Film distribution with Ron Valderrama, founder of Stream Now

We talked on film distribution with Ron Valderrama the founder of Stream Now. Read the interview below

How does an indie filmmaker distribute his/her film
For starters, it helps if you get some eyeballs on it. I have seen some really good films that have their film on Vimeo or similar platform and only have 100-500 total views. Its not The Field of Dreams, where if you build it they will come. Making the film is just the first part. In addition to utilizing every free tool available to be seen such as bookmarking sites (Reddit, StumbleUpon) and social media, filmmakers need to try and get press from every outlet who would write about them. Start with the single person blogs, then move on to larger multi-person blogs and finally end up with large publications/trades.

Once you have gone hard on the PR and marketing, you will have some social proof to distribution companies and platforms such as Stream Now when the Google you. The investment becomes a less risky bet. In terms of getting it in front of a platform or distribution company, be targeted. Do your research to find out what other content they have picked up and how that compares to yours. If you see that they deal a lot with indie film, but most of the films are horror, your comedy probably will not go anywhere with them. In your research on the company or person, find and reference an article you read about them. If have done your homework and your film seems in line with their other films, now you start seeing who the best point of contact would be. Sometimes that might be a lower level person who can champion the film to the right people. Sometimes it might be a higher level person so find all of them. Google search them. Find out what they are about and contact them with something that gives the impression that you know who they are and it is intentional that you are reaching out because you already know your film is a fit. If during your research on the company or person, reference an article you read about them. Again, this will help break down walls and stroke their ego. One last thing, but it is probably most important. Network. Network like crazy. Get to know people who know the companies you want to talk to. Nothing breaks down the walls like a warm intro.

Stream Now PRO Inks Content Partnerships With Gravitas Check it out! https://t.co/XiK69irmp5 @streamnowtv pic.twitter.com/eDhWry9qNq

— Coming Up Magazine (@Comingupmag) March 12, 2016

What period in the filmmaking process, does an indie filmmaker need to start planning for distribution
Well I spoke to a company in France a couple of weeks ago that said they are ready to start the process as soon as they can see a good proof of concept or trailer. Again, there are things you can do even before that like researching who you will want to get this in front of. Start retweeting their stuff or referencing articles about them. Get them used to seeing your name. Same goes for writers you will want to cover you when it’s done. When you are finally ready to talk, you have already been interacting on some level without ever asking for anything.

Indie filmmaking is based on zero or small budgets. How do I get my film in theatres with such a budget
Good question. This may be tough but if you hustle you can get it done. A filmmaker I know Travis Mills just made an amazing new film called Durant’s Never Closes. He got his films in theaters all over the nation but negotiating revenue splits directly with them. I have another friend named Eric Vale that paid a small amount to have his play in a theater on a slow night. Last you can utilize new startups that specialize in this such as Tugg.

Thanks @SnobbyRobot for this great interview about Stream Now & @StreamNowCEOhttps://t.co/6wqRBpDzKC#indiefilm pic.twitter.com/ymuT88td6l

— StreamNowTV (@streamnowtv) March 15, 2016

Streamnowtv is a digital film distribution platform, why did you start it, and what were your intentions
There were several factors that played into starting Stream Now TV and Stream Now Pro. I noticed that I was watching digital platforms on my TV back in 2009-2010 and knew streaming was going to be a major factor. At the same time, I had been asked (despite my total lack of any film industry knowledge) to get involved with projects by filmmakers. The first time I laughed it off, but by the second or third time, (I) decided to give it a go.

A filmmaker friend of mine, Michael Campo, and I were trying to develop a series based off of a successful film he had made. Without naming names, we landed several big meetings with one of the largest streaming companies and a couple of traditional TV networks. Ultimately, we failed in glorious fashion. Not knowing any better, I decided to start my own network with the goal of eventually making content on it. I knew there was talent all over the world that had to fight the almost impossible battle of breaking into the industry.

Find out why @TownSpotTV calls WELCOME HOME “a must-watch” https://t.co/3pQ1cM8eZp & streaming on @streamnowtv pic.twitter.com/HugjCkCeqV

— WELCOME HOME (@WELCOMEHOME84) March 5, 2016

How can StreamnowTV work with indie filmmakers to get their films out to audiences
The same way Netflix, Amazon or Hulu get films in front of an audience. Create a beautiful user experience that makes it easy to discover/watch on any screen. Same applies for Stream Now TV and Stream Now PRO, we are just focused on independent content. I think there is a slight difference though because Stream Now is a startup. We have every incentive to promote a filmmaker and their content because it inherently drives and engages users for our platform. That said, we have work a lot with creators to get press and exposure.

What benefits do I get as an indie filmmakers if I am signed up to StreamnowTV
There are several benefits filmmakers get even before they are signed with Stream Now. For starters we have a submissions page but unlike a regular submission process, we actually give fairly in depth feedback on the project. The submission will be reviewed by established filmmakers or industry experts. In addition to the submissions process, we also offer a film/series consultation service. This could be for a project still in the works or completed. We will review the project and conduct a half hour conference call to assist in what the filmmaker wants/needs to accomplish from a feedback and strategy standpoint. That is all before a creator makes it on to Stream Now. If a filmmaker has a film/series on our platform, they will benefit from gaining exposure from our audience, have the ability to show people their work on all screens including TVs and in most cases be paid. To me though, the main benefit is having it on a beautiful platform that won’t autoplay into a cat video (I am talking to you YouTube) when the video is done.

Do I need an agent, to coordinate my film submission and revenue with StreamnowTV
You do not need an agent. Just submit right through our submissions page and we can start talking. I started Stream Now to really break down the barriers for talented filmmakers so we reduce as much friction as possible.

Tell is how StreamnowTV works? What do you guys actually do
Stream Now is a standalone streaming service for independent content. We have a free version, Stream Now TV and a premium version called Stream Now PRO. It’s available online, in the iOS App Store and Roku smart TVs/devices.

What is the future of indie filmmaking, and how is StreamnowTV planning to support indie filmmaking
I think the future of filmmaking is going to be awesome and more difficult. On one hand we have the ability to make fairly technical films at a lower cost. I mean our phones shoot in 4k now and software to help pull it off is getting really inexpensive. That means we should start to see some really amazing projects that will not need investors or a lot of money to get done. The downside to that is I imagine the space will become a lot more crowded and will be more difficult to break through all the noise. Hopefully a platform like mine will help filmmakers standout.

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