The Economist Interviews Sony Pictures CEO, Michael Lynton, And What We Think About It

If you don't read it or check out their site every once in a while, I'm sure you're still aware of magazine called The Economist. I don't subscribe to it or anything, but I do peruse the site and download a podcast or two, every now and then. If you're interested in what The Economist is all about, it's a weekly news magazine that's done out of London. It's almost more like a newspaper, but it's got a glossy front, so I call that a magazine. They claim that it's "not a chronicle of economics". No, not even... The say they aim "to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress". Well, I'm not sure what that all means or if it's actually a complete sentence, but it hasn't kept me away from the content they produce. Now, what I really like about them is that every once in a while, they come up with something that ties all my worlds together. This interview with Michael Lynton, the current Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment is one such thing. It's about 15 minutes long and I've embedded it below, it's a great interview. Grab a coffee, sit back, and give it a watch. I have some thoughts on what he says below...



One of the most interesting things about this interview is how he looks at "Paranormal Activity" and low-budget films as 'phenomenon' and not a business model. I have to say, I both agree and disagree. Most certainly, "Paranormal Activity" was a phenomenon, and so was "Blair Witch", but there is a common thread between the two - they're low-budget horror. I guess studios can't see it, or maybe I'm just stupid, but I think horror lends itself so well to low-budget filmmaking, that an extremely well done low-budget horror film will always have the ability to break into the mainstream. Not only that, there's SO many low-budget horror films out there that are good, and COULD make a profit (but won't break through to the mainstream or move the needle for a company like Sony Pictures) that a small, niche company could consistently turn a profit by churning them out and then properly marketing and distributing them. That, my indie friends, IS a business model. It's just one that Sony wouldn't be interested in.

The other interesting point he makes is about piracy... There's obviously a dark side to piracy. More so, it's mostly a dark side, but there IS a good side that studios don't see. On one level, torrent sites are no different than a DVR. I download TV shows that I miss all the time. Hell, I'll download an entire season of something to get caught up. I don't see that as bad... why? Because people do that all the time, legally, with their DVR's and all I'm doing is getting caught up, so I can watch your programming at its regular time - and then you can show me your ads. It's called time-shifting and it's a problem that the networks and studios are going to have to deal with. I've also argued MANY times that the torrent sites and file sharing is GREAT for indie film. No one wants to distribute your film? Don't know how to get it out there and drum up interest? Well, put it out there for free. If it's good, people will spread the word, interest will build, then you'll be able to get screenings, distributors will come knocking and, all of a sudden, your film's a success. "Ink", which just came out, is a classic example of how that can work. Is it good for the studios? No, they have nothing to gain from it. Good for the indies? Absolutely...

Whatever side of the argument you're on, in the end, it's just always good to be up to date and understand how the studio system works. We all love our indie film and we're more than happy to toil away it, but... if the studio's came knocking, you know you'd answer the door. So, you better understand what makes them tick...

Have a great weekend, see you next week!

Indie Horror Related News And Info From The World Wide Web

It seems like we've reached a tipping point with the internet... I mean, not the news part, the distribution part. So, I'm definitely going to be posting once a week on internet and internet related things that are pertinent to indie horror or indie filmmaking. At this point, the internet is your biggest, best and cheapest tool for marketing and PR, but, soon enough, it could be your easiest and most profitable distribution channel. The internet! It's not just for porn anymore!

So, right out of the gate, here's some big news... Although the video's will be hosted by the studios, who will retain control, collect traffic and ad revenue and avoid sticky copyright problems, Youtube is now, in fact, showing Sony, CBS and Lionsgate Movies... legally. Click here to see the article on TheWrap.com called "Youtube Creates Channel for Movies, TV Shows". This is actually a pretty big deal for a few reasons... the first reason is, this legitimizes Youtube as a real distribution channel and could enable it to create partnerships and generate some real revenue. For you, it means you could follow suit. If it catches on, there's no reason that there wouldn't be a Sony channel, a CBS channel, a Lionsgate channel, a Dead Harvey channel and your channel... then people could scroll through them, mark favorites and use it like they use iTunes. The other thing that I think is pretty big here is what it could mean for the internet as a distribution channel. Currently, the internet is seen as a place where people get pirated and illegal content, plus watch videos of people getting kicked in the balls and check out tranny porn. This shit here, this is legal. This can create a win/win situation. I mean, what if the studios started teaming up with the Torrent sites next and said, fine... remove prerelease and leaked stuff, like what just happened with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (My God, what a disaster!) and we'll provide you with DVD quality releases when they're legitimately released on DVD... but we're putting in ads and we want a good portion of the revenue. Like I said, this all adds up... and one day, the internet will be your biggest distribution source and major studios and indie guys alike will both be making money off it.

