Thomas Mai

YouTube/Sundance Failure or Success?

I dont believe that the YouTube “Experiment” was a failure. It only ran for 10 days and proved there was a demand however small. For an independent producer this can become yet another revenue stream and it can all add up to bigger bucks when you gather up another possible angle of income.

We are so used to think exclusivity, please start to think non-exclusivity.

Now it is possible for a producer to make a deal themselves with no expensive middleman and have their film online at multiple online retailers like Itunes, NetFlix, Amazon, TheAuteurs, Youtube etc, the more the merrier.

Sundance title Back AssWards became the most sold film on Itunes on the indie section during Sundance see with 289 downloads after 2 days see http://sydneysbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/02/releasing-on-digital-platforms-first.html

We are talking about small films here not major block busters. This is not Avatar but independent films who can now have longevity and stay online instead of being yanked from the theaters and video stores after a short period. If the experiment had run for a year the numbers would be much higher. We have to look at the lifespan of the distribution and the possibility of actually having people find the film online, as opposed to 5 years ago when there was no alternative.

We have to embrace this new era of no Gatekeepers who can decide the fate and life of you and your movie. Now we are empowered as filmmakers to have our own distribution and make money while we are sleeping.

With Social Media, marketing and sales is possible for the even smallest production company.

Stop focusing on the small picture and see this in the great context of possibilities that now exists for filmmakers globally. Remember the film was only available on YouTube in the US. There is a whole world out there, America is still only 300 million people as opposed to more than 6 billion worldwide

I believe this is the best time ever to be a filmmaker. Never has equipment been cheaper and distribution easier and dont get me started on Crowdfunding.

Check out http://www.ageofstupid.net/money and MyMillionDollarMovie.com are great examples on Crowdfunding for films and how it is possible to raise funding for films in this digital edge.

You can watch my presentation on VOD, Social Media & Crowdfunding for free on Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=342575704

of if you dont have Itunes click here http://festivaldarlings.23video.com/video/526600/vod-and-what-it-means-to-the

Let me know what you think, by giving your comments below

Thomas Mai