At a time when competition for movie screen time has never been more difficult, Independant Film Distribution offers an insiders guide to understanding how the distribution side of the motion picture industry operates while detailing strategies for filmmakers seeking to position their work into theatrical and home entertainment channels.
This new updated edition provides a wide range of interviews with filmmakers, distributors, festival programmers, marketing experts and critics, and takes you deep into preparing for a film release. Unique case studies and exclusive commentary from major names in independent cinema — including Mark Cuban, Hal Hartley, Bill Plympton, Liz Garbus and Arther Dong — help provide a hands-on approach to the subject.
What people say
"This incredibly focused and wide-ranging book should make the gifted Phil Hall less of a well-kept secret than he's been to date. Here the eclectic critic-scholar-showman tells you exactly what you need to know about so-called indie cinema, blending invaluable new material with historical facts, critical insights, and guest shots by smartly selected professionals."
—David Sterritt, Chairman of the National Society of Film Critics and author of Guiltless Pleasures: A David Sterritt Reader and The Films of Jean-Luc godard: Seeing the Invisible
"A remarkable overview inside the past, present, and future of independent film."
—Christoper Bligh, Ain't It Cool News and DVDAuthority.com
"Historical informative, and entertaining, Hall gives all would-be filmmakersthe uncompromising facts about getting their work seen by the public. He cuts throught the quagmire of other how-to-books to provide clear, concise advice on festivals, networking, and representation. No first-rate moviemaker should be without this book."
—Bill Gibron, DVDTalk.com and DVD Verdict
“As someone who has done it myself, Phil Hall’s Indepdendent Film Distribution book is essential for understanding the pitfalls facing any filmmaker seeking to distribute themselves. Sure, your movie could sit on a shelf or in a theater; it’s up to you. But in order to succeed, you must read this book.”
—Chris Gore, Producer: My Big Fat Independent Movie
About the author
With a quarter-century of experience in the film business, Phil Hall has been recognized for his work as a journalist, publicist, festival programmer, lecturer and historian. He is the author of five books and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, Wired Magazine and Film Threat.