All independent films should have a windowing strategy | Barbara Twist (Film Festival Alliance)
"There's so much money to be made when you really consider the long windows."
Watch now on YouTube.
is a filmmaker, exhibition consultant, and industry leader with over a decade of experience in the independent exhibition sector. She previously served as the managing director of Art House Convergence and has consulted for various film and exhibition organizations, including Europa Cinemas, Europa International, and Indie Collect. Currently, Barbara is associated with the Film Festival Alliance, where she continues to champion independent cinema and support filmmakers in navigating the complex landscape of film distribution.In our conversation, we discuss:
The evolution of film distribution windows and their importance
Strategies for independent filmmakers to plan their distribution
The significance of understanding your core audience
The value of community partnerships in film distribution
Practical advice on budgeting for distribution and marketing
The pros and cons of different distribution platforms (theatrical, TVOD, SVOD, AVOD)
Key takeaways:
Understand windowing: Windowing creates a downstream of revenue where marketing and exposure accumulate over the life of the film, leading to long-term success.
Know your core audience: Identify who will be at your film's premiere (excluding friends and family) to understand your target demographic and inform your marketing strategy.
Budget for distribution: Set aside at least $50,000 to $200,000 for distribution and marketing expenses.
Build community partnerships: Collaborate with organizations and relevant groups or businesses to support your film's distribution and reach.
Be flexible with platforms: Consider various distribution options (theatrical, TVOD, SVOD, AVOD) based on your film's audience and potential revenue.
Leverage film festivals: Use film festivals to build buzz, collect audience data, and potentially attract distributors.
Where to Find Barbara Twist
Website: barbaratwist.com
Film Festival Alliance: filmfestivalalliance.org
Substack:
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction and Barbara's background
(01:36) The evolution and importance of windowing in film distribution
(07:05) Traditional windowing process and its stages
(17:47) Current distribution landscape and windowing strategies
(24:14) How to plan windows for your independent film (including how to become your own booking consultant)
(33:10) Discussion on various distribution platforms (TVOD, SVOD, AVOD)
(38:08) The value of windowing and how the multiple touchpoints creates demand
(41:48) Marketing and distribution budget and what to spend money on
(45:37) Closing thoughts and where to find Barbara
Referenced:
Film festival directory: https://filmfestivalalliance.org/filmmakers/film-festival-directory
Hundreds of Beavers: https://www.hundredsofbeavers.com/
AARP (example of a community partner): https://www.aarp.org/
Christie makes reference to a talk Barbara gave last year on this topic — if you're interested in diving deeper, Barbara shared a transcript of this talk here: https://widerelease.substack.com/p/wide-release-1