Noah's Ark And Self Distribution (Guest Devotional)

20th Century Fox

This week's devotional for Christian filmmakers is by Norton Rodriguez, who runs The God of Moses Entertainment and it's on a very important subject of self distribution.  I've known Norton for many years.  Not only is he a skilled filmmaker who excels at his craft;  he is also a visionary who has been encouraging and uniting Christian filmmakers for more than ten years.  Like John the Baptist and Moses of old - he began as a lone prophet in the wilderness.  Long before there was a Christian Film Industry, he started a website called www.christianfilmmaker.com.    So much has changed since he first followed the call of God to provide a place for us as Christian filmmakers to come together.   Today we've grown tremendously and expanded to this and other Christian film communities and it all goes back to Norton originally listening to God's voice in something that was unheard of.    

Over the years as I've gone through many painful struggles, Norton has been an encouragement to me and while we have disagreed on some things at times, we have always been good friends and know that we are part of a family that trusts that even small disagreements can sharpen us and make us stronger as a body of believers.  I will always remember his love, his prayers, his encouragement, and words of wisdom to me as a Christian and filmmaker.  God has used him to help me through the hardest times of my life. 

When I recently saw this posting in his series on How to Self Distribute Christian Films on his Facebook group, I absolutely loved the reference to seeing your vision to the end and applying it to Noah's Ark.   He has given me permission to post it here and I've edited it together as one of my guest devotionals for Christian Filmmakers.    I am absolutely certain that this will not only bless you, but also give you an excellent application of the Scriptures in reference to Christians becoming better filmmakers.

Grace and peace,

Tom Swift

History Channel

Noah's Ark And Self Distribution

By Norton Rodriguez

From Part 2 of his series on How to Self-Distribute Your Christian Films

And God Blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth (Genesis 9:1, KJV)

The first thing we need to understand is that acquiring a distributor doesn't automatically equal success or making money with your film.

Finding a distributor may be able to help you to see some of the money spent on production coming back, but in most cases, you may not see a profit. ... unless you do most of the leg work, yourself.

The key to success in Self-Distribution starts in the pre-production stage. Yes, even before you start filming your first scene, you need to start Marketing and Promoting your film. The better you market your film, the better job a distributor will be able to do with it, if... you decide to go the distributor route.

The fact is, that nobody (not you or even a distributor) can distribute a film properly... if the world has never heard or seen anything about your film. Basically if you don't market your film yourself, nobody will know that it even exists. And that's the problem with most good indie-films. Most indie-films never make money because only a handful of people knew or heard about your film. You need to reach thousands or millions with your self-marketing and self- promotion, so that you may successfully self-distribute your film.

God of Moses Entertainment

The mistake we made with our film Hidden Rage (2010) is that we thought that it was the distributor's job to market and promote our film properly, and again, some distributors may do that, but in a very limited way. And the more limited your own marketing and promotion is, the more limited the distributor's sales will also be.

What we've learned is that Distributors are also limited in many ways. Because the reality is that they have 'other films' (some like yours and unfortunately others better than yours) which they are also trying to promote, market and distribute. Now, don't get me wrong... the bigger your distributor is, the more money they may be able to put into the marketing of your movie, but in the same manner, the more money they put into your movie, the less money you will see when the movie sells. Because they have to cover and protect their investment.

Think about it, if they spend $10K in promoting your $50k movie, they would want to see that money coming back to them first. But here is the issue...in meantime, days, months and sometimes even years may pass by and you get to see very little money or worst... don't see a dime.

This happens a lot to filmmakers. And it has happened to us in two other films. And again, please understand that every distribution deal is different. It depends on many factors, including how big or small, experienced or inexperienced your distributor may be.

Here is the other issue with a distribution deal. The best deal you can get is a 50/50 deal. Fifty (50%) for the filmmaker and Fifty (50%) for the distributor. But here is the thing, they will want 3 to 5 years for an 'Exclusive Rights Agreement' of your film (that's normal). That means they keep the rights of your movie for all those years. The more years you settle on, the more your film will be bound and kept by a distributor. And when you land a great distributor, that's great, but what if you land a bad distribution deal? you will have to wait 3 to 5 years to get the rights of your own movie back. I have been there a couple of times, trust me, it is not pretty.

