How to Find a Distributor for an Indie Film
Collect your reels, your script and your actor list, then head off to find a distributor for your independent film. You need to find someone with the right marketing connections and capital to back your now completed indie feature.
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Instructions
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Acquire a list of companies that actively engage in distributing films, seeking them out at websites like FilmForum.org or Independent Film Distribution (see Additional Resources). These list indie film distributors, both in the U.K. and the United States. Films that fit the independent mold are often more readily distributed by companies that work with similar kinds of material.
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Visit video stores. Often, the distributor of a particular film which might be similar to the film you are pursuing distribution for will be listed on the back of the film's box.
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Engage in active interviewing with possible distributors. Remember that this is your film and ultimately, you decide who is going to be responsible for getting it in theaters.
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Design a way to present your film to possible distributors. This is not unlike the courting process; you have to make your package as desirable as can be.
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Decide when you are going to initiate contact with distributors. Choose to get in touch with them during one of three initial stages of your film's production. You need to approach them either during development, during the actual production or when you have a finished product to show.
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Follow-up on proposals after you've mailed your pitch or spoken directly with the studio. Be aggressive, and let them know you are eagerly awaiting their decision, whatever it may be. Don't let them waste your time.
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Tips & Warnings
Shoot for the stars. It doesn't hurt to seek out the large independent studios first. They will provide the most lucrative deals and will get your film seen by the largest possible audience.
