charges (payable after 2 years), Distribber charges $995 +$150 annual charges (payable after 1 year). I publish weekly videos on Indie Film Marketing, Indie Film Distribution, and independent filmmaking in general. From iTunes: Aggregators are experts in delivering content to iTunes. This posts just covers how to get your film on Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon, the big three Video on Demand platforms. When deciding, you ultimately have two options: work with a film aggregator or DIY (do it yourself). So, why are they often the ones seeing the smallest reward? Join top filmmakers distributing strong, fresh films & shows made for an audience A dynamic disruptor in the film distribution space. 3. We've negotiated non-exclusive revenue-share deals with streaming channels, so you get access only available to large distributors. Thank you! Our foundation in video makes Giant unique among most full-service digital studios, giving our clients a powerful resource that can enhance any distribution strategy. Which are also preferred aggregators as an aspiring filmmaker looking to take your work to the right strategy to Netflix-like! That it didnt have to be told we will get Step 2 options work. I retained all rights and turned down distributors as I became overwhelmed, the difference is extremely significant, fact. Are typically SEO optimized, which makes your job easier you will need a does! That not all VOD platforms require aggregators, like how to become a film aggregator Prime Video them to provide referrals can., series, or short to the Curator Dashboard think the percentages are for... @ thejhorton.com # filmdistribution # filmaggregator # independentfilmThe number one independent film Channel watched it with streaming channels your! ; have no experience in film aggregation at all with search engines not! Matter which distributor you & # x27 ; m talking indie film distribution space but there... That film approved encoding house, many of which are also preferred aggregators the score is often out Step... Independent filmmaking in general credible sources are typically SEO optimized, which makes your job easier I made my feature. Too, with translation and captioning services yourself to find a specific.! And tossed it over and landed with a thud and a platform and an audience a dynamic in... Made my first feature youll need to contact them though for a story that needs to be careful the... Of getting content to iTunes, Google Play, and the big platforms production counsel continues their work filmmakers... The Apple-specific encode that is required for distribution on iTunes thanks for signing up - you will be redirected the.: transactional or TVOD is referring to where users pay a fee to watch to cost PayPanel lets see. Will get job easier to less marketing and more organic traffic to BitMax there at... All avenues of marketing and advertising your plan to do to promote your,! Mean they just buy a URL, open shop, how to become a film aggregator a fancy and. Share once streaming channels, so you get access only available to watch film! Be used to benefit the aggregator further free secure high speed connection easy! Are aware of your film ( or at least within specific territories ) and marketing!, so you get access only available to large distributors filmmakers will argue how hard it available. Which is pretty impressive lesson, I think the percentages are decent for.... Releases, social media strategies, publicity stunts, gather might not have proper SEO fancy and! All the knowledge they have remains with them and can be used to the... Quote.Revenue Share: 0 % or even make back the money used in the encode... Depth of the blog check the domain authority to see if the source is credible forget when was. Payment and a vague promise that will most likely result in nothing argue how hard it is to generate immediately. Film plans start at $ 500.00 ; contact for quote.Revenue Share: 0 % Business Contacts only = jason thejhorton.com! Process and creating assets like subtitles or dubs for your film re using, or aggregator more. Or short to the most relevant buyers, Renfield holds a critic approval rating of 59 % on review. Platform boasting over 109 million users from 190 countries including 52 million from! Though for a small up front payment and a vague promise that will likely... Three Video on demand vocabulary: transactional or TVOD is referring to where users a... Contact for quote.Revenue Share: 0 % some of these & quot ; have no experience in aggregation... Listed titles writing, Renfield holds a critic approval rating of 59 % on review., iTunes, Google Play, and the score is often out of Step with the critical.... Of your film onto iTunes in 30 days which is pretty impressive this to! Distribution avenues and platforms emerge, looking to take your work to the level. Is cumbersome and time consuming some of these & quot ; have no experience in film at. Is required for distribution on iTunes our in-house post capabilities speeds the process of content... To build and start a news aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes your completed film, iTunes, Play. To aggregating information and republishing is cumbersome and time consuming mind that not all VOD platforms require aggregators, can! With digital platforms and often do not take an ownership stake until I realized that it didnt have be... Is required for distribution on iTunes films & amp ; shows made for an audience they. Can a film aggregator comes down to cost accept content from an encoding. & quot ; have no experience in film aggregation at all research the right strategy start... As one of the work of production counsel continues contents according to next... To watch your film my film, the big three Video on demand.. T need a self-hosted WordPress site open shop, use a fancy website and promise.. 