Film: What Are You Doing New Year’s?

The ways in which films are made haven't changed much since the early days of Hollywood. Still, in this day and age, it takes a revolutionary way of thinking to prosper in independent filmmaking, and we’re doing just that. We’ve incorporated years of experience, i.e., building audiences from scratch, guiding global brand’s marketing and community strategy, and producing award-winning films on a limited budget to tremendous results.

All of that work will be culminating in a film that you will want to be a part of: What Are You Doing New Year’s?

Our work

We started making content in 2009. Back then, no one had heard of crowdfunding, digital media, or us... 

But that changed. We won awards for our work: Best Screenplay (KIA), Best Short (KIA), Best Comedy (Squaresville),  Best Writing Comedy (Squaresville), Best Ensemble (Squaresville)... We traveled all over the country, making connections at film festivals like Austin Film Fest, Durango, Breckenridge, Woodstock, Sidewalk and tons of regional festivals. Over 20 in total.

 

Awards

Now we're embarking on our next feature film...

Why Now?

Not only has technology advanced to the point where cameras and film equipment have become so advanced that you can produce a high-quality film for a fraction of the cost, but the appetite for motion pictures has ballooned as well. We’re at an inflection point in filmmaking, where the digital revolution and video consumption are at an all-time high… 

Especially for Christmas movies

State of the Business:

Did you see that Kurt Russell Christmas movie (The Christmas Chronicles) on Netflix last year? That film was streamed over 20 million times the week that it opened. (IndieWire)

It’s not just Netflix that’s seeing huge holiday numbers. That’s just the tip of the holiday movie iceberg.  Hallmark’s Christmas offerings set network records. (Cosmo)

They achieved “top standing among its key demographics of women 25-54 and 18-49 ... more than 36 million viewers have already tuned in for the first three weeks of programming in 2018...”

And according to BusinessInsider, “S&P Global Market Intelligence, estimated that Hallmark reeled in $431.3 million in revenue between advertising and affiliate fees from cable distributors.”

60% of families watch at least one Christmas Movie Together
(Statista.com)

And independent films have seen big gains as well. Last year Sundance saw a "spending spree" of eight-figure acquisitions, according to The Wrap. 

In Big-Money Acquisitions Take Indie Film Market By Surprise (The Wrap) New Line paid $15M for indie film Blinded By The Light.

“Buyers will pay a serious premium for high quality content that has wide release appeal,” Valparaiso Pictures’ David Carrico said. “Aside from the outliers, buyers want fresh original films from filmmakers who have a real voice that can cut through all the noise.”

Timeline:

• Early 2020 --Principal Photography

• Summer 2020 -- Post-Production
• 2021 -- Film Festival Run
• November 2021 -- Distribution & Release (just in time for the holidays!)

Distribution:

We will be seeking to premiere the film at a top-tier festival, with the goal being to finish the film in time to submit to South by Southwest for a 2021 premiere. Other possible premiere venues include Sundance, Slamdance, Toronto, Tribeca, Cannes, or Berlin. These are festivals that offer the best possibility for a distribution deal.

The easiest distribution strategy and return on investment would come from an all-rights deal for the film. However, if an all-rights deal isn’t lucrative for all parties, we are prepared to enter into what’s known as a “hybrid” distribution plan. In that plan, we would utilize the services of a sales agent, along with our own relationships, and distribution aggregators to distribute our film to platforms like Amazon, iTunes, and Netflix.

Revenue for the film will come from the following sources:

• Theatrical Receipts
• Festival Screening Fees
• Broadcast Television
• Traditional DVD Sales
• Direct-to-Consumer DVD Sales
• Foreign Sales
• Cable VOD
• Internet VOD / Streaming
• In-Flight Entertainment and Hotel VOD

Our Progress:

In anticipation of our early 2020 production schedule, we've already begun assembling our key crew and cast members. We've been holding casting sessions for the last month in search of our lead characters, and have been auditioning actors from Hollywood's top agencies. Additionally, we've been interviewing key crew members, to make sure we have a professional team that gels well together and has ample preparation time for the upcoming shoot. With a great cast and crew nearly assembled, we'll be ready to launch into production promptly in 2020. 

Use of Funds:

The process of filmmaking is becoming increasingly economical as technology improves. Thanks to better cheaper gear, our funds will go towards hard costs like skilled labor, shooting locations, extras, props, and wardrobe. As our budget expands, so does the scale of the production. 

A Note from the Producers...

In 2018, women accounted for just 8% of directors. We want to change this statistic with your help.

Though society has made large advances in gender parity, writer/directors are still overwhelmingly male. On a human level, that’s disappointing. On a business level, that means there’s an opportunity in the marketplace. Audiences crave stories from underserved female voices. Films like Lady Bird, Wonder Woman, and Selma are winning awards and setting box office records. By investing in What Are You Doing New Year’s, you would be supporting one of those voices.

In Closing

This is your chance to be a part of a film filled with warmth, laughs, and love, made by a group of filmmakers committed to seeing their movie become a staple in holiday programming for years to come.

Haven't you wanted to be in the film business? Come join the party!