UK independent producer and distributor, David Nicholas Wilkinson of Guerilla Films, has organised an industry panel for filmmakers to consult on distribution as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

David Nicholas Wilkinson’s views on film distribution were aired in a Netribution interview feature earlier this year. (See Netribution's Interview) His new initiative follows debate on the independent filmmaker internet forum Shooting People.

A Shooting People posting from Wilkinson prompted no fewer than 200 replies, taking him by surprise. He decided this showed the need for hard information among filmmakers and the most effective way of dealing with it would be to have an industry dialogue on the subject of distribution at the next important film gathering.

Wilkinson himself will chair the "meet the industry" panel of knowledgeable industry professionals, which will include leading world sales agent Gary Phillips, Liz Rosenthal from Next Wave Films, David Castro CEO of the New Producers Alliance, Virginia Nelson of film publicists Corbett and Keene.

The distribution debate on Shooting People had begun over the lack of audience for even relatively good British low budget films, like Urban Ghost Story that, despite critical acclaim, fail to get cinemagoers queueing to see them in any numbers.

Wilkinson distributes over 40 low budget feature films concentrating on British films by first-time filmmakers. He says what is needed is not a new filmmakers movement, but an audience.

"The problem is not distribution or exhibition. Cinemas are very supportive of new films. It's not money, you only have to see excellent well funded campaigns by the likes of UIP, Pathe, Entertainment for a number low
budget British films. The problem, very simply, is that the British public will not pay to see British films."

Wilkinson’s company, Guerilla Films has conducted detailed market research at both multiplexes and independent cinemas nation-wide. He says results show what low budget Brit-flics are up against.

"I have never known a low/no budget film get such glowing reviews, in fact few high budget films receive such praise, yet it only grossed £36,000."

The distributor points out the irony that low budget filmmakers, who should be interested in all low budget film, are the least likely people to go and see someone elses’s low budget work.

"If all shooting people readers had gone to see the film the gross would have been over £100,000. The audience most likely to be interested in low/no budget British films does not pay to see it."

One filmmaker who has been on the sharp end of film promotion recently is Chris Jones, filmmaker and co-author of the indie bible "The Guerilla Filmmakers Handbook" whose latest production, Urban Ghost Story, opened on two screens simultaneously in Glasgow and London. He rejects the idea of relying on advertising as means of making the potential audience aware.

"When you say advertising, the only thing that you can really do is get people to be aware of the film. Once they are aware they will decide if they want to invest five pounds and two hours of their life with your movie. This is crucial to remember. Who will pay money to see your film? And it's the people who will pay money who you will target, not just blanket the whole country in the hope everyone and their brother will turn up because it's 'my movie and I made it and it's really great!"

"There was and is, NO point trying to seduce a mass audience in for Urban Ghost Story, they just wont come and see it in their droves. No matter how much we spent on PA."

Previously, Jones had attempted an advertising approach to marketing an earlier feature, but found it was not cost effective…..

"I tried to take on Hollywood with our second film, White Angel, a serial killer thriller starring Peter Firth. It got good reviews, we did all the PR, fly postered the whole of l London, big posters small posters. Ads in the
Evening Standard and other papers... Spent a packet. Went out on 15 prints, four in London, 9 around the country. The film died. We got about the same revenue as we have with UGS because there are only so many people who will go see a small Brit Film. So we got the same amount of money but spent ten
times less."

According to Jones, audience resistance to low budget product hinges on lack of intrinsic qualities, or, more simply, a previous bad consumer experience……

Jones feels that many British low budget films fail to meet audience expectations.

"Sadly it's often not a taste issue, they are simply incompetent. I hate to point fingers, but I believe movies like Rancid Aluminium drive audiences away from British films in their droves. It was an incompetent film. Sorry guys, but I know your next film will be considerably better."

So has Urban Ghost Story, with its London and Glasgow showings, been an urban screening success story?

A two-week run was almost extended. If eleven more people had turned up to see it in week two, the film would have run to a third week. Despite this near-miss, the film’s producer, Chris Jones, feels relatively happy.

"We have so far had a screen average of around £3,500. That's actually very good for our movie and a lot better than many other films with massively bigger budgets and huge PR campaigns. Just consult the figures in Screen Finance if you want a harsh reality check."

