If reading Three Methods for Getting Your Movie Distributed made you want to put your camera down an...

1. Guerrilla Marketing for Independent Filmmakers
If reading Three Methods for Getting Your Movie Distributed made you want to put your camera
down and go find a nice job as an accountant, don't go just yet! The traditional routes to film
distribution can be daunting even for 'insiders,' but as an 'outsider' to the Hollywood machine, you
have many additional options available to get eyeballs on your independent movie, make a little
money, and maybe even get your foot in the door of Hollywood for your next project.
Skip the Middleman
Trying to sell your film to a distributor can be a painful minefield of ways you can lose your shirt, so
why not skip the distributors do it yourself? As recently as 10 years ago it was nearly impossible to
get an independent film around the Hollywood machine directly to the public, but the speeds on the
internet are increasing every day, and instant access to the world is more cheaply available via new
technologies coming on line all the time. Today's indie filmmakers are harnessing this technology
and power in ways that are, frankly, scaring the pants off of the old-guard Hollywood gatekeepers.
While web sites such as www.indiefilms.com may not make you your millions, sites like these will get
your product and your name out there to the right industry people. Once you get your foot in the
door hawking your wares to distributors will be somewhat easier. Even sites like MySpace and
Facebook have large indie film communities that can be accessed by the general public.
Taking your product straight to television can be a surprisingly lucrative option as well. Like the
saying goes, "we've got 99 channels, but nothing's on." Television has a voracious appetite for new
content and with so many channels to choose from there is a constant vacuum for new and exciting
programming content. While the inner workings of getting your indie film on television are beyond
the scope of this article, books such as Independent Film Distribution: How to Make a Successful
End Run Around the Big Guys can provide valuable insight on how to use alternative film
distribution methods to get your independent movie seen, and put money in your pocket.
Keep on Pluggin'
These days DVD's are relatively inexpensive to burn. On the low-cost end of the spectrum, you can
simply burn a few dozen copies of your film, use one of the many free image editing software
packages to create some decent packaging for you and attend some film festivals or conventions in
order to distribute your product. For just a few hundred dollars you can even get a professionally
packaged product through do-it-yourself services such as www.discmakers.com, and can be making
a profit without having to sell millions of copies of your movie. You could stand on the street corner
if you desired but the chances of reaching your target audience is greatly improved at organized
events.
The bottom-line is that you can help your independent film to success if you're willing to be your own
publicist. Build a simple website where people can purchase your movie and then write up
summaries and production notes on your film and place them in various industry / genre magazines
and publications. It is imperative that you attempt to be realistic in these reviews or you will wind up
doing yourself more harm than good..

2. While the process of independent film distribution can be tedious at times, the advantage is that you
get to be in control of every facet of your film. You no longer have to be at the mercy of distribution
execs that may or may not see your point of view, or want changes in your film to "make it more
marketable." Because you don't have to recoup millions of marketing dollars just to break-even, you
will probably find that with a little hard work and some self-promotional moxie you are able to make
a profit on your movie much more quickly than you ever could using a major distributor or a film
marketing company.
If the thought of independent distribution sounds exciting, take a look at D.I.Y. Distribution Methods
for Your Indie Film for more specific techniques on getting your film seen. On the other hand, if you
do decide that you want to try to sell your independent movie through more traditional channels, be
sure to check out Three Methods for Getting Your Movie Distributed for valuable information on that
process.