IFH 634: Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films with Austin Trunick

Now let's get into today's AMAZING guest. We have on the show returning champion film finance expert Franco Sama. His first episode is one of the most downloaded episodes in the history of the show (Listen to that episode here). Franco and I joke that his last episode turned him into a celebrity at film markets and festivals around the world. I mean he can barely walk the halls of AFM without getting recognized.Franco is a well of knowledge in the film finance space and I have learned tons from him over the years. We discuss the effect the Coronavirus is and will have on not only raising money for a film but also selling that movie to an ever-changing marketplace. Nobody knows what will happen to the industry after this virus passes. We also discuss which studios are more vulnerable than others and the dos and don ts when raising money for an indie film into today's marketplace.Here's a bit about today's guest.Independent feature film producer Franco Sama boasts a remarkable and extensive history in public speaking, public relations, and nearly two decades of independent film development, production and financing experience.Sama has Executive Produced and/or produced an impressive array of over twenty (20) successful independent feature films including most notably, “Guns, Girls and Gambling” starring Gary Oldman, Christian Slater, and Dane Cook which is now a cult favorite; this film was released into theatres and acquired a worldwide distribution deal from Universal Pictures.Other films Sama has produced include; “Black Limousine” starring David Arquette and Vivica Fox, “Tooth and Nail” starring Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones, and "Paid" starring Corbin Bernsen and Tom Conti.  Sama also serves as Executive Producer on the film festival darling “Petunia” starring Thora Birch, Brittany Snow and Academy Award winner Christine Lahti.His shingle “Samaco Films, LLC”, headquartered on the lot at the prestigious, privately owned and operated, independent film studio, Los Angeles Center Studios in Downtown Los Angeles, is currently financing and producing a slate of several independent feature films, including, “Vodun”, “Alexis Colette” and recently wrapped production on the $1M thriller, “The Inheritance”.In addition, Sama is also a highly sought after public guest speaker having launched his hugely popular film financing and distribution forum program “Finance Indie Road Map”, otherwise known as “The F.I.R.M.” which is designed specifically to educate and assist first and second-time filmmakers in their quest to develop, fund, produce and release their first feature film(s).This EPIC episode is by far one of the most important shows you could listen to. Please share it with all your filmmaking and screenwriting friends. If you want the latest information on what it is like to raise money in today's crazy world get ready to take notes. Enjoy my conversation with Franco Sama.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

17 Mar 20202h 2min

It has been a crazy few days in the world, my friends. With film productions being shut down around the world, movie theaters sitting empty, and film festivals/events canceling because of the Coronavirus pandemic it might feel like the end of days. Hell, there's even a locust outbreak in Africa, no seriously!I even canceled my Make Your Movie Bootcamp out of concern for my students. I wanted to do a follow-up episode updating the tribe on what is going on, how it will affect them and what they can do during these insane times. I also answer questions I've been getting from the IFH Tribe. I go over:Should I submit to film festivals now?If I had a screening for my film what do I do?Can I get my money back from SXSW and other film festivals for canceling?Can movie theater chains take this hit?Will some studios and distribution companies be able to weather this storm?Tips on what to do while staying homeThere’s a lot of fear and uncertainty out there. Stay informed and stay safe. Sit back, pull up another stiff drink and take a listen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

13 Mar 202023min

We are living in a crazy world, my friends. I wanted to do an episode on the effect the Coronavirus is having, not only on the film industry at large but also on how it will affect the indie filmmaker. With major events canceled like SXSW, MIPTV, and Cinequest, indie filmmakers are already feeling the effect. Twenty four of the largest theater owners in China have pulled out of CinemaCon, the largest convention of international theatrical exhibitors. Is the Cannes Film Festival and Market next?Production has stopped on Mission Impossible 7, which was shooting in Italy and the extremely popular The Amazing Race reality show has been suspended. The new James Bond film No Time to Die has been pushed until Nov 2020. Disney's Mulan, which is a love letter to the Chinese market has canceled it's China premiere and the release date in the US is up in the air.The Chinese box office has been at a standstill. 70,000 screens have been closed since January with no word when they will open. This has cost $2 billion in lost revenue to the Chinese and world film industry. The worldwide box office has lost $4 billion to date and growing each day. The theatrical box office was down 26.6% vs 2018 and this could be a MAJOR nail in the coffin of an already vulnerable theatrical business. We are in crazy times, my tribe.In this episode, I go over how this event is affecting indie filmmakers, what they can do to prepare, adjust and/or pivot in the coming weeks and months. It has never been more important for filmmakers to adopt the Filmtrepreneurial Method. Diversification of revenue streams is the only way filmmakers can hedge their bets in the uncertain times ahead.Sit back, pull up a stiff drink and take a listen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

