Making Anthologies (part 2)

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I'm making four. In anthology films, do you have to direct them yourself or you do have to collaborate with other directors?

What particular genres are your anthologies going to be?

Action, Horror, Sci-fi and Comedy.

Directing them all is up to you, but if you are asking about the current way distributors are churning them out, they are getting the best short films that are winning festivals and then lumping them into one film. At most, the distributors also produce a wraparound segment to tie the short films all together. Patient 7 from Terror Films is an example of this formula.

I don't mean to dissuade you, though. If you can and want to direct every segment, then do so. I always prefer the most passionate vision behind the camera putting it together. I guess, what I meant to say above is that, if you want to just make one short segment at a time, put it into festivals and let it run the course, you may well find that each of them gets a distributor wanting them for anthology options. At the very least, if you decide you want to release all of your segments in short and as their own things, then I strongly suggest contacting Gunpowder & Sky who run the Dust and Alter channels on youtube. They are great folks. They won't be sketchy with you.

Okay. What happens next?

Here. This is probably the best place to start. nofilmschool.com It has helped so many get started, and then there are Explore Filmmaking: From Script to Screen classes that you can take free or paid after the fact. I learned the hard way, by doing, and I am still learning because the models of how you get distribution keep changing. If you want to be on the grapevine of what producers are asking for, sign up for the free emails from ISA international screenwriter's association.

These films can have multiple directors, right.

Yes, of course, just know that producers/distributors can be picky. Some only want to deal with one filmmaker or rights holder to an overall project, and some don't worry about it. Choose someone good with business dealings or more like a lawyer when it comes time to talk to producers/distributors. Day one making a film you are fighting a cutthroat battle with business people and everyone else out there with your same goals. No matter what, do your best to only make friends. One enemy or butthurt person in any of the entertainment industry can equal thousands because that person could have a lot of listeners/followers who will never care what your side of the story is, even if it's completely logical and true. I'm honestly surprised that I have done well at all, but I have a solid group of friends more in the business side of things when we work together, and it allows me to just be a creative. Definitely find your group. Hard for us most times, I know, but it's important for staying with it and not overwhelming you.

What do you mean by film festivals or Alter and Dust?

The most popular thing to do with independent short or feature films is to submit them into film festivals where industry professionals either go to or keep track of to see what films stand out of the bunch. Often, the filmmakers can be offered distribution options. At the least, you can make contacts and friends being other filmmakers. This is less the case until the covid stuff goes away, of course.

Alter and Dust are youtube channels that host sci-fi and horror short films only. The channels are run by people I have acquaintance with from the company Gunpowder & Sky. This doesn't mean that I am an absolute lock to get anyone's film on their services, though. They want to talk to the filmmaker's personally. I don't know what their submission guidelines are, now, but I know they aren't treating filmmakers like huge studios would. They are way nicer.

What should I do if both Alter and Dust don't get my short films?

The guy who made District 9 just made his own youtube channel to release his short films. He gets any ad revenue from however many watches. If you do that, all you have to work on is just marketing (telling everyone you can to watch your channel and subscribe to the channel).

Ok. I'll try but how come anthology film don't market well on the big screen.

Most big budgets go to one plot films. Anthologies are multiple plots with smaller budgets. The most important thing to guaranteed distribution is having the money to pay a known actor in a film. If said actor is in just one plot of an anthology, then it lessens how much money distributors want to put into showing it off. Theatrical runs cost more money than just putting the film on a streaming service or vod. Money. It's always about money.

Okay, where should anthology films be seen?

Audiences are just fine with / like the comfort of streaming from home. I know that Christopher Nolan has just said he is against it, but he's vastly outnumbered. Just going by horror anthologies alone, they are doing very well on Shudder, Tubi and Amazon Prime. Amazon allows you to personally work with them to get your film on their service. Shudder and Tubi will make you go through an aggregator to solicit them for service. You will have to use a service like Indie Rights. Sadly, you may have to pay out more than you will profit (on average) probably the first year the film is streaming. It's hard to profit from indie films. It's really like indie films are you trying to prove that you deserve a shot at making films for profit. It is a grind.