Now and then we like to share info to the Do It Yourself filmmaker about how to market and sell your film, after you've won all the awards and accolades of course!
So let's say you've finished your epic, and you'd like to offer it online as a streaming video. Or you just want to be able to send everyone you ever met a copy. Here's how!
Well, first things first, you contact our sponsor KinoNation.com and ask them to rep your film.. and they'll get it onto all the major platforms and start sending you checks.
But let's say you'd like to make physical shrink wrapped DVDs of your film, and you're busy tracking everyone's address that you've ever met....
Well, recently we saw this advice from someone who's used CreateSpace to successfully market and sell their film. We asked them "what's the step by step process?" In the interests of helping people to figure out a way to make some money on the side streaming or selling their film (it's up to you how well you can market, publicize or otherwise get your film into people's view), here's one person's advice:
(We have no connection to Amazon or CreateSpace - we just love to pass along good information for independent filmmakers.)
How to Create a DVD via Create Space
1. Create an account at Create Space (now owned by Amazon.com).
2. Click on “Add a New Title.”
3. Let them know if it’s a book or DVD.
4. Follow their instructions on how to submit materials.
5. Design a cover for the DVD using their template (or have someone design a DVD cover and submit it as per their formats). Make sure you follow their instructions as to the size of the JPEG for the DVD, they have a few different sizes required; they can all be the same photograph if necessary.
6. Add copy to the front and back covers of the Template so people can easily identify what it is from the cover alone.
7. Fill out the various places where they ask about the DVD – these are going to be listed on Amazon, so make sure they let the audience know what it is, and why they should have it.
8. Upload the JPEGs to the website and approve the making of the cover. They’ll ask if you have a UPC code for your DVD – I’m pretty sure they’ll either sell you one, or it’s easy to obtain one. (Same goes for the books, they’ll supply you with one, or you can supply them with your own, an ISBN is required for books. The downside to using theirs is that you can’t resell that same title to another entity, the upside is that it doesn’t cost anything. I’ve used both, no real complaints.)
9. Price the DVD accordingly – they’ll suggest a price, you can put whatever you like, there is a minimum amount – but check into other titles that are like your DVD and see what they’re selling for.
10. Follow their instructions where to send a copy of your film to their offices so they can upload it. You need to follow their instructions clearly as to what the format is – HD or DV, or what the size of the MPEG might be. Generally, if you can fit all the media onto one standard 4.7 MB DVD, they can as well.
11. When the DVD is ready, they’ll send you an email asking you to proof the finished product. I think the first one is free, the ensuing copies cost wholesale.
12. Once you’ve looked at and approved the DVD it goes onto the Amazon site, and they price it according to their other titles. There are 3 options, streaming it, downloading it, and purchase of a DVD. You must own all rights to the material depicted, the music, permission from all who appear on it, etc.
13. You can order as many DVDs as you want wholesale – you just return to the main page of Create Space and next to your title, click on “order copies.” There’s credit card and shipping info to fill out, but it’s relatively simple. Once you’ve got the title listed, you can also sign up for their “extended sales” options, which allows them to sell your product with a markup, so wholesalers can purchase it directly with a link you give to them.
14. You can also purchase DVDs and have them shipped elsewhere – a book wholesaler for example, or some other venue – in order to do that, you click on “Order copies” and put in new shipping information.
15. When you’re done your film is available for sale online everywhere amazon exists. People without American credit cards can’t watch the film overseas, as Amazon requires US bank info. But copy the “store link” and put it on your website, and when the listing appears on Amazon a few days or weeks later, make sure everyone you know has a link. You can offer an option to contact you for international sales.
That's it! And then "Bob's your uncle" you'll be selling them like hotcakes, or holding them like hotcakes and tossing them out to your friends and fans.
 |
| Celebrate every step of the way! |
So let's say you've finished your epic, and you'd like to offer it online as a streaming video. Or you just want to be able to send everyone you ever met a copy. Here's how!
Well, first things first, you contact our sponsor KinoNation.com and ask them to rep your film.. and they'll get it onto all the major platforms and start sending you checks.
But let's say you'd like to make physical shrink wrapped DVDs of your film, and you're busy tracking everyone's address that you've ever met....
 |
| Consoling a filmmaker for forgetting to get addresses of everyone they ever met. |
Well, recently we saw this advice from someone who's used CreateSpace to successfully market and sell their film. We asked them "what's the step by step process?" In the interests of helping people to figure out a way to make some money on the side streaming or selling their film (it's up to you how well you can market, publicize or otherwise get your film into people's view), here's one person's advice:
(We have no connection to Amazon or CreateSpace - we just love to pass along good information for independent filmmakers.)
 |
| Winning! |
How to Create a DVD via Create Space
1. Create an account at Create Space (now owned by Amazon.com).
2. Click on “Add a New Title.”
3. Let them know if it’s a book or DVD.
4. Follow their instructions on how to submit materials.
5. Design a cover for the DVD using their template (or have someone design a DVD cover and submit it as per their formats). Make sure you follow their instructions as to the size of the JPEG for the DVD, they have a few different sizes required; they can all be the same photograph if necessary.
6. Add copy to the front and back covers of the Template so people can easily identify what it is from the cover alone.
7. Fill out the various places where they ask about the DVD – these are going to be listed on Amazon, so make sure they let the audience know what it is, and why they should have it.
8. Upload the JPEGs to the website and approve the making of the cover. They’ll ask if you have a UPC code for your DVD – I’m pretty sure they’ll either sell you one, or it’s easy to obtain one. (Same goes for the books, they’ll supply you with one, or you can supply them with your own, an ISBN is required for books. The downside to using theirs is that you can’t resell that same title to another entity, the upside is that it doesn’t cost anything. I’ve used both, no real complaints.)
9. Price the DVD accordingly – they’ll suggest a price, you can put whatever you like, there is a minimum amount – but check into other titles that are like your DVD and see what they’re selling for.
10. Follow their instructions where to send a copy of your film to their offices so they can upload it. You need to follow their instructions clearly as to what the format is – HD or DV, or what the size of the MPEG might be. Generally, if you can fit all the media onto one standard 4.7 MB DVD, they can as well.
11. When the DVD is ready, they’ll send you an email asking you to proof the finished product. I think the first one is free, the ensuing copies cost wholesale.
12. Once you’ve looked at and approved the DVD it goes onto the Amazon site, and they price it according to their other titles. There are 3 options, streaming it, downloading it, and purchase of a DVD. You must own all rights to the material depicted, the music, permission from all who appear on it, etc.
13. You can order as many DVDs as you want wholesale – you just return to the main page of Create Space and next to your title, click on “order copies.” There’s credit card and shipping info to fill out, but it’s relatively simple. Once you’ve got the title listed, you can also sign up for their “extended sales” options, which allows them to sell your product with a markup, so wholesalers can purchase it directly with a link you give to them.
14. You can also purchase DVDs and have them shipped elsewhere – a book wholesaler for example, or some other venue – in order to do that, you click on “Order copies” and put in new shipping information.
15. When you’re done your film is available for sale online everywhere amazon exists. People without American credit cards can’t watch the film overseas, as Amazon requires US bank info. But copy the “store link” and put it on your website, and when the listing appears on Amazon a few days or weeks later, make sure everyone you know has a link. You can offer an option to contact you for international sales.
That's it! And then "Bob's your uncle" you'll be selling them like hotcakes, or holding them like hotcakes and tossing them out to your friends and fans.