9 Mar 202031min

Today on the show I continue my series on Predatory Film Distributors. An IFH Tribe member reached out to me to let me know about a scam that she almost fell for. If she hadn't reached out to a very experienced entertainment attorney, she would have lost $90,000. I'm calling this The Minimum Guarantee Scam.  I reveal the scam on the show and discuss how you can protect yourself. Stay safe out there. Things are getting scary. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

6 Mar 202017min

Today on the show we have Filmtrepreneur Mark Harris. Mark is a self-taught filmmaker. His movies have been distributed by major distributors and he's self-distributed many of his earlier films and sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the US and overseas. Mark was born and raised in the Englewood community of Chicago.The same community Bermic Mac, Jennifer Hudson, Lorraine Hansberry, Janet Hubert, and Derek Rose are from. Mark is the Founder of 1555Filmworks a film production company that produces feature films and he's the Founder of the Englewood International Film Festival. Englewood is known as one of the most dangerous places to live in the United States. The crime rate, although reported most frequently, can not overshadow the hope for the future of this Chicago area. The goal of The Englewood International Film Festival is to change the imaging and condition of the people in Englewood.I had a ball talking shop with Mark. Without a doubt, he is an Indie Film Hustler and the living embodiment of a Filmtrepreneur.Enjoy my inspiring conversation with Mark Harris.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

25 Feb 20201h 4min

Today on the show we have writer/director Josh Stifter. Josh was chosen as one of the directors to attempt to make a $7000 feature film using the El Mariachi style made famous by legendary filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. The show was called Rebel Without a Crew: The Series and it premiered on Robert's network El Rey.Josh and I talk indie film shop, what it was like working with Robert Rodriguez and his adventures making a $7000 indie film while cameras were capturing every single second of on-set action.Enjoy my conversation with Josh Stifter.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

21 Feb 20201h 29min

Partnering with an honest film distributor can be a great part of any Filmtrepreneurial Blueprint. The problem is finding said "honest" distributor can be challenging. Finding an honest film distributor is like finding a unicorn, I know they are out there but they are rare. Yes, I know unicorns don't exist but you get what I'm trying to say.By design, the world of film distribution is shrouded in mystery. The key to the continued success of predatory film distributors is the silence of filmmakers and keeping "real" numbers behind lock and key. Today on the show we have two filmmakers who decided to come forward to break the silence.Kerry Carlock & Nick Lund-Ulrich are the filmmakers behind ARMSTRONG, which is about a rookie EMT and her partner pick up a wounded superhero and are pulled into his mission to save Los Angeles from a sinister organization.These brave filmmakers break down the numbers, the creative challenges of working with a distributor and much more. You can see a major difference in the artwork the filmmakers designed above to the way the company decided to market the film in the trailer artwork. Unless you have it stated in the contract you will lose the way your film is marketed and sold to the public.If you ever wanted to take a peek behind the curtain on a bad distribution experience get ready to take some notes. Enjoy my conversation with Kerry Carlock & Nick Lund-Ulrich.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

3 Feb 20201h 32min

I've spoken about predatory film distributors before on the show (The Dark Underbelly of Predatory Film Distributors – BEWARE!) but I just discovered how some of these scumbags have figured out how to absolutely screw over filmmakers using a legal loophole. It's called the Bankrupt Reboot Distribution Scam.Here's how they do it. A predatory film distributor will prey on desperate indie filmmakers and will try to obtain the rights to as many low budget indie films as they can, usually for no money upfront in a short period of time. Let's say 1-2 years, if not faster. During that time they sell-off the rights in one big transaction to a bunch of different platforms, outlets, streaming, foreign agents, etc.Now here's the rub, rather than actually paying filmmakers what they are owed, the distributor files for bankruptcy protection, which is extremely easy to do in the United States. So you must be asking"If the distributor goes bankrupt, what happened to the rights of all those films?"Glad you asked. These bottom dwellers go to the bankruptcy court hearing and then buy back all the rights to the catalog of films from their own bankrupt company. The court has no other choice because that is how the bankruptcy law is written and there's no one else there to buy these assets.These bastards then form a new company and assign the newly purchased film catalog to themselves through that company. Now they are no longer legally obligated to pay the filmmakers (or anyone else they owe money to). So they own the film you killed yourself to make for pennies on the dollars and they never have to pay you a thing.This is made possible because of the original contract the filmmaker signed, which has a clause absolving them of that in the event of bankruptcy. Then to add insult to injury when the rights they originally sold off expire, they re-sell them again.These predators run this scam over and over and over with new companies formed each time. This is an extremely profitable business model. It's not ethical but it is legal.In this episode, I breakdown a case study of how one of these predatory film distributors pulled this off and I also go over how you can protect yourself. Make sure you take some notes because this episode is a doozy!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/indie-film-hustle-a-filmmaking-podcast--2664729/support.

31 Jan 202021min