6 Things for Filmmakers to Prepare for the 2019 American Film Market #AFM2019

With AFM 2019 right around the corner, it’s time for filmmakers to prepare for the market and do their best to get a traditional distribution deal.  For those of you who don’t know, AFM is still the best place for American Filmmakers to get traditional, non-DIY distribution.  So, with that in mind, here are the major things you need to prepare. 
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Also, For legal reasons I need to say that the following: The American Film Market® AFM® are registered trademarks of the International Film and Television Alliance® (IFTA®) Any and all Opinions expressed in this video are Not Endorsed by the International Film and Television Alliance® or leadership at the American Film Market.
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Just in case you'd rather watch than listen, Here's a Youtube Video on this topic!

Leads Lists

You need to know what sales agents and distributors you want to submit your film to. This starts with research and leads lists.  You need to figure out which sales agents tend to work in your genre and budget level, what similar films they’ve helped sell recently, what their current market lineup is, whether they require recognizable names, and who the name of their acquisitions lead and CEO are. 

To make your job easier, I put a free template in my resources packet which you can get by signing up below. 

Join my mailing list and get the FREE AFM Advance contact tracking template. 
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Trailers

You need to get their attention, and a trailer is a great way to do it.  I’ve gotten limited theatrical agreements based on an excellent trailer.  See that trailer here.
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If you don’t have a trailer, you can submit without it.  However, it will be much less likely to achieve the desired results. ​
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Pitches

There are elements of an indie film pitch.  I tackle the topic in extreme detail in my book, but here’s an overview of what needs to go into that 10-30 second pitch.

• Title of Film
• Stage of development
• Any attachments
• Genre
• Sub-Genre/Audience
• Budget Range

Check out my book on Amazon for the full chapter

Related: What investors need to know about your movie

Key Art

You’ll need a poster, even if it’s a temp poster that’s eye catching and will convince the sales agent they can move units.  It can be a temp poster, but it needs to invoke the spirit of the film and imbue a sense of intrigue for anyone who looks at it. 
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Promo materials

Once you’ve got the key art, you can use it to create promotional materials.  One of those would be a quarter page flyer, another may be a trim-fold brochure.  I’ve included a pages document for use at festivals in the resources packet, but it could be modified for AFM.  If I get a few people tweeting at me or commenting the want it on my youtube videos that they’d like that, I might make it. 
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​Screening links

If your film is done, you need screeners.  The distributors will need to see it, and they’ll probably want a Vimeo screener.  Youtube unlisted or private won’t due, as the compression on Youtube makes it difficult to see all the technical issues with the film.

If you can get it out in advance of the market, all the better.  It normally takes a few markets to start seeing money from your film if you don’t get a minimum guarantee.  Getting that started would be in the best interest of all involved.

Thanks so much for reading.  If you liked this and want more, come back next week for what you should expect from AFM 2019, as well as where the market seems to be heading. OR, if you can’t wait, you could listen to me on Indie Film Hustle Talking about AFM. 

You could also check out my book!

 It’s the first book on Film Markets, used as a supplemental text in at least 10 film schools, and is still the highest selling book on film markets.  Check it out on Amazon Prime, Kindle, Audiobook on Audible, Online at Barnes and Nobles, Your Local Library, and anywhere books are sold. ​

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