What to do at the American Film Market

Judging from some of the searches leading into this blog, there are quite a few of you interested in the American Film Market, aka AFM. Probably because it is in Santa Monica, it will be the first film market for a lot of independent film makers. Most of them don't have to travel far so they don't have to worry about arranging travel and lodging for the market. And for those who do, it's a whole lot cheaper than finding a place in Cannes, where you can easily spend $5,000-$10,000 for a room for the week. There are a lot of cheaper alternatives in Cannes, but we can go into that later in another post.

I've been going to AFM in one way or another for about 7 years now. I missed the whole boobies and blood era of the market, when it was all about Z-grade horror films and erotic films from around the world. Nowadays, there is still a lot of that, but there are also films of all types, including family films, comedies, and theatrical level movies.

So what is an independent filmmaker supposed to do at AFM? Is it worth paying all of that money for a pass? Should you even go at all? And, of course, the answer to all of this is "It depends."

In an ideal world, you would already have an international distributor lined up to represent your film. You'd have ads in all of the trades, and maybe even a banner in the atrium. (As a side note, I personally think they're overpriced and worthless, since they are blocked by the trees and no one looks at them. But that's just my personal opinion.) Then you could go around the market, meeting other distributors and producers, talking up your next film and securing financing for your next slate of films. It can happen.

Most likely, you won't have that luxury. You might not have a clue about any of the distributors or how to go about getting one. Well, here's what you gotta do. The lead in time for the market is one to two months. If you want to go in prepared, you have to do your homework. You can go on the AFM website and look at the list of exhibitors. At first it may seem daunting. There are thousands of companies on there and no information about them. But there are two indispensable tools at your service. The first is google.com. In this day and age, it shouldn't be too difficult to find the website for almost any distributor. The second is the Hollywood Creative Directory's Distribution Directory. It's a must-have for any independent filmmaker. You can either buy it at the bookstore or get it online at www.hcdonline.com.

Once you have found your top ten or twenty or thirty distributors, start dialing. Call the person in aquisitions and ask to speak to them. Tell them about your movie and ask if they'd be interested in seeing your movie. If you're lucky, one of them will like your film enough to want to buy it before the market and present it at AFM. If you have a distributor at the market, they will usually have a guest pass they can loan you for the day, so you don't have to shell out the money for those overpriced badges.

If you're not lucky, then you need to plan on getting a badge and setting up meetings at the market. I'm in favor of the targeted strike as opposed to carpet bombing. If you do your research and set up your meetings ahead of time, you could probably get away with a one day pass. If the acquisitions people all have your screener already, all you need is to set up face to face meetings ahead of time. And you'll only need a one day badge. If you have the money, you can buy a full market badge. I'm not sure the half market badge is worth it, since you only get to attend the second half of the market, when people have already spent all their money, excitement and energy.

Another helpful tip for international filmmakers. Check whether your film commission will be attending the market. It might be useful to meet with them at the market. And they can probably offer you further advice as a filmmaker as well. Some may be more helpful than others, but it never hurts to contact them.

You will need to bring DVD's of your film and a one page information sheet about your film. Put your contact info on everything! Everything! In the rush of a market, flyers get lost, dvd's get lost. The important thing is that they know how to reach you. For more info on what to put in your materials, see my post "10 Tips For Independent Filmmakers Seeking Distribution."

Overall, my advice is to be professional. This is a business environment. Wear a suit or business attire at all times. That way, you will stand out from all of the other filmmakers out there trying to get distribution. If you are going to be asking someone for money or to represent your film, you want to look your best. Don't waste your money on trinkets and giveaways. Save that stuff for the film festivals. And unless you have a star in your movie, leave your actors at home. Good luck and remember to have fun!