What is a Film Market and How Do They Work?

To Celebrate the launch of the Second edition of my book, The Guerrilla Rep, American Film Market Distribution Success on No Budget, I'm giving away the first chapter for free.   This blo represents a small fraction of the 58 additional pages in the second edition.  The book is currently the only book that currently exists on film Markets.  So without further adieu, Here's the first chapter.  

After the prologue, you have a 50,000 foot view of AFM. Let’s zoom in a bit, and check out a bit more about the total landscape of Film Markets in general, as well as the sales cycle for them.

What’s the difference between a Film Market and a Film Festival?

When speaking, I get asked this question more than any other, with one possible exception that will be covered in the next chapter.

Put simply, a film festival is a celebration of the artistry of film.  Film markets are centered around the commerce of film.    Film festivals are about the pageantry of film, and film markets are about the business of it.    Some festivals have a lot of crossover, like Sundance and Toronto.   Some film festivals have markets attached.  AFM is attached to the AFI Fest, Berlinale is attached to the European Film Market, and the Cannes Film Festival has the biggest film market in the world attached, Merche du Film.

The biggest difference between a film festival and a film market is the focus of the two. When most people thinking of Cannes, they think of the festival, not the market.  However anyone involved in distribution thinks the opposite.  While the festival is full of red carpets and pageantry, the market side is much more about the business behind the scenes.  More money flies around at Merche du Film than almost anywhere else in the word, at least in regards to the film industry.

Of course, I’m not trying to underplay the importance of film festivals.   They serve a vital role in the promotion of the film.  If used properly, they can greatly increase the visibility and marketability of the film, particularly if you’re self distributing.  The bigger festivals will even help you get your film sold, or at least increase the sale price.   

However, speaking solely in regards to international sales, the only festivals that really matter are top-tier festivals.  These are festivals like Sundance, Tribeca, Toronto, and Cannes.   Other festivals can help to raise your social media presence and marketing proliferation, but they won’t increase your international sales price in a meaningful way.
There’s already a book on film festivals.  Chris Gore's written it better than I could. You can find some helpful links to that in the resource packet at TheGuerrillaRep.com/Resources.   

Related: Free Film Market Resources

What are the other Film Markets?

While AFM is the biggest narrative feature film focused market in the US, there are many more media markets across the country and across the globe. Here are 14 Film and TV Markets you should know about, but there are many more. Markets generally take place for anywhere between a few days and a week around the same time every year. Here’s are a few for reference.

American Film Market (AFM)
Where:Santa Monica, CA
When: November
What's it for? Narrative Features, esp genre pics.  

CineMart
Where: Rotterdam, Netherlands
When: January
What's it for? Co Production

European Film Market  (EFM)
Where: Berlin, Germany
When: February
What's it for? Narrative Features, esp genre pics

Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART)
WhereL Hong Kong
When: March

Hot Docs
Where: Toronto, Canada
When: April/May
What's it for? Documentary

Independent Film Week
(Formerly IFP)
Where: New York, New York
When: Septembe

Marche du Film
(Associated with Cannes IFF)
Where: Cannes, France
When:May
What's it for? Narrative Features

MIPCOM
Where: Cannes, France
When: October
What's it for? Television, Documentary

MIPTV
Where: Cannes, France
When:April
What's it for? Television

​National Media Market (NMM)
Where: Charleston, South Carolina
What's it for? November

NAPTE
Where: Miami, Florida
When?January
What's it for? Television

Sunny Side of the Doc
Where: La Rochelle, France
When: June
What's it for? Documentary

TIFFCOM (Content Market at The Tokyo IFF)
Where: Tokyo, Japan
When: October

How Many Markets do Sales Agents/Distributors Attend in a year

Any good sales agent will go to at least the three major markets.   Those would be AFM, EFM, and Marche du Film.   If they’re not attending at least those three, it’s probably not a good idea to sign with them.      Although, it’s better if they go to other markets as well, since it often takes as many as 5 face to face touch points to get a sale.    

As such, even if you can get your film placed at AFM, it may take a while to get your money back.   Sometimes as much as a full market cycle.

Producer’s reps are a bit different.  Producer’s reps take a bit less of a cut to sell domestically, and a much smaller cut to hand off to a sales agent for international sales.   Since they maintain relationships primarily with Sales agents, they can get away with only attending one or two of those markets every year.

Related: What's the difference between a sales agent and a distributor?

How many Film Markets should Filmmakers attend in a year?

Well, that’s a tricky question.  There’s some very high level networking to be had at such a convention, but beyond that there’s not always a great way to justify it as an ongoing expense.   

I’d say a producer should attend several markets throughout the course of their career, just so they know what’s entailed in each  one.  That said, they only really need to consistently attend the closest one closest  to them.  If you’re looking to be a powerful executive producer or studio head, then you will need to spend time traveling to all of them, but if you just want to make movies, you’re probably alright only regularly attending one.  

Want more?  Buy the book.  


The Guerrilla Rep: American Film Market Success on No Budget continues to be the most widely available book on Film Markets. As a Practical, no-nonsense guide to establishing relationships with distributors at The American Film Market, it is currently being used by many film schools nationwide to help students understand the unfamiliar territory of a Film Market.

Just listen to the host of the number one Filmmaking Podcast on iTunes.
​
You should not go to any Film Market without first reading this book. 
~Alex Ferrari,
Host of Indie Film Hustle
#1 Filmmaking and IndieFilm podcast on iTunes.

Author Ben Yennie Supports Film Schools.  Find Out How

With the launch of the second edition of the book, Ben has launched a completely free contest for film schools.  Any school course that chooses to use the book as recommended or required reading, will be eligible for a useful contest with prizes ranging from free workshops, books, software packages, and much more.  Prizes will be given on a school level, and a national level.   For more information, visit www.ProducerFoundry.com/FilmSchools.   

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