How to Create A Distribution and Marketing Strategy – Now! with Jon Reiss
$299.00
Early Bird Sale! 25% off until April 3
The “traditional” distribution landscape is essentially gone – 99% of independent filmmakers are now on their own to find new and creative solutions to ensure their films reach audiences in an impactful way. In this four part virtual workshop, media strategist Jon Reiss will outline fundamental principles and real-world strategies for success in the ever-changing and often-daunting realm of distribution and marketing. Taking place from April 23-May 21.
How to Create A Distribution and Marketing Strategy – Now!
From filmmaker, author, and media strategist Jon Reiss
Live video sessions and office hours
A practical four-part series from one of the world’s leading experts in modern distribution and marketing for independent film.
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MODULES:
Session 1: Establish Goals, Identify Audiences: Set goals. Explore how the brand of the film and your brand as a filmmaker interact. Identify core and niche audiences.
Live Zoom Session: Thursday, April 23 from 12:00-1:30 pm EDT. Recording available until June 30.
Session 2: Connect with Your Audience: Dive into strategies and tactics for reaching your audiences including social media, email lists, organizational outreach and partnerships, publicity, influencers and paid advertising in other words Owned, Shared, Earned and Paid Media.
Live Zoom Session: Thursday, April 30 from 12:00-1:30 pm EDT. Recording available until June 30.
Session 3: Distribution Paths: Four main paths: Event Theatrical, Digital, Educational, Merch. Focus on various potential split rights and windowing of distribution paths for your film including festivals, community screenings and theatrical; digital rights for broadcast, streaming, and VOD; educational distribution and merch!
Live Zoom Session: Thursday, May 7 from 12:00-1:30 pm EDT. Recording available until June 30.
Session 4: Budgeting and Office Hours: This final session will include guidance on how to budget for different types of releases and more time for participant questions
Live Zoom Session: Thursday, May 21 from 12:00-1:30 pm EDT (a second session at a different time that day may be arranged based on participant timezone preferences). Recording available until June 30.
You Get:
4 live Zoom classes, 90 minutes each to hear from Jon. Sessions 1-3 will be primarily presentations with some limited time for questions. Session 4 will include more time for participant questions about specific projects.
Bonus: 3 months free subscription to Jon’s Substack.
Course launches April 23. Recordings of each live session will be available through June 30.
Key Dates
March 16: Registration opens
April 3: Last day for early bird registration fee
April 23: Course Launches with Session 1
April 30: Session 2
May 7: Session 3
May 21: Session 4
June 30: Final Day to Access Recordings
What people are saying:
“Jon taught me not to fear distribution, but to instead tackle the beast head-on, with creativity and passion. If you fell in love with a story, there are others in the world who will respond to this love, even if you have to make your own path to find your people.”
Rodrigo Reyes, Lupe Under the Sun
“Collaboration and dialogue are also the foundation for everything Jon has outlined. They should be every filmmaker’s mantra for the days and years ahead. Eat up every morsel Reiss provides. Internalize it and make it your second skin.”
Ted Hope, producer and former studio exec
FAQ
1. I have taken other sessions with Jon. How is this different?
Jon has given one-off presentations – but has never given a four session public workshop before going into more depth than his previous one-off sessions allowed. (The only exception to this is his six month Distribution Lab)
2. What if I can’t attend the live classes?
All live sessions will be recorded and available to review at your convenience anytime between the date of the session and June 30.
3. Can I submit my work for feedback?
The group office hours are open to discuss anything you want. While it’s not the same as an individual and personalized session, you’ll get feedback from Jon and tips on how to keep improving.
Instructor Bio:
Jon Reiss is a filmmaker, author and media strategist who wrote the book Think Outside the Box Office. His company, 8 Above, creates custom audience-building strategies, theatrical experiences and digital release campaigns for independent feature and documentary films, most recently The Librarians and Sabbath Queen. Reiss has consulted with hundreds of filmmakers and film organizations throughout the world including The Gotham, IDA, Screen Australia, Film Independent, Creative Scotland. Recent clients include Death and Taxes, Among Neighbors, 1800 On Her Own, Food & Country, The Ride Ahead and The Body Politic.
He has conducted workshops on six continents and helped create and run the IFP/Gotham Filmmaker Lab for ten years. In 2023 he created the 8 Above Distribution Lab to teach filmmakers how to distribute and market their films. He recently launched a Substack where he writes about distribution and marketing.
Jon got his start in filmmaking and distribution at the infamous San Francisco documentary collective Target Video. He not only shot seminal bands such as Black Flag, Iggy Pop, Throbbing Gristle, The Cramps but was one of the first – if not the first person to conceptualize and execute video tours throughout Europe, carting 500 lbs. of video deck and projector in a VW Bus across 15,000 miles.