Consider this a return of HopeForFilm’s Secret Formula column. Sorry I’ve neglected you for so long, my sweet. I am trying to reveal it all, step by step. We will lift all the veils, eventually…
Look, don’t shoot the messenger. I do think we need to air the dirty laundry if we want to get this place smelling sweet once again. So here I am once again, refusing to whisper. I am speaking up on all of our behalf. We need to discuss openly about a significant complication we have in our industry. Or rather, about multiple complications, but I am just focusing on one now.
Chances are your film is worth much more than you received, or ever will. But that’s not even the heartbreaking part. It gets worse. And then worse, further still.
The reason you didn’t get a better deal for your film — particularly if you had an excellent film to sell and people knew it — is because you have a significant conflict of interest with the people that helped you on the sale. You both don’t actually want to get the best deal, that’s only you. You should but you really shouldn’t expect it to be reciprocal., even if you thought that was what you are paying them for.
They may have been the best at selling films. They may have been the best at selling you. But the chances are is that they didn’t get everything they could have for you. And that’s best to know from the start. Know that they won’t push as hard as they can, even if they break new ground.
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