Few questions about my first feature film (more buissness oriented)

[SeriousSquirrel]

So, I am currently in the process of writing the script for my first feature film. It will also be the first film produced by a Studio my friend and I will be backing/creating.

There's just a few questions I have:

1. Should I try to put the movie up for sale/distribute the film myself(or ourselves), or just plop it on youtube? While we'd love to see a profit, this is really going to be more of a learning experience than anything else so I wouldn't be hugely crushed either way.

The reason I'm not sure on selling/distributing it is that the process would be full of problems. First off we're all minors, so I'm not sure if I have the power legally do that. Also, the payment of the cast and crew would be a pain, as we're all (well mostly) minors. I was thinking I'd have everyone sign percentage deals (for back-end profits) but I'm not really sure.

(I'm checking the legality issues as of now, but I'd still like any advice or opinions)

 

[shreedder]

Do you make mvoies on a regular basis? Do you have any fans on sites such as youtube? Remember writing a full length script 30-120 minutes is a long and difficult proccess. I have struggled writing compelling 10 minute movies.

I would say just put it on youtube, unless it is very high quality you will not make a profit.

 

[Marter]

Really, it depends on a few things.

How marketable is it? Whether or not people will buy it based on the premise, (you can't bank on star power, obviously), means that you will have difficulty selling it at all, if you don't have a good premise.

How are you planning on distributing/promoting it? I assume you can't afford to do TV commercials, so how are you planning to get word out there? Do you have a DVD distribution plan already, or will you have to come up with one?

Being a minor shouldn't, (although, admittedly, I don't know), alter whether or not you can sell it. If it is, and you believe that you can turn a profit, just wait until you're 18 to sell it. Some actual films remain in post-production far longer than that.

Now, the major thing is: Is the film any good? What kind of production values do you have? Was there a budget? How did it turn out? These things also matter, because either way you choose to do it, there will be (hopefully/sadly, depending on its quality) be word of mouth regarding your film. If it's good, then this word of mouth will be positive, and you might get more sales/views. However, if your film sucks, then people will not buy it, and might watch it only to make fun of it.

Now...I don't honestly think you should try and sell it, although I haven't seen it. Unless it is really good, and it sounds like there isn't much way to compete with films that have higher production costs, then people won't buy it, and finding some way to distribute it would cost more than you will make back.

 

[DELETETHISACCOUNT]

If you want a really excellent resource about funding, shooting, and distributing your first feature film I'd really recommend checking out Dov Simen's 2-day-film school.

 

[SeriousSquirrel]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I've sided on not selling this one, and just seeing how the quality really turns out.

 

[clipse15]

So, I am currently in the process of writing the script for my first feature film. It will also be the first film produced by a Studio my friend and I will be backing/creating.

There's just a few questions I have:

1. Should I try to put the movie up for sale/distribute the film myself(or ourselves), or just plop it on youtube? While we'd love to see a profit, this is really going to be more of a learning experience than anything else so I wouldn't be hugely crushed either way.

The reason I'm not sure on selling/distributing it is that the process would be full of problems. First off we're all minors, so I'm not sure if I have the power legally do that. Also, the payment of the cast and crew would be a pain, as we're all (well mostly) minors. I was thinking I'd have everyone sign percentage deals (for back-end profits) but I'm not really sure.

(I'm checking the legality issues as of now, but I'd still like any advice or opinions)

Sorry can i ask you a few questions first?

1. How old are you?

2. What equipmeny do you have access to?

3. What would your film be about?

 

[SeriousSquirrel]

Sorry can i ask you a few questions first?

1. How old are you?

2. What equipmeny do you have access to?

3. What would your film be about?

Just as a heads up, I set that particular project aside for now, and whipped a somewhat simple movie to shoot for experience.

Anywho:

1. I'm 15, nearly 16

2. I have pretty good editing software, and an HD camera (don't recall what brand, but it was about 300$)

3. The film in question was going to be a ultra-violent throwback to the video nasties of the late 70s and early 80s. Like a mix of Last House on the Left (minus the rape, obviously) and Near Dark (I'm not going to reveal the exact plot for now). I figured that the style would compliment the low budget, and have a somewhat built-in audience.



I've now sided on a throwback to the Ultra-low budget slashers of the 70s and 80s. It won't be for sale, just on youtube. I realized it would be ludacris to attempt to sell a first time/home-made movie, and I wanted to get a little practice in before trying my more ambitious ideas.


Think something like this

 

[clipse15]

double post

 

[clipse15]

Sorry can i ask you a few questions first?

1. How old are you?

2. What equipmeny do you have access to?

3. What would your film be about?

Just as a heads up, I set that particular project aside for now, and whipped a somewhat simple movie to shoot for experience.

Anywho:

1. I'm 15, nearly 16

2. I have pretty good editing software, and an HD camera (don't recall what brand, but it was about 300$)

3. The film in question was going to be a ultra-violent throwback to the video nasties of the late 70s and early 80s. Like a mix of Last House on the Left (minus the rape, obviously) and Near Dark (I'm not going to reveal the exact plot for now). I figured that the style would compliment the low budget, and have a somewhat built-in audience.



I've now sided on a throwback to the Ultra-low budget slashers of the 70s and 80s. It won't be for sale, just on youtube. I realized it would be ludacris to attempt to sell a first time/home-made movie, and I wanted to get a little practice in before trying my more ambitious ideas.


Think something like this

Ok if we're talking about actually trying to sell your film your chances are very slim. The way the industry is set up now its very difficult to sell a film without a production company. If you have any of your work to share even if its a short sample of your editing then i can critique it for you

 

[Aurgelmir]

So, I am currently in the process of writing the script for my first feature film. It will also be the first film produced by a Studio my friend and I will be backing/creating.

There's just a few questions I have:

1. Should I try to put the movie up for sale/distribute the film myself(or ourselves), or just plop it on youtube? While we'd love to see a profit, this is really going to be more of a learning experience than anything else so I wouldn't be hugely crushed either way.

The reason I'm not sure on selling/distributing it is that the process would be full of problems. First off we're all minors, so I'm not sure if I have the power legally do that. Also, the payment of the cast and crew would be a pain, as we're all (well mostly) minors. I was thinking I'd have everyone sign percentage deals (for back-end profits) but I'm not really sure.

(I'm checking the legality issues as of now, but I'd still like any advice or opinions)

Only put it up on you tube.
A few words popped out when I read your post:
-First
-Minor
-Learning

Those three words tells me you are not ready to distribute this, and in fact I doubt a lot of people would want to see it. This is based on what you tell me in the post.

I have no idea what sort of post production equipment you have access to, but the three words I listed tells me; "Not a lot, we sort of wing it"


PS: Most of a movie is made in Post Production


EDIT: Yeah I read some of your replies, and saw what equipment you have, and yeah its nice equipment, but probably not enough to let you earn money off of it.