UPDATE:
There was a time, not too long ago, when filmmakers would spend a great deal of money and a great deal of time booking their films in worldwide markets. However, it became very difficult. Overseas distributors were only interested in action films and films with big-name stars.
To make matters worse, indie filmmakers who were lucky enough to get an overseas booking, were now having a tough time getting paid.
Things indeed looked bleak.
But now, it's all changed. The emergence of hundreds of streaming outlets has leveled the playing field. Finally, for peanuts, indie filmmakers can now have their films shown in almost every country in the world.
Even better, our CINEMAflix DIRECT Program enables filmmakers to achieve this for one set price, $950.00.
The Program includes all of the following:
* DIGITAL PLATFORMS. We'll do the encoding, the QC (Quality Control), and the submissions to the major digital platforms like iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, Google, Sony, Fandango Now, and TubiTV.
*CABLE VOD. We have arrangements with two of the major cable stations: Spectrum (Time Warner) and Xfinity (Comcast).
With CINEMAflix DIRECT, even the small-time filmmaker can now be a global power.
NEWS BRIEFS:
The collapse of the film THE GREAT WALL at the domestic box office has iced any notion of a significant future for U.S.-China co-productions. The movie will likely end up with losses of more than $75 million.---Pamela McClintock & Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter.
Indian censors continue to hold back the country's movies, and silencing a new film about women's rights is the latest example that the situation shows no sign of improvement.---Anisha Jhaveri, IndieWire.
Facebook is striking deals with digital video producers such as BuzzFeed and Vox Media to create shortform programming that would help keep the video tab stocked with fresh content.---Lesley Goldberg & Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter.
A MESSAGE TO ALL POLITICIANS- WORLDWIDE:
Politicians today determine their legislative agenda based on polls and winning the next election, but they should heed these words from President Eisenhower's farewell address:
As we peer into society's future, we must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.
FILM EXCHANGE:
In a recent exchange I asked the question, Should a film be dismissed if it was only seen on an iPad or cell phone and not in a theater? Overwhelmingly, readers affirmed that requiring a theatrical release to make a film legitimate is ludicrous. Almost everyone said that they rarely see films in theaters, preferring the convenience and the minimal cost of watching films on their mobile devices.