"Hidden Rage", God of Moses Entertainment

Our own testimony with our most recent film Hidden Rage:

On our film Hidden Rage (2010), we signed a 5 year Exclusive Distribution Agreement deal with our distributor (big mistake), I mean, they really did some great things with our film in the first 6 months... I mean, they did place our film in most every major stores around the nation, and we thought that was great! And people thought we were making millions, because of it.

But the back story is totally different, and a reality for most indie-filmmakers. What happened was that things went downhill very quickly by the 8th month of distribution. We stop seeing results. No funds coming in. And that's when we discovered, that it was because our film had NO marketing plan behind it, the film was not selling. Wal-Mart had purchase over 80,000 copies or more but once they saw no marketing behind it, most of it was returned to the distributor. And we began to help out, and trying to sell those movies ourselves through our own marketing efforts.

The good news, is that through it all, we've learned a lot about marketing and distributing a Christian film. And now, you may say, but Norton what happen with your marketing? The answer is this... we did market our film intensively... but only in Florida, because that's our Jerusalem (our home base). And remember, we thought the distributor would automatically help market and promote our film nation wide. But getting a film in all the stores, is only 1% of the battle, the real battle is in marketing. More often than not, If people don't know what they are looking for, yes, they may even pick up your movie in their hands, and look at it, but... since they've heard of or seen something about it anywhere, often time they will put it back on the shelf. And the film doesn't get sold.

Universal Pictures

And here is one of Hollywood's greatest kept secrets... in marketing. And most of us know it, but are we using it to our advantages in marketing our own Christian films? This is why Hollywood hires "well known actors" in their films, because they know this fact: That even if their (Hollywood) marketing efforts have not reached everyone in the nation or the world (and to be honest, even when they spend millions, they never reach everyone) they trust that having a well known actor on the poster and box cover of the film, that people everywhere will feel connected with the product. And say to themselves things like: "Well, I don't know what this movie is about or how good it may be, but I know this actor, and I like him or her in some other film". That individual will often buy the film from the store shelf, only because they know the actor in the movie. So in essence, Hollywood is constantly marketing their own movies through the same actors that are selected in them. That's why we often see the same actors in Hollywood movies, time and time again, because they know these actors will help sell movies, not just in the movie theaters, but also on DVD and downloads. And that's why actors make millions, not because they are so great, but because their faces are well known to the public and they help sell films...even later in the game.

That's when we learned the hard truth, distributors are limited too, limited to the funds they have to run their business, and limited to the amount of marketing dollars they have and limited at times, when our films don't have a well known actor in our movie cover.

Fox News

By the way, as Christians, we don't need to use Hollywood actors in our films, the key is to use 'anybody' who is well known and famous nationwide or worldwide, who... may love to be part of your movie. Like for example, hire a well known (famous) Christian artist, singer, musician to play a part in your movie. This technique was used in the movie God's NOT dead. When they brought in the guy from Duck Dynasty. The movie became an instant success because, Duck Dynasty is a nationwide success. And as a Christian filmmaker we could use the same technique with many different well known people. And the good news is, that everyone who is NOT an actor, would love to play a part in most any movie. This is part of movie marketing my friends. Attach a successful person or element to your film to help you market it faster and to more people.

This is why, it is so important, that you learn to promote and market your own Christian films, in the pre-production stage and beyond. Because the more people know or have heard about your film, the more it will sell, locally, nationally and internationally. In fact, with Hidden Rage (2010) most of the sales came from the marketing we had done all over the State of Florida. At the time, a lot of people knew about our film and were expecting it.

And here is the real deal. And the stuff, many filmmakers don't talk about. To produce our movie Hidden Rage, it cost us 20k out of pocket. $10k was out of pocket cash (from money I have saved from my other production jobs), and the other 10k came from a line of credit we had (which we have paid off since, from the DVD sales of our film). A total of 20K cash was invested in Hidden Rage.

"Hidden Rage", God of Moses Entertainment

But the rest, was spent on other cast and crew members we hired, locations, etc. So we used a Deferred Payment Agreement with some of them. So when all was said and done, between the cash on hand and the Deferred Payment Agreements the movie ended us with a total production cost of... $50K.

