Getting involved in the new Homegrown DVD project

I won't be able to up front payment because too many groups will be involved and it would turn into an extremely costly production. The % share at least makes this production a possibility and we're all happy in the end.

what do you consider costly? 2 grand?

You would be paying, per minute, not per group.

I like the sound of the up front payment.

I can't do it up front. I'm stretched thin as it is producing all of these productions at the same time. I have 5 other productions going on.

So basically when planning this project you didnt set aside even $1 to buy content for it? The 1 most important thing you need to make it?

Yeah right.

Personally, if we had enough good footage I think we would go for this, purely for the plug and tht would be good enough, also can u answer elliots question on the amounts of dvds u hope to distribute etc.?

word, work on the product before production it would be easier to get shit if you already had the dvd done

Eitherway. If your gonna do a profit share though you should really go into detail about that. You should give them a timeline and an estimate on how much to expect....cause it would be really easy to confuse some of these kids, and they would feel deceived and it wouldnt work out to well for your repuation.

Still dont understand how you have no budget though....especially with your office being in Arcadia. Im in Ventura, I know how rent is in so cal.

yeah

I do get confused easily

we know Al.

I have some money but I need to budget my money like everybody else. I have bills to pay until my next DVD is release.

I'm not paying per minute for footage because like I said before, if I can I will make this a collection of footage somewhat like a 3 dvd box set with 3 hours of footage on each dvd. Per minute that would get very expensive. This is not the way I'm going to do this.

I agree that a plug should be enough but I've gone out of my way now to cater to all the groups on the board by offering a plug and a % of the revenue. Now you guys want money up front and I can't do that. I need to draw the line somewhere.

The amount of DVDs is really hard to estimate. I will only sign up front distribution deals and when I sign an up front deal, the amount of DVDs they distribute doesn't even matter to us because we won't get money based on sales of the DVD. Of course if I sign a large up front distribution deal, the distributor needs to release a lot of copies of the DVDs to break even. With international distribution in Europe and Australia, I estimate probably around 50,000 copies will be released but that is only a guess.

This isn't an office. This is where I live. My editor will edit out of his home and that keeps costs low. I don't have a huge budget guys, that isn't my situation so you should stop thinking like it is.

If I sign an up front distribution deal, the money would be paid to me up front and I would then show you how much was paid to me and divide 25% of that amongst the groups that had their footage used in the DVD. If it's up front money then everybody gets money really quick and there won't be a quarterly royalty check. Chances are there would be distribution deals made with N. America, another for Europe, and another for Australia. Other distribution deals are possible but not easy. Then also there is the chance of PPV in N. America and Canada which I have connections for but that is really hard to do. Basically all money will be up front unless I sign a royalty deal but I rather avoid royalty deals.

but if the groups are your sole source of footage don't you think dividing 25% of the profits between the groups is pretty low

it seems like we would be getting a monthly check, but our hard earned footage would be lining your pockets, you seem like a nice guy but this deal dosn't seem to benafit the groups as much as if they say made there own dvd

thats lot of fucking money...alot to spend..and alot to make.

I was wondering at what rates your distributors buy per copy?

Groups can try to make their own DVD but getting it released won't be easy and chances are most distributors will rip you off. That is the nature of the business when dealing with distributors which is why I deal with up fornt payments.

I'm handling all the editing, manufactring, legal fees, meetings and business for distribution. 25% amongst the groups is quite a bit. I can't offer ore or the DVD isn't worth spending so much time and energy to make a reality.

The distributors will sign up front payment deals. They do not buy per copy. They pay one lump sum at the beginnging and that is all they pay and it is up to them to make it a success. I won't sell out for a low up front payment. The goal is to get a big up front payment so that the distributor knows they have to release a lot of copies to make back their investment.

So what? Put your money where your mouth is. How is you having Bills to pay our problem? You dont start planning a project unless you have budgeted for content. If you dont have enough money for content then who's to say you dont have enough money for other things.. ie: are going to do everything on the cheap and produce a sub-standard product. Maybe start saving your money again until you can afford to make this.


HAHAHAHA.. You are fucking delirious. Absolutely dreaming if you think this will move 50,000.. You obviously know nothing about the market. To acheive those figures what type of marketing and advertising will you be using? And what titles of yours have you ever got into Australia? Id be interested to know.


This whole deal gets more professional by the day.


