On the 3rd of March 2013, it was reported in the
Sunday Telegraph that Revolver, at one point the UK’s most prominent urban theatrical
and home entertainment film distributor, had entered into administration.
Commentators had cited that the West London outfit (established in 1997), which
brought iLL Manors, Anuvahood and Exit Through the Giftshop (to name but 3) to
the masses had failed to keep up with the cultural shift in how their content
was being consumed and appreciated. A lot has happened since then as the wheels
continue to turn and the face of distribution takes on a different look.
Fortunately for those who associate themselves within the
British Urban Film fraternity, as one door remains firmly shut (literally),
another door digitally opens. And although the traditional windows of
distribution still remain a lucrative avenue for filmmakers (albeit via the
middlemen) self-distribution then becomes a tempting proposition. Cometh the
hour, cometh Ross Bispham. If there’s one individual (who previously worked at
Revolver) who can put their finger on where we go from here regarding
distribution and more importantly how everybody gets well paid in the process –
then it’s most probably going to be Ross. With a team including Tom Westgate
(who previously worked for the London Film Festival), Ignite Film Fans has been
set up to fill the void which many believe to have existed in the 14 months
since the house of cards that was Revolver, folded. So why should we care about
Ross and his gang? Probably for the same reasons you continue to read this blog
in your thousands. Writing exclusively for the British Urban Film Festival,
here is this month’s edition of the BUFF blog from Ross Bispham…
The British film industry is currently in a very exciting
place that is evolving at an incredible rate, presenting the perfect
opportunity to introduce new production, distribution and audience involvement
initiatives. For years, there have been many obstacles, which have kept film a
virtually closed-off industry, available only for people with cash, the right
connections or an indomitable obsession for success, but effectively closed to
a huge number of highly talented people desperately attempting to nose their
way in any which way they can.
However, I believe that trend is now changing and is no
longer the norm. With the increasing popularity of open castings, crowd funding
and fan development websites throughout the movie world, there are more
independent films in production today than ever before. And all of them want a
shot at the big time.
Working at Revolver Entertainment was an exciting and eye
opening experience. With an abundance of arthouse and indie productions on its
slate, Revolver won many awards for diverse and innovative release campaigns
and strategies on films such as Mum and Dad, Iron Sky and Ill Manors. Through
courage or fearlessness, some releases were highly successful, others not so.
Yet my time there offered me an invaluable lesson when it comes to film
distribution - timing is key, placement is important, but understanding and
meeting the needs of your audience is paramount.
The rise of two aspects in the independent film world are
particularly fascinating at this moment in time. The first is the phenomenal
success of and response to crowd funding, not only as a concept, but also in
its execution. The way in which it has been accepted and embraced by film
makers and, of course, the general public has been pivotal to the ongoing
development of film making as we know it. Secondly, it is incredibly refreshing
to witness a new era of varying and daring release strategies across the board.
From multi-platform releases to self-distribution, it never ceases to amaze
each and every time someone is brave and determined enough to attempt a
completely unique approach.
Crowd funding has come up with some unbelievable success
stories in recent years. In 2012, the release of Iron Sky, which began life as
a trailer in jest, raised in the region of £10million from a combination of
crowd funding, contributions from private investors and the pre-sale of its
distribution rights. It went on to become a global sensation, having sold in
thirty three different territories to date and became the biggest straight to
DVD release of the year in the UK, supported by a small multi-platform release.
The resounding success of this film was predominantly thanks to the simply
staggering amount of awareness and support it gathered while it was merely a
concept and then throughout pre-production. This just goes to show how a great
idea can pick up an absurd amount of steam.
Iron Sky was merely the beginning and this method of film
financing has spread rapidly - now even utilised by the already rich and
famous. Less than a year ago Zach Braff successfully raised over £2.7 million
from over forty one thousand contributors for his new film Wish I Was Here.
This could be a sign that the public and movie lovers
understand some of the plights faced by independent film makers and are keen to
help. Crowd funding is possibly the first time in history that the man (or
woman) in the street has been given the opportunity to get involved with
productions at such an early stage in its development; an opportunity that many
have shown to be willing to seize with both hands.
We already know that the landscape of film is drastically
changing and it doesn’t stop with production. The way in which we all view our
films is constantly evolving thanks to a host of new and innovative
distribution strategies. From services such as the Netflix binge viewing
culture to immersive cinema experiences the public are accepting of and
relating to the opportunity to view content in new and innovative ways.
This is good news for the plethora of UK film makers who are
desperate for their films to reach the audiences they deserve. The birth of
self-distribution presents film makers with a fantastic abundance of different
opportunities to get their work seen. Importantly, most of these new methods
are very cheap.
With the rise of digital distribution, directors and
producers no longer need to secure a distribution deal to allow them to
showcase their film to the public. Red State was a prime example of this. The
film was touted to be auctioned off to distributors at Sundance until director
Kevin Smith instead announced he would hold on to the rights for it and take it
on a national tour securing cinema runs and university screenings across
America. The film was later released through the Lionsgate video on demand
service, proving a film doesn’t need to follow the accepted norm to achieve
profit and gain international sales.
Does this suggest an end to traditional cinema? No, not at
all. We can all rest assured that the demand for seeing films on the big screen
will not diminish - at least not for the time being. Studios will continue to
produce and distribute blockbusters and independent distributors will continue
to pick up and release arthouse films. Will the box office continue to bring in
substantial profits? That remains to be seen. It would be fair to argue that
film makers face a bigger battle with illegal downloading acting as a drain on
their monetary success. And let us not forget that the cost of digital
distribution is considerably less than that of traditional methods. All we can
be certain of is that the times are changing, and if film makers do not keep up
with and adhere to current technologies and trends then they will be sure to
lose out.
The undeniable potential of digital distribution does not
come without its risks however. As previously mentioned the number of
independent films in production is currently higher than it has ever been. If
all of these seek a digital release could that spell disaster? Film fans and
movie goers are anything but in short supply, but how do you find your audience
in a saturated market? And as a film buff yourself, how do you find a film you
will really enjoy in an endless and confusing sea of potential alternatives?
These are just two of the many questions to which Ignite Film Fans hopes to
provide the answer to.
Ignite Film Fans’ mission is to help independent producers
and film-makers across the United Kingdom to connect with their audience and
build a dedicated fan base for their projects during development and production
stages. In doing so, they will be able to translate this accumulated support
into a tangible value and driving force to help them achieve their long term
goals, be that film festival selection, obtaining further funding, or securing
distribution. But there is a vital flip side to this. It is also essential that
the fans get something back in return.
By signing up to Ignite Film Fans free service and offering
their support to individual films and concepts, members of the public will be
rewarded with exclusive content, fantastic offers and exciting competitions
direct from the film-makers themselves. These include signed scripts, behind
the scenes footage and exclusive artwork, as well as winning set visits, the
chance to appear as an extra and tickets to screenings and premieres. Through
creating this mutual relationship, film fans can get involved with the UK’s
very best, exciting and innovative productions in a way never before possible
and enjoy the drive and enthusiasm of a new generation of talented film-makers.
Ignite Film Fans are dedicated to supporting and showcasing
the very best emerging talent and independent productions across the UK. By
facilitating and mediating beneficial relationships between film makers,
audiences, financiers and key industry figures it is possible to help them
achieve their long term goals.
Twitter: @IgniteFilmFans
Facebook: IgniteFilmFansUK
(c) Ross Bispham/British Urban Film Festival 2014. All rights reserved. Final submissions for the 2014 British Urban Film Festival close at 5.00pm on Monday 9 June. For full details go to www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk/BUFF-SUBMISSIONS-2014
