Producing : Ask Me Anything (AMA) 10/4 to 10/5 by Tom Malloy

Hey Tom Malloy. Thanks for doing this. My question is that as a producer how do you determine which projects get a theatrical release and which go to say streaming or say direct to DVD (if that's a thing). Congrats on your directorial debut.

Hi Martin! Well, it's determined somewhat more so by the distributor. And it comes down to the question of "Is your film commercial enough for a theatrical release?" So when you're taking the film to market, if the distributor believes a theatrical release can benefit the film, then that decision will be made.

Thanks Tom Malloy. That was educational. I didn't realize how much say the distributor had in how the film is released.

Hello Tom, Ask Me To Dance looks good. Is it getting a release in England do we know yet?

Tom, I'm a complete novice (music is my game) but I've had an idea for a Reality TV Show (sounds weird even saying that) that won't go away. TV companies here seem to accept unsolicited comedy and drama ideas but there's nothing for aspiring Reality TV ideas and it seems that you need a producer/production house to get in front of the right people, which is proving frustrating! All help gratefully received please my friend. Hope you're well. Lee

Hey Tom, congrats on the film! Question: We all know there is a bit of a catch-22 for raising funds, ie: if you get a name talent, or director, we'll be in, vs. to get said attachments you need the offer and money. In your experience what is the most important member of the team to have on board first in order to get that first money in?

Hi Lee Rider ! Yes, it will be released in UK early next year through Central City Media!

As for your reality show I would 100% look into the market called REALSCREEN. It's the absolute best market for unscripted. If you were to attend, you'd walk away with a ton of connections!

Hi Tom Malloy thank you for doing this and I'm excited to learn about your experience and your career. My first set of questions is regarding distribution, what makes a film commercial enough to be in theaters? How does someone get in contact with the distributor and what should they know beforehand?

Hi Laurie Ashbourne ! I would say it's most important to get a director on board. If you could do that, and that person is a name talent, you will have a much easier time attaching cast, even before the full financing is in place.

Hi Tony Pham ! I would say there are various aspects that make a film commercial. Two things are 1) is it a commercial genre (meaning is it the type to be seen in theaters), and 2) name, recognizable cast (except for horror films). As for meeting distributors, I would say go to a major market: EFM, AFM, or Cannes... you'll meet a TON!

Cheers Tom, very kind of you and I've just signed up for RealScreen. Best of luck with the movie and I'll spread the word when it reaches our shores.

Thank you Tom Malloy for answering so swiftly, could the same concept be applied to a tv show or is there a specific way to handle those?

I know you are dealing with Tom Malloy, so I'm curious how do you handle multiple projects in various states of development and be able to keep on top of the pre-production, production and shooting, and post production schedules?

Congrats on the film Tom! I would love to know how you got into Distribution (we’re you doing that alongside acting work or did you jump from acting to distribution?) and what gets you the most excited about a project when someone is pitching you?

Hi Tom, nice to meet you! Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Curious if you are noticing any trends in the market for buyers & particularly with streamers? Also, as there are more and more mergers through what channels/avenues are you finding material the most likely to be acquired?

Amanda Toney one phrase: todo lists. I have my own TODO book that I actually used to buy online, and then the company went out of business! So I couldn't take that. What did I do? I made my own TO-DO list book and now I sell it online! It's literally my bread and butter. I have to be organized or it would all fall apart! https://app.thebookpatch.com/BookStore/fshq-todo-list/88626c94-26af-4d0e...

Emily J I think it was going to markets over and over again, like AFM, EFM, Cannes. I figured I really needed/wanted to learn how distribution works, and I wanted to make sure I could help filmmakers and have an honest company! So that's why I started Glass House Distribution! www.glasshousedistribution.com

Hello Tom, I have written a TV comedy pilot and all 12 episodes for season one. I have a great deal of interest in this production from some award winning directors, casting agent, line producer, associate producer and actors. What I am missing is additional financing. I own copyrights and trademarks for merchandising that will be a windfall.for investors as well. Where can I go to get additional financing. There are other perks with this project as well.

@GiGi Raines, I think there are still two things that matter. 1) Sellable genre. Action (#1), horror, sci-fi, thriller, and 2) Cast. Recognizable, sellable cast.

Lee, I think the absolute best place you could go to is the American Film Market (AFM) in Santa Monica in November!