Sorry, 25% is not enough. Start in the 30's if you even want a chance of this looking half professional.


Groups should try to make their own DVD. There are distrbutors dont rip you off. Once again this guy is using scare tacticts.


Wow, welcome to the life of being a producer. If you cant hack it maybe go work at McDonalds or something. No shit you are doing all the work, that is why you will get the majority of the money. If you plan on moving 50,000 units (cough LMFAO) then 70-60% of that cut should by your books equal no less than .25 million. Why the fuck are you complaining for?


I dont know what distribution companies you use but that is not the standard method. No distribution company Ive ever known pays one lump sum payment. A dist. company takes a % of the wholesale price. ie: If the wholesale price is $20, the Distribution fee is %30 ($6).. Every copy they sell to a retailer they profit $6, you profit $14. The retailer then marks up the wholesale price and profits that amount.

This method is a lot more sucessful in ensuring the distributors release as many copies as they can, because if they sell 1, they only make 6 dollars, but the units they can sell is infinate. So is your profit.

Anyway.. Its still my opinion not to deal with these guys.

If groups are still hanging like hell to get their content out there I can pass your information and footage onto a few companies I know that are all reputable and above board. This guy has a backyard operation and is trying to rip everyone off.

I'm not trying to rip off anybody Elliot. You can try to pick apart at everything I write, I don't care.

The production will be high quality. My new editor is really impressive.

If you deal with an entertainment lawyer that will rep your production, you can get really good up front distribution deals.

For Australia I can get a quality documentary or movie in theatres and I'm in contact with one of the biggest entertainment companies in Australia. They would probably push around 5,000 units in the first 2 years and then more in the third year.

In the USA, Europe, Australia and possibly other countries it is possible to do 50,000 copies.

There are some distribution companies that release DVDs that do pay but I'm sure Eilliot can tell you stories about a lot of distributors that will cheat you for your share. That is very common in the DVD industry and that is why I prefer up front payment deals.

You guys are still welcome to suggest ideas to make the deal worth it for everybody to be involved. Remember, each goups block of time would be between 10-20 minutes so it's not really using a lot of your footage and you're making money at the same time. It's definitely a good way to get your name/website out to other producers that will see your footage on the DVD.

I like the deal so far, get my site a little promotion and make some cash on the side too.

If it interested you guys, with the footage you send in for the big DVD, I can edit together a strong 90 minute "movie" or whatever you want to call it and pitch it to be released in theatres in Australia.

I would also send the 90 minute "movie" to film festivals all around the country. Of course the % deal would be involved with this too so it could make you more money. It's just an idea for you guys to think about. Maybe this idea interests.

which australian entertainment company are you in contact with ?

Moody, Im telling you now.. You will not move 50,000 units. You are dreaming. And again I bring up, if you planned on moving 50,000 units how can you come in here and your first deal is to offer these groups nothing?


Its standard practice.. I think that paying one lump sum is cheating much more than a rev share for the reasons I listed.

Please answer my question about what forms of marketing and advertising you will be using to acheive your target?


What do you mean "in theatres" and whos this entertainment company? Ill tell you if their worth shit down here.


No its not. Its good for your pockets thats about it.

Listen to Elliot damnit

yes I'm very skeptical about it coming to theatres here...
I mean...sin city isn't even out here yet...so what are the chances of this making it here...

Slim to none...

I didn't come in here offering nothing. I offered promotion and publicity. I didn't think you guys would have demands and I thought the process would be much simpler than it is.

For advertising, it would be a lot of internet publicity, press releases to newspaper, websites, radio stations. I'm in touch with a great PR guy that helps me hype my productions to the public. I would also possibly be able to get a few guys from groups involved doing radio interviews to promote the DVD. I have a lot of radio connections. The DVD might also be hyped in magazine ads. Television is difficult to advertise because of the price but if the DVD got really popular, anything is possible.

I'm not about ready to discuss my connections in Australia because of a current deal I'm forming with their company but everybody here has heard the name of this company, that is 100% sure. Movies made by this company are in the houses of everybody that's reading this. I'm not in a position to want to relesae this information yet. It is a major entertainment company/corporation and they would surely release it in Australia and hopefully they would also handle it in Europe. Getting them to handle the distribution in N. America would be a dream come true but that would be difficult to make happen.

If you live in Australia, I can get a movie into theatres over therew but it needs to be a very good production.