Windows are a reference to release windows, the prescribed time gaps between which films are released in different media. Make windowing deliberate rather than confusing the customer with scattered pricing in different formats and releases.

The preferred release schedule should be: Cable & Satellite VOD; then Transactional; then Rental; then Ad-Supported platforms; then Mobile/Wireless. In the next tidbits, there will be examples of each of these platforms.

Some platforms can be accessed via Self Distribution (e.g. Youreeeka or Maxcast) while others can only be accessed via an aggregator (e.g. Netflix, and iTunes, which at the moment is by far the greatest revenue generating platform in the digital distribution space). Some aggregators are better than others and some distributors and aggregators take lower fees than others. Choosing the best platform/portal for your film must be done with care and must also take into account the type of film it is and its overall release plan.

Much of this information can be found within our Digital Distribution Guide, available to our members. For this week, you can gain access to the full Guide by contributing $35 to our IndieGoGo campaign.

THE FILM COLLABORATIVE is the first non-profit, full-service provider dedicated to the distribution of independent film, including narrative features, documentaries and shorts where no rights are taken from the creator. In this tidbit series, we hope to give good insight into the world of digital distribution in a way that is helpful to the filmmaker.

Digital platforms should be treated like online visual media stores, not distributors. For this reason, one should be very mistrustful if a company asks for exclusive license rights. Even when dealing with aggregators, they should only have exclusive rights to get the film onto specific platforms and at most they can ask you to follow specific windows in handling other platforms (By way of comparison, such a request from a brick-and-mortar video store such as Blockbuster would be occasional at best, and then they would pay a lot for that and it would only be for a short window of time, such as six (6) months).

Much of this information can be found within our Digital Distribution Guide, available to our members. For this week, you can gain access to the full Guide by contributing $35 to our IndieGoGo campaign.

While talking with a short filmmaker recently, I suggested that he try some digital distribution via iTunes. I know that it isn’t very easy to use iTunes as a filmmaker in that it will involve using an aggregate company since Apple will not deal with indie filmmakers directly. Here is a partial list I have compiled of companies currently handling iTunes submissions. Of course, a small percentage of sales will go to each company handling the distribution, but since iTunes has considerable reach, I think it is worth it to profit share.

I have not personally vetted each company represented so I encourage you to do your own research and ask for feedback from other filmmakers who have dealt with them. I am sure this is not an exhaustive list as companies are getting new agreements every day. If you know of other companies not mentioned, please add them in comments.

http://www.shortsinternational.com/

http://www.newvideo.com/

http://fansoffilm.com/page/about-fans-of-film
http://www.distribber.com/
http://www.nelsonmadisonfilms.com/coop.php
http://www.ingrooves.com/partners
https://www.indieflix.com/ssl/Filmmaker/HowItWorks.aspx
http://www.tunecore.com/
http://www.stonehengeproductions.com/Stonehenge/home.html

While I am in the middle of organizing the filmmaker troops and taking advantage of any promotional opportunity that arises to publicize LA Shorts Fest 09, I wanted to share some interesting video I found today thanks to Orly Ravid’s site New American Vision. It is a panel discussion with many heavy hitters, and up and coming ones, regarding the digital distribution landscape for filmmakers. If you have 30 minutes or so for each, give them a look.