"Not true," says indie distributor David Nicholas Wilkinson. "If any distributor can achieve 3,000 units (actual sales, not shared revenue) in the rental market and 5,000 on DVD/VHS in the retail market they are doing well. The income from this sector -remember money also has to be spent releasing on video/DVD- is usually not enough to cover the losses from even a very small cinema release."

So, is the answer to look at recouping costs through sales to UK terrestrial TV? Not according to Guerilla distributor Wilkinson, who says this market has its own problems.

Wilkinson says, the answer lies in markets abroad, where low budget British film does not have to compete with a high-quality domestic programme output.

"Ironically a low/no budget British film is more likely to sell to a Greek or Portuguese or New Zealand broadcaster than it is to a UK one. Those countries do not make as much programming as we do in Britain, so have to fill their schedules with acquisitions."

"There are a number of cable companies here who are very supportive of low/no budget British films and do screen them. The problem, seen from the film sale side, is these outlets make very little money from subscriptions and advertising from which to pay their operating costs. They also have to meet their acquisition costs for hundreds of new films every year. What they can pay is extremely small."

Part of the overall problem is that of a saturated market. Every single year there are far more films produced than the world’s distributors and broadcasters can possibly handle.

According to Wilkinson, terrestrial broadcasters would buy more low/no budget British films if they did well at the box office. But to do that, they need to win a UK cinema audience, which is where the debate began.

Even well-heeled companies find the UK cinema market tough going, despite effective marketing campaigns. Wilkinson maintains there is considerable built-in resistance stopping audiences for British low-budget film.

The potential success of British film in the world market was endorsed on Shooting People list by Israeli filmmaker Naama Nachmani, who points out that overseas, British film has an important advantage, a perception of quality.

"A lot of people around the world will pay good money to see a British film, just because it is British. British movies have an image of high quality movies , sincere and realistic movies. We expect them to be better than American ones. Maybe this image was created because we see more American movies and the British ones we get to see in our local cinema are indeed the best ones, but this is an advantage that you should ,and must, use."

Chase Johnston-Lynch an American filmmaker, now resident here and a fan of the Britflic, suggests many British films are raw compared with Hollywood output, but enjoyable for their characterisation.

"UK films not only are based in characterization, probably because they can't afford explosions, but they also are intelligent enough to not conform to the Hollywood necessity of formulaic scripts and exposition. You can just jump into these movies and the characters unfold with pleasure."

Johnston-Lynch has taken this on board and is now rethinking his portfolio.

"I've been spending the past couple of months, "anglifying" my scripts because I enjoy the care that is put into UK cinema. A care that doesn't deal with special effects, the latest tool in animation, and the high grade
explosion. As an American, I'm hooked. And as Natives, you should rethink your opinions and take another look at your films. And then ask yourself, why do the Americans steal from you? From your TV shows to your actors."

The US is often heralded as a place where independent filmmaking is in a healthier position, but in actual fact, problems faced by low budget filmmakers are even worse than in the UK.

Wilkinson has been approached with American Indie films that never got theatrical distribution.

"Claire Battersby who runs the UK/LA Film Festival, came to me earlier this year with a couple of dozen excellent USA films, none of which could not get cinema distribution in America."

"If Blockbuster take a film in the UK they may take 1,000 copies to go into every store, with some taking 2 copies. Because the USA is so vast Blockbuster are likely to take 15,000."

The producer/distributor points out that US broadcast regulations create helpful market conditions for import.

So, given the complexities of the market, the poor cinema audience for low/no home product, the reliance on downstream markets to try and recoup costs, let alone make a profit, can there be a future in low/no budget British film? According to the Guerilla Films boss, there is, but attitudes need to change and market considerations have to come earlier to the filmmaking process.

"There is a way forward. I know I bang on all the time about "Following", a film I do NOT distribute or "Small Time Obsession" which I do, but both were made for very little money. Both raised the finishing funds easily -because they are good. Yes, both did badly in the UK, but both are now selling very well around the world."

"Films are no different to soap powder. No new soap powder is going to sell unless it has something unusual or different about it, regardless of how much is spent advertising. To gauge success in the market filmmakers need to ask themselves one question only. -Why would anyone pay to see my film?"

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