Tom to piggyback off of GiGi Raines question regarding industry trends. You speak of sellable genre (I write at least 2 types listed: sci-fi and horror). Can you weigh-in on the importance of budgets in the genres listed. Obviously if you're relatively unknown you wouldn't try to sell a tentpole script with a $100 million budget. Is there a decent range to aim for assuming you've written a quality script?

Thanks, Tom. First: It is a highly sellable genre. A stunningly beautiful female lead comedy where "Friends" meets the "Odd Couple." It has never been done before. This type ensemble cast comedy is very sellable. It already has a fan base of millions of people. I do not have the cast yet as they want too much money for a retainer. I want to begin filming in March, 2023. I am still thinking of going to the Market in November.

Tom, I am also a best-selling author. Sci-fi, Non-Fiction and my latest book, "FIREMAN DOWN." See the clip on YOUTUBE. (Fireman Down by Lee Shargel)

Lee Rider I work in the unscripted arena and agree that Real Screen is a great place to go. Great connections. This year it takes place in Austin. Here's a link in case you want to attend. (Also MIP and MIPCOM have lots of unscripted format sales and sessions.) https://summit.realscreen.com/2023/

Martin Reese I would say so much has to do with the scope of the script. How many characters, how many visual effects, etc. So a studio-based script would be different from an indie script from the beginning. My friend had a $5m action with Jamie Foxx attached. He took it to Netflix thinking they'd give him $20m to make it. They gave him $90m to make it.

So, Tom I just need to attach Jamie Foxx. LOL! Seriously. I understand your answer.

What are your thoughts on self distribution like FIlmHub, Indie Rights etc.?

Hi Tom, Congrats on the film, and thanks for answering our questions.

1) You mention AFM, can you give a newbie insight on how to navigate AFM? Any tips?

2) What is the most important step when choosing to produce a film?

3) What advice would you give 1st-time producer?

Hey Tom, would love to know what indie film financing trends you are seeing recently. Are there any new or unconventional methods gaining momentum?

Christopher, well I am familiar with both of them, but I would say that just throwing your film on platforms is not the best answer. I think a film needs to have marketing behind it and an ad spend. Then you can really start to see returns from platforms. On top of that, if you work with a big enough sales agent/distributor, you can get premium foldering, which means your title will appear on the front page.

Sasha, to answer your questions:

1) I would try to attend panels and workshops, as well as mingle, and meet sales agents/distributors.

2) Perhaps partnering with an experienced producer who has done this before, which would also be my answer to #3. You could find people at AFM who may want to partner with you!

Sam, well for a while, there was a way to get money from crypto investors because the numbers were so high. But now crypto is at a low. I would say to keep a watch on that. Once it goes back up, that's a great time to strike.

Thank you, Tom Malloy . I plan to attend this Nov. buying ticket for 1 day because I am filming in LA that week. Hope to see friendly faces!

I know in order to move on in life, you have to take risks. What ricks would you feel, in your opinion, worth in film making? Would you take a risk that everyone may say no to even though you know it would work or everything is decided as a team? Thank you!

I think the main risk would be to 100% stick to your vision if you truly believe/know that you’ve got something special. It’s hard when you are thrown into a professional situation and everyone has their own opinion. If you truly believe…risk it all.

I like that Tom Malloy. "If you truly believe...risk it all." But wouldn't you say that at the same time you have to decide when to risk it all and when to do what's necessary (within reason and legally and ethically) to get the deal done? I think for us creatives that's the toughest part. Everybody's not James Cameron who can turn down notes from the studio when he was making Avatar.

100%. It’s all about timing and experience too. But I’m referring to if you TRULY know and you have this obsessive vision that won’t go away. That’s the time to stick to your guts. Stan Lee tells a great story of him bringing Spider Man to his editor and the editor saying “no one will ever buy this”. But Stan believed and knew. And he had the experience.

Tom Malloy Thank you for your insight. I have read through all questions and responses and I think this is all great. I think my questions are already answered in your last two responses. Everyone else thank you all for the great questions, it helped me understand things a lot better. Congrats Tom on your success and I will see you at work.

Congratulations on all of your success, Tom Malloy, and it's a lot!

Thanks for taking time to answer our questions.

From a producer's POV, what is the biggest tip (or one of the biggest) for writers who are writing micro-budget scripts (to keep the budget micro)?