Think Outside the Box Office
Weekend Workshop: A Nuts and Bolts Guide to Distributing and Marketing Your Film

Taught by critically acclaimed filmmaker and author Jon Reiss, the Think Outside the Box Office ("TOTBO") Workshop introduces participants into the new world of hybrid distribution and marketing. Covered in Day 1 of the workshop will be specifics on how to create a distribution and marketing strategy that is unique for your film, the various markets that are available to release your film, how and why to engage your audience as early as possible and how to think beyond the feature film to create new forms of content and/or to market and distribute your film.

Day 2 of the workshop will be in a seminar format limited to 20 film projects. Reiss will workshop each project in front of the group with the group's participation. By participating in this group dynamic, filmmakers will not only create the beginnings of their own strategy, but will start to see the broad range of approaches that they can apply throughout their career.

DAY 1 - Saturday at Performing Arts Lodge (PAL), 581 Cardero Street, Vancouver, BC

9-10:00 Creating a Strategy for your Film
A. Goals for your film
B. Evaluation of your film
C. The audience for your film
D. Art v. Commerce?
E. Resources for distribution and marketing.
F. Your resources – The New 50/50
G. Team members – The PMD Producer of Marketing and Distribution

10:10-10:15 Break

10:15-11:15 Rights and Windows
A. The Overall Deal
B. Split Rights
C. Introduction to rights categories
D. Live Event/Theatrical
E. Merchandise
F. Digital Rights
G. Release Windows

11:15-12:15 Before and During Production Preparing for Distribution – Engaging your Audience
A. Audience Engagement
B. Finding and cultivating allies
C. Introduction to social media
D. Marketing and Publicity Materials
E. Creating a Dynamic Website
F. Blogging basics
G. Web Financing – Crowdfunding

12:15-1:00 Lunch

1:00-1:45 Redefining the Theatrical Experience – Live Events
1. What is a theatrical release?
2. Create a robust release from many sources
3. Conventional theatrical – working with distributors and bookers
4. Introduction to DIY theatrical.
5. Alternative venues – colleges, community screenings.

1:45-2:30 DVD Distribution and Merchandise
1 DIY or Traditional? Both.
2. Working with a Distribution Company
3. Fulfillment Basics Company
4. The Educational Market
5. Other merchandise

2:30-2:45 Break

2:45-3:30 Digital Rights
1. Television and VOD
2. Internet Rights – Streaming/DTO/DTR
3. Aggregators/Distributors – what are they and how they can help.
4. Setting up your own digital distribution.
5. Monetizing piracy

3:30-4:15 Marketing and Advertising
1. Publicity
2. What is your brand?
3. Orienting your website for sales

4:15-4:30 Break

4:30-5:30 Transmedia Part 2
A. What is transmedia – and why
B. The Story Universe
C. Examples of Transmedia

Day 2 - Sunday at SHAPE, 1385 West 8th Avenue, Suite 280, Vancouver BC

9 – 10 Projects 1-3

10:15-11:15 Projects 4-6

11:30-12:30 Project 6-9

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:30 Projects 10-13

2:45 – 3:45 Projects 14-16

4-5:30 Projects 17-20

About the Instructor:

Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed, award winning filmmaker who has produced and directed three feature films, Better Living Through Circuitry, Cleopatra's Second Husband and most recently Bomb It.

Jon has taught both film directing and production for the last 10 years most recently at the California Institute for the Arts where he created the class "Reel World Survival Skills: Everything I Wish I Had Been Taught in Film School." This course covers the practical aspects of surviving as an independent writer/producer/director in today's economy from finding a job, pitching and script development, to financing and new models of distribution.