So, check this out... We've talked plenty about the future of film and I've mentioned how I think that, as we progress, you're going to see more and more marketing and advertising dollars subsidizing film projects. To me, it just makes sense... it's no cost to the viewer, it helps pay for production and the advertiser gets their brand in front of an audience. Everyone wins. Well, now there's Filmmortal. Taken right from their site, "Filmmortal is a revolutionary tool which enables Filmmakers and Advertisers to bid on Product Placement opportunities in REAL TIME. The company was founded on the principle to help aspiring and talented indie filmmakers get their dream projects made by receiving financial aid in return for placing products and brands in scenes or storylines." I'm not sure when they got started, as there's not a ton of activity on it... but there is activity. In fact, there's some serious activity. I don't think it costs anything, so you should definitely check it out. Why wouldn't you try to raise some extra coin by listing your project?

Like I've said many times before, when you're an indie filmmaker, you're not just the filmmaker. You also have to be the producer, the PR guy, the marketer, the agent, manager... everything. And marketing and PR is probably the biggest thing that you need to know, it'll make or break your film. It'll make it sit on your computer or it'll put it on the shelves of your local video store. Having said that, there's always something you can learn from watching the big boys... and here's an article to check out from Adage.com called "Marketing Lessons from "Paul Blart: Mall Cop", which you can find here. Now, to be honest, after reading the article, things like The Superbowl and when you release your film aren't going to have much of an effect for you, but there is stuff you can take away from this. I think the most important thing is to try to involve your community. Get locals involved, inform the local press of what you're doing, then, once it's done, try to get a local screening, promote the hell out of it in town. Then, put together a press kit, based on everything that you did. Not only will doing all that boost your confidence and get you rolling, the press kit and the result of doing all that could help you sell the film.

Lastly... another strange clip wound up in my inbox. I think the cat's out of the bag on what's going on here, but... did you see the first one? Find it here.

Linkapalooza - July 2, 2008... making money in online distribution?

I had a day off yesterday, so I'm getting to my Linkapalooza a little late. Lots going on out there involving online distribution... check it out.

Google and Creator of ‘Family Guy’ Strike a Deal - on NY Times.com: It's still a bit of a mystery as to how to make money by distributing content online and if you're a regular reader, you know that we follow the subject quite closely. Really, as indie filmmakers, we should all be watching it closely... mainly because it means a new revenue stream for what we do down the road. In any case, new to the scene is Google, who just struck a deal with Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy. This is something to take note of for a few reasons. (1) this is original content, financed, I assume, through Google, (2) Google is distributing it through their adsense program, which means that content will pop up all over the place, (3) Google and their army of analysts have figured out how people view video content on the web and this whole program was designed around that and (4) at this point, it's 100% advertising based, so consumers don't pay. After its initial run on the web, it will, of course, get a DVD release. Either way, keep an eye out for “Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy" and watch it closely.

HBO joining forces with FunnyorDie - on Variety.com: Once again, interesting news from the world of distributing content online. HBO bought a 10% stake in Will Ferrell's "Funnyordie.com" site and plans on a bunch of upcoming ventures between the two, including 10 hours of content to be shown on HBO. What I like about this is that Funnyordie is not only a playing ground for Ferrell and his buddys, but it's also a place where they're actively looking for new talent. It's sort of a minor leagues for comedy filmmakers and comedians... It's easy to upload content to their site, too. It works a lot like Youtube. In fact, Dead Harvey's own Brad Paulson has his latest flick up there, here's a link. Basically, with a partnership with HBO, you never know. Make some content, be active on the site, hope your clip gets popular, which would get it some buzz, then it could make it as content on HBO, which could lead to, well... anything.

Digital delivery critical to Sony's future - on THR.com: While Google and Funnyordie are out making content for delivery on the web, Sony continues to figure out how to get that online content on to your TV. This is a brief article that talks about what Sony thinks the future of Sony is all about... long and short, between their new Bravia TV's and PS3, they think they're going to be able to bypass all the traditional content delivery systems (cable companies, etc.) and become a delivery system themselves. Anyhow, cool article.

Paramount Breaks Out the Booty Sweat - on Adage.com: I just thought this was kinda funny, as I've never seen brand sponsorship of a movie work this way. Usually, an existant brand pays to have their product integrated into a film. Here, a brand that the movie made up is being put into the marketplace. In effect, the movie created the product. It's a spoof drink that's showcased in "Tropic Thunder", the upcoming Ben Stiller movie, and you'll be able to buy it in stores.

The Youtube Screening room - on Youtube: Have you seen this? Youtube is now showing indie films in their "screening room". To quote Youtube, it "is a platform for top films from around the world to find the audiences they deserve." Originally, I heard that Youtube would be paying the filmmakers whose films made the cut, but I later heard that they went against that idea. I don't know if they're planning on monetizing this somehow or what the deal is, but I sat through a 4 minute film starring John C Reilly and didn't see any ads or anything...