Is VOD Really the Way Yet?
Posted by Jim on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 in Author • Gary Rubin - President, First Independent Pictures • Film Blogs • Film Business Planning • Media Research • New Media Blogs • (1) Comments • Permalink •
Earlier this month, the Tribeca Film Festival announced that ten of their films would go to VOD first and begin during the festival. (Sundance had done something similar with three.) SXSW made a similar announcement.
While these are smart people, it remains to be seen whether this can really be an effective structuring of the windows, that is, can the investor really get his money back by doing VOD first?
There have been examples: IFC is having a lot of luck with their titles- of course they own cable systems- but not all are working- just some. Same with Magnolia. When it works, it’s great. But when it doesn't, if the producer hasn't gotten a significant enough advance, they can be left with egg on their face and some unrecouped investors. Which means they'll have trouble making another film. Be careful.
We'll follow this together as the year goes on. I for one, think it continues to be a wait and see, but I know that there are many who feel differently and I am in the minority.
If you missed it, my company First Independent just acquired Holy Rollers, a picture that was just in competition in last month's Sundance Film Festival.
The film is about a group of young rebellious Hasidic Jews who begin to run drugs into the country from Amsterdam.
Oy vey.
We had several competitors for the film, but were able to swing it our way because we have experience in the area of Jewish marketing. Our film Sixty Six had a nice run in the summer of '08.
Now comes the hard part. We need to reach not only the Jewish demo, but a youth segment as well. And fans of cast members Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland) and Justin Bartha (The Hangover).
And we only have 3 months to do it.
I feel we can get this picture to work and will be talking about it periodically.
Gary Rubin, President - First Independent Pictures , has over twenty years of experience in the motion picture and television businesses, having held an array of positions that cross the entire gamut of distribution, acquisitions, production and management. Prior to forming First Independent Pictures, Rubin served as Executive Vice President, Sales and Acquisitions, for Artisan Entertainment (since merged with Lion's Gate). Prior to that, Rubin was employed by October Films, (since merged with Focus Features), where he held the dual position of VP, Ancillary Distribution and Library Acquisitions, as well as Sr. VP, Millenium Films. Residing in Los Angeles/Santa Monica, Rubin teaches a course on the independent film business at UCLA. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan.