But the good news, is that $25K, has actually come back! About $18K from our distributor and $7K from other distributors and through our own marketing plans and efforts. But from that, we have paid about 50% of the cast and crew that we owed money through the Deferred Payment Agreement.  And recently, we landed a non-exclusive special deal in Europe. And we are waiting on those contacts to develop as well.

Today, as the money continues to trickles in (as it usually does), we continue to pay off debt and pay off our cast and crew. This is the reality for most indie-films and filmmakers, Christians or non-Christians alike go through this process. That's what usually happens when a movie doesn't hit a home run at first. But we still love making movies, and will continue to make them. Because in Christian films, it is all worth it, the experience, the struggles and the walk with God in the process, its all worth it.

By the way, once I noticed we weren't having the results we were expecting from our distributor, we were able to get out of 5 year exclusive deal. Yes, we've learn how a filmmaker can get out of a bad distribution deal, without an attorney. But that's for another day and another post.  But here is my point... and what we've learned from marketing, producing and distributing four (4) of our Christian films.

Why go through the trouble of finding a distributor, after you have placed your work and sweat and prayers, why put your movie in the hands on some other individual or company, that may have a big name and big clout behind it, but they are as limited as you are in many ways. Besides your film is God's vision not yours, and you, not the distributor must fight for it and protect it, and to see it through, and to get it seen, not just in your area, or church but around the world. That's what we need to learn to do.

Hey, I love distributors now more than ever, because I've learned how to deal with them and negotiate in our favor. Never give your film to a distributor under a 'Exclusive Distribution Deal' or a 3 to 5 year exclusive deal. When today, through the Web the whole world is at your feet. Not one distributor can or will distribute a film worldwide. Only you can, as the Marketing Director and Sales Manager of your film. Meaning that while you produce your film you have to become a filmmaker, but once you finish it. You must become a Marketing director, Sales Manager and also... A Self- Distributor of God's films. That's what guarantees... perhaps not millions coming in, but whatever comes in... you will own 100% of it. And that my brothers, is total success.

Someone once said (and now I apply it to our Christian movie making concept) "Do you rather own 1% of a successful thing, or 100% of a total failure?

And thankfully, I have been on both sides and have learned. I have promoted and market a film with great success, seeing 100% profits come in... all without a distributor. And through a movie that only cost us $10k total to produce.

20th Century Fox

A distributor may or may not do a great job with your film, but God expects us, that WE (not a distributor) finish the job! Imagine, Noah, receiving a vision for the ark directly from God. But then, pass the ark project (at some point) to some else. No. Let us learn from Noah, your film is your ark. It really is. And your script is your Vision. That's why the Bible say, write your vision. So as filmmakers, we are always writing it. right.

Whether you like it or not... we must see our films as our Noah's ark. What if Noah would have said to God, "I'm done with it". When he had just finished the building of the ark. Can you imagine?

But Noah, knew, that the Building the ark, just like in film making, is only half the battle. What makes us true filmmakers, is when we finish the job. Just like Noah, we have to fill the ark. Thank God not with animals, but with people from all walks of life. And take it (your film) on a journey around the world. Until when? Until God shows us, that it's time to move on to the next film project. Amen. That's what we've learned to do.

Universal Pictures

So, we need to start and finish the job! And in filmmaking that means, producing the film, doing the marketing, doing the promotion and the Distribution as well. Because it's not our film, it is God's film. And how dare we, pass God's vision to some else, companies and individuals who only care about making money with your film (God's film and Vision)... and then we expect to see results?

Today, we call upon the Lord to be our Producer, Director, Agent, Marketing Director, Attorney and our Distributor and we just work alongside Him.

Bottom line, from now own, we are going the self-distributing route with our upcoming films, specially because with all the technologies and websites and things available today, it has become a lot more easier to promote and market a film, locally, nationally and Internationally. I truly believe God is doing all this for us. He is on our side.

Universal Pictures

Norton Rodriguez has over 28 years of experience in the Film, Video, TV, Web and Multi-Media Production Industry in South Florida.  Norton has a Facebook forum and website for bringing together Christian filmmakers at  www.christianfilmmaker.com.  His company, The God of Moses Entertainment, is a Faith Based Motion Picture Production company dedicated in producing Kingdom Movies and Wholesome Christian Entertainment for Churches, Ministries, Schools, Prisons and Families worldwide.