In Post-Post-Production

by Patrick Shand

It is a common misconception that once the actual shooting on a film set wraps, the bulk of the work is done.  Even though the actors have done their part and the cameras can be packed away, an enormous amount of time and resources must be spent on the post-production.  During post-production, all of the footage that was shot for the film must be edited together into a coherent movie after undergoing processes such as color correction, special effects, and many other procedures in order to make the best movie possible.  And then, after all that… the work still is not done.

Once the post-production on a feature film from a major production company has wrapped, marketing can begin and it will make its way into theatres across the nation.  However, on an independent film, the steps that follow post-production are a bit different.  While the path for filmmakers who work for the major companies is essentially paved for them, independent filmmakers, most of which pay their own way and make their films with limited funds, have to take different routes to spread the word about their film.

In the New York area, which is especially dense with independent filmmakers, young directors and producers have been exploring alternative ways to get their film screened or distributed.  Since nationwide distribution generally is not an option for lesser known filmmakers or up-and-comers, one of the most popular ways to get an independent film seen by an audience is the film festival route.

There are many festivals in the New York area that accept films from virtually unknown directors, such as the very popular Tribeca Film Festival, in addition to more local events such as the Long Island International Film Expo, which takes place in Bellmore, New York.  One of the hopes that independent filmmakers have when they submit their work to a film festival is that word of their work might make its way to a famous person, who might decide to collaborate with the filmmaker or even champion their cause and try to get the film distribution with a DVD distribution company.

The Long Island International Film Expo touches on this idea by mentioning all of the celebrities who have attended their ceremonies:  “Past festivals/closing night awards ceremonies have been attended by Steve Buscemi (Trees Lounge, Armageddon), Billy Baldwin (Backdraft), Cliff Robertson (Charley, PT109), Danny Aiello (Moonstruck), Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Judy Berlin), Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon), Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), Kelly Rutherford (Melrose Place), Oleg Cassini (fashion designer), Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Arc, The Perfect Storm), Eddie McGee (Big Brother), Brian O’Halloran (Clerks, Dogma), Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years), Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller), Yancy Butler (Witchblade), Tony Lo Bianco (Police Story), Nestor Serrano (24), Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray), Kevin Covais (American Idol), Adam Ferrara (Rescue Me) and others.”

While the idea of getting a famous person to watch their work is appealing to any independent filmmaker, another benefit of submitting work to film festivals is the opportunity to win laurels. Katie Carman, director of the independent film Eat Me!, a zombie comedy that was screened at the aforementioned Long Island International Film Expo and at the Anthology Film Archives for the New Filmmakers NY Series.  At the LI Expo, Carman’s film, then titled The Eaters, received a nomination, which allows the filmmakers to put a laurel on their DVD cover, posters, and promotional material that recognizes the honor they received.

Katie Carman, when blogging about her festival experience, says “The turnout was amazing and the crowd was wonderfully responsive. We made a lot of new friends and were able to reconnect with some familiar faces. It was hard not to be blown away by all the people that came out to support our indie film. It reminded us in a very real way just how truly remarkable the NYC film community really is.”

However, film festivals are not the only way to go about letting your film find an audience in New York.  There are smaller film groups that often reach out to local filmmakers, such as the Independent Filmmakers Group that works out of the Freeport Memorial Library in Long Island, where Katie Carman screened her film before a group of aspiring filmmakers and fans of independent film fans in Fall 2009.

Other filmmakers utilize the Internet to get their work to the masses such as Tom Kenny, an up-and-coming director/editor in Long Island.  When asked how he utilized new media resources to promote his work, Tom said, “When I began with making films… yes it was Youtube, Vaio, daily motion, etc etc. Anything to get my films out there and for anyone to see.  However, lately, I’ve stopped that route.  See, YouTube, etc. owns your footage the minute it’s up there, and plus there’s a stigma being up there. Yes, it’s good, gets attention, but there’s also Johnny and his boys making crap on YouTube… so I’ve gone the more serious route. The last few films I’ve worked have been just for college competitions, film festivals, websites, and for jobs. I’m at the time where I need the work I do to be serious and meaningful for a career.”

Tom makes a good point, because while the Internet can be a great tool to promote a film or get a filmmaker’s name out there, there are certain negative aspects to sites like YouTube or Funny or Die.  The films might reach a larger audience if they are on such sites, but one has to wonder who the Internet audience is an if that is the audience a filmmaker would want to be viewing their video.  While a film festival or a group that specializes in film has an audience that is actually interested in film and might have even paid to see the movie, the folks who might happen across your film on YouTube were more likely than not searching for the latest viral video about a drunk guy or a montage of cute cats doing cute things.

While the audience might not be reliable, some filmmakers have utilized sites like YouTube for the promotional aspects of their films.  YouTube allows their videos to be embedded in websites, so when a filmmaker has finished post-production on their film and is ready for the next step, it is common for them to upload a trailer for their film onto YouTube and then embed it in their dot com site.  Having this trailer on the official site for the movie makes it easy for people who might be interested in the film to get more information in a speedy manner, which is an essential thing for young directors to take advantage of in modern times, when the general audience would rather pull their teeth out than read a one paragraph long synopsis.

There is also the straight to DVD option.  A movie is more likely to get distribution from a company if there is at least a minor celebrity in the film, because even the smaller name celebrities generally have enough of a following to make some revenue.  For example, the film Dear Me: A Blogger’s Tale featured two minor celebrities, Felicia Day (then of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame, now of The Guild and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog fame) and Sarah Thompson (of Angel fame), and did not even make its rounds in the festivals before it scored a distribution deal with Ocean Park DVDs.

This might not be an option for local New York filmmakers, however, when the actors in their films are as new and hungry for exposure as they are.  It seems that the best way to get one’s film out there is to concentrate on film festivals, while also utilizing new media outlets, such as YouTube, to make sure information about the film is accessible to those who want to check it out.  There are many different ways that aspiring directors have made it, and everyone’s success story is different.  Whatever route a filmmaker takes for their post-post-production journey, they are all striving for the same thing: to entertain people, whether they screen their film to a small amount of people or score a nationwide, theatrical release.

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