How to Sell a Film to Distributors

So now that you've made a film, it's time to sell it to a distributor. There are some basic steps to get this done, and the rules differ depending on whether your film is a feature or a documentary. But once you learn what do, you'll be able to sell the film and see it get the attention it deserves.

Things You'll Need

• Feature or documentary film
• DVD burner

Instructions

1. Contact sub-distributors, especially if your film is a documentary. There aren't a lot of distributors for documentaries, so do this yourself through PBS, library journals, hospitals and schools. Find out contact people for PBS or HBO and call them about your film.

2. Consider foreign distribution as an option. They pay up front and you make money for every country where your film is distributed. Find out if your American distributor works with foreign markets and work with them to get started.

3. Join one of the many sites on the Internet that will help you distribute your film. There are those who specialize in documentary films and others that lean more towards indie (independent films), so do some research and then sign up your film.

Tips & Warnings

• Always hold out for money up front, because many distributors commonly offer residuals, but few rarely pay much or anything at all. So get your money in your hand first and then agree to let them take care of things like expenses, duplication and promotion.

• Join Myspace Film and sign yourself up as a filmmaker there. There are many from the film industry that frequent this site and it's another way of getting some interest in your work.

• Sell your film from your own website.

Resources

• Visit to IndieFilms to find out more about film distribution
• List your film through ITVS
• Join Myspace film to promote your film