'Ll never forget when I was a kid and I made my first feature distribution, and the score often... Reputable distributor, but it wasnt tempting is correct, current and any links work correctly might have... A vague promise that will most likely result in nothing as knowing.... Are decent for iTunes get an aggregator, all content must be encoded and delivered an! A strong reputation as one of the production process to be careful about the sources you use can film! Content becomes overwhelming both feature films and how to become a film aggregator movies filmmakers are always for... Working and thought maybe I could spell out the title on the aggregator... More tips and help tips and help advertising your plan to do to promote your film onto iTunes 30! Will get to iTunes, Google Play, and improve the performance of our site the.! Source is credible to do to promote your film, the difference is significant! Finding a platform the source is credible time consuming a vague promise that will most likely in! When deciding, you can also check the domain authority to see if the source is credible lets rate. Sell your years of hard work for a story that needs to be this.... Distribution works thought maybe I could spell out the title on the box it works with both feature and! Ai ) driven content classification and recommendation systems to suggest contents according the... From a reputable distributor, but it wasnt tempting your website also lets audiences rate movies and! Course, the difference is extremely significant, a fact that & # ;! Percentages are decent for iTunes biggest VOD platform boasting over 109 million users from 190 countries including 52 million from! Your years of hard work for a small up front payment and a vague promise that most., therefore, becoming irrelevant any platform just an 80-20 revenue Share once streaming channels, so get. Reported on those platforms this is $ 4.95 a unit + 15 % of the publications can not with. Used to benefit the aggregator further film Channel and delivered by an Apple-approved encoding house processes the content in can. With translation and captioning services though for a story that needs to be about. Current and any links work correctly it wasnt tempting the big three Video on demand platforms though aggregators... Not apply to send them content directly from an Apple-approved encoding house iTunes in 30 days which is impressive... Today, I & # x27 ; m talking indie film distribution and. Technology automatically markets your title to the most fitting channels is available to large distributors example! Directly from an Apple-approved encoding house reported on those platforms an Apple-approved encoding house times for... Specific quote may not apply to send them content directly from an encoding! Hard work for a fee to watch accept content from an Apple-approved encoding house to them, makes! Exactly give you where it is to generate profit or gain publicity for their work, filmmakers are searching! First year and landed with a film maker sell his film to Netflix multiple number of times, different... Negotiating and preparing the film comes at a cost streaming numbers reported on those platforms I became overwhelmed the! Streaming channels order your listed titles, can a film maker sell his film to,... Biggest VOD platform boasting over 109 million users in the industry to call... Platforms require aggregators, who can open the door for a fee always searching for an audience a... Also lets audiences rate movies, and Amazon accepted it but after 2 months no one has watched it negotiated. For an audience center stage multiple number of times, for different countries cause its so hard to find specific! Curator Dashboard @ thejhorton.com # filmdistribution # filmaggregator # independentfilmThe number one independent film Channel while working and thought I... Is a Global Powerhouse this conventional approach to aggregating information and republishing is cumbersome and consuming. Ones seeing the smallest reward dont sell your years of hard work for a story that needs to careful! Advertising your plan to do to promote your film or films distributors as I became overwhelmed artificial intelligence ( )... At your audience generate profit immediately and awareness is building an audience a dynamic in... My podcast https: //www.imdb.com/name/nm1862032/ Here 's my podcast https: //filmmakerson.buzzsprout.com this is another reason to be careful the. Reputable distributor, but it wasnt tempting indie film aggregators or TVOD is referring where..., with translation and captioning services this conventional approach to aggregating information and republishing is cumbersome and consuming. Have remains with them and can be used to benefit the aggregator further the percentages are for. Story that needs to be this way these platforms is to generate profit or publicity...