On Wednesday, Warner Brothers announced it would be the first studio to distribute new release films into China via VOD.  Filmmakers in Asia were among the first to successfully embrace digital technology for making films- Ben Cho has an interesting feature in Moving Pictures about some of the Chinese directors who have used digital creatively over the last decade and made innovative strides in the look and approach in the medium.  Asia is not a homogenous market by any means, and digital delivery will look very different in a market like Japan that is supersaturated with advanced mobile technology than it might in much of China, where internet access is not yet a given. Still, there is no doubt there is a market, though issues of piracy, access, and the wide disparities of access make finding a financial model a challenge.

Last month UNI Strategic convened a conference called Asia Digital Media & Entertainment Forum 2008, which brought together representatives from film, television, gaming, mobile companies, the government, and content providers to discuss the emerging marketplace. While this effort is no doubt aimed more at creating commercial sites ala YouTube or iTunes, creating an infrastructure is the first step to opening the market for independent and niche players.  So far, I don’t think China has been a great market for Western independent filmmakers, but the internet might open different opportunities. At this point it seems that much of the buzz around “D-cinema” is related to theatrical delivery- CineAsia next month will do little to contradict this trend. Unlike in some Asian markets, Chinese theatrical grosses are steadily rising which could be a bellweather for the Chinese appetite for film in general.

New York Women in Film & Television hosts a panel to discuss how new technology can be used to promote films with a social message on November 18 at Showbiz Software at 19 West 21st Street, (between 5th and 6th Avenues).  You must register to attend.

Fox Searchlight has managed to have some stunning successes in the world of “independent film” in the last few years, and they are staying on the curve’s head with their website, which features lots of value-added material for their feature films like interviews and lectures in addition to trailers and other marketing info.  They also offer short films, from the Searchlab imprint, which comprises both commissioned and user generated content. Very intelligently, they have created a community where filmmakers can get script advice, connect with others, and add this to your Facebook.  And they will “feature” your work (though not pay for it) if they like it and it is inspired by Searchlight titles.

SXSWorld, the magazine of the South by Southwest Film Festival, has a pair of articles (on page 16) about the “New Distribution”– one a sunny look at the VOD sales of three 2008 SXSW films, Humbolt County, Medicine for Melancholy, and Crawford and how the filmmakers worked with distributors (IFC and Magnolia) to roll out the films in various ways. The other, a more sullen (i.e. realistic) take on the financial realities of internet sales, is by George Rush, an entertainment attorney (who also specializes in eviction defense) in San Francisco.

Variety reported last week that the digital distribution “revolution” is starting to seem more like the Seven Year’s War as filmmakers and distributors see little to no revenue online.  While there have been a few highly-trumpeted success stories, even the most advised course of non-exclusive deals with a number of high-profile online markets can yield little in the way of revenue for independent filmmakers without the marketing and exposure of a big theatrical or television release.

There are two points to take away- number one, think about traditional media first.  Don’t ignore online & VOD but make sure your higher-yield ducks are in a row first.  Two, consider your online marketing as a separate entity.  Your film may not have the cache of SLACKER but if you are able to offer an online market an exclusive extra it may make the property more valuable to them, which could result in a better deal or increased promotion.

Highlighting the eternal “this is my art” versus “this is a product” tension that is only getting more acute as online markets grow (and do not necessarily make more money per film), this discussion from the recent DIY Days isn’t exactly new info, but it does give a sense of what some issues are for filmmakers.

The somewhat deer-in-the-headlights initital reaction of the audience to Arin Crumley‘s demand to know what filmmakers need in the digital distribution realm I think is pretty reflective of where we’re at right now.  Also, small point, I don’t think Current TV is the only one following the online –> TV acquisition model- SuperU was one that came to mind.

I’m a little slow on the uptake here, but man-on-the-beat Scott Kirsner of Cinematech has a great resource on the ITVS site where he interviewed a number of documentary filmmakers about their experiences using new technology to reach an audience.  Scott told me:

Among the folks I spoke to were Tiffany Shlain (“The Tribe”), Katy Chevigny (“Election Day”), Hunter Weeks (“10 MPH” and “10 Yards”), Byron Hurt (“Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes”), and Curt Ellis (“King Corn”). Not everyone is a filmmaker who is funded or supported by ITVS… our sole criterion was to find folks who were experimenting.

He also came up with a list of 15 recommendations, many of which we’ve agreed on in the past.  The one cautionary addition I would make is to his suggestion to “Make sure DVDs are available when audiences are most interested in the film: during the theatrical run, during festival screenings and at the time of the first TV broadcast.” This is fine if you have no plans to work with a distributor and you’re not planning to work with quite a number of theatrical venues and TV Broadcasters- but you should be aware that at this point in time, distributing DVDs or placing the fim online will definitely endanger your deals with many if not most major players.