Film Agent Sale List / Photo Credit: Film Daily TV
FILM SALES AGENT IN MOTION
PICTURE PRODUCTION… (In the Entertainment industry. Film Sales Agent)
Bruce
Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.
Film Sales Agent in Motion Picture Production
An Agent may agree to represent a film based on its
script and proposal, but usually an unknown director can only acquire an Agent
when they have a finished, or almost-completed film. Once films are sold,
Distributors and Agents negotiate the contracts and conditions. Once films
become profitable, Film Sales Agents pay filmmakers their percentage.
In some cases, Agents are also responsible for
brokering deals for filmmakers. Effective Film Sales Agents must be able to
negotiate, draw up contracts, and deal with international client and
Distributor demands.
Agents usually work with Delivery services, which
dispatch all the necessary materials to Distributors eg the release print,
inter-negative, inter positives, sound masters, script and legal documents.
Because films are sold to a large number of territories, this work is
ongoing. Agents must also provide
regular financial accounts for client filmmakers, including a breakdown of
costs and income for each film.
Film Sales Agents need to continually acquire new
films so regularly attend screenings and festivals, and meet with new
filmmakers. They also promote new films at various film festivals and markets;
at lavish premiere parties, or film screenings; or by providing VHS/DVD copies
for potential buyers. If a film does not sell, it may be necessary to launch a
revamped campaign in order to re-sell it to Distributors.
Independent filmmakers can spend years coming up with
the perfect idea, scraping together the funding to shoot, and finally
completing that masterpiece—but the film may be relegated to the shelf if it
cannot be sold to exhibitors. Film sales agents represent filmmakers in need of
a distribution agreement.
Duties
Generally, it’s independent directors or first-time
directors working outside the studio environment who require the help of a film
sales agent. Once the distribution deal is finalized, the film sales agent is
responsible for delivering all components of the completed film to theaters.
With so many films being produced each year, and with a great portion of those
lacking a distribution strategy, these wheeler-dealers never lack for a
challenge. Competing to find and acquire new films is the lifeblood of a film
sales agent, and film premieres, industry parties, and film festivals are the
hunting grounds. At the same time, promotion of the films is paramount to their
success, so creating strong relationships with distribution outlets is key to
their business. At times it may be necessary for a film sales agent to actually
broker deals for filmmakers.
Skills & Education
A film sales agent should have an MBA and should
complete coursework in film production, history, and finance; a course or two
on legal aspects of the film industry would be beneficial as well. Though
almost all jobs involving sales require a special ability to schmooze, a film
sales agent needs many other skills to be successful. Having the ability to
negotiate and sell is an obvious prerequisite, but being able to create
relationships with theater owners and exhibitors, as well as sometimes-wary
indie filmmakers, is key to success, as is understanding regional differences
in taste. Essentially the film sales agent is a “jack of all trades” who knows
what will sell and where.
What to Expect
This career may seem glamorous and exciting, but the
day-to-day work is time-consuming and stressful. Certainly the parties and
festivals can be fun, as can meeting the principals involved in the films, but
there is an ever-present element of financial risk. Choosing a project to
represent can be a crapshoot, especially when a film is not a blockbuster. It’s
up to the film sales agent to find and create opportunities for distribution in
other, lower-level outlets.
Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks,
Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New
York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media
Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily
Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend,
Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America,
Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media,
THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS
PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY,
AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY
DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS
INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL
RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.
BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN
AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION
NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.
Film Agent Sale List / Photo Credit: Film Daily TV
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