Author Archives: Dennis Toth

Film Fund-amentals: The Long and the Short

By Dennis Toth | Published: November 16, 2011

Lots of indie filmmakers are pondering the question: Should we make a short film as part of our effort to get funding for a feature? The overwhelming response from many people experienced in indie production is: Yes! That’s the good news. The big question is: Once you make your short film, what do you do ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Film Distribution, Film Fundamentals, Indie Filmmaking, Video on Demand | 5 Comments

Film Fund-amentals: The Pain of Evolution

By Dennis Toth | Published: November 9, 2011

In any period of evolutionary change, there are those who adapt and those who don’t. As the working environment changes, the old lifeforms thrash about in a desperate effort to cling to the traditional ways while previously minor players adapt to the new model and begin to systematically expand and dominate. Unless it involves media. ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Digital Media, Film Fundamentals | 1 Comment

Film Fund-amentals: Occupy Hollywood

By Dennis Toth | Published: November 2, 2011

About two and a half years ago, I argued that the suits running Hollywood didn’t know what they were talking about in their long-term projections on the economic development of the business. Back then, they were insisting that the industry was recession-proof and that it was capable of weathering the economic turmoil until recovery. Of ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals | 1 Comment

Film Fund-amentals: Seconding the Proposal

By Dennis Toth | Published: October 25, 2011

According to the IRS, filmmaking is a hobby, not a business. Or at least that is the stand the IRS has taken against filmmaker Lee Storey in its attempt to collect $300,000 in alleged back taxes concerning business deductions she attempted to take from her documentary Smile ‘Til It Hurts. The Storey case made lots ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals, Indie Filmmaking | 1 Comment

Film Fund-amentals: Pirates of the Digital Shores

By Dennis Toth | Published: October 18, 2011

Last time I checked, the only boom profession offering employment is “Somali pirate.” Unfortunately, the work conditions are horrible, the benefits are non-existent, and the Navy SEALS turn out to be pretty good shots. So it isn’t a great career move. But digital piracy is a major enterprise. Well, kind of. The recent posting from ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Digital Media, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Film Fund-amentals: Conference Mania

By Dennis Toth | Published: October 12, 2011

There are two reasons for going to any film conference. The first is networking. The second is… well, there is a second reason, though I’m having trouble remembering what it is at the moment. Free food if you’re lucky, but that’s more of a perk than a reason. OK, educational development and hands-on training from ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Digital Media, Events, Film Exhibition, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals, Indie Filmmaking | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Film Fund-amentals: Thinking of the Future of Film

By Dennis Toth | Published: October 4, 2011

Socrates once said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” Obviously, he was anticipating the current state of the indie film industry. Based on several recent articles, it would seem that there are not only two sides to every issue but also three or more issues to every side. Last month The ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Digital Media, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals, Indie Filmmaking, Video on Demand | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Film Fund-amentals: Winds of Change

By Dennis Toth | Published: September 28, 2011

On the surface, Nikki Finke‘s Autopsy Report on the recent failure of I Don’t Know How She Does It is a good hoot of a read. It offers some stinging observations on the largely stalled career of Sarah Jessica Parker while allowing Harvey Weinstein plenty of room to develop his newly honed impersonation of a ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals, Niche Marketing | Tagged | 1 Comment

Film Fund-amentals: Moneyball: Theory and Practice

By Dennis Toth | Published: September 21, 2011

A couple of years ago, when Moneyball was about to start filming and Sony pulled the plug on the production, I predicted that it would end up as a George Clooney flick like Leatherheads. OK, the smart-aleck who wrote that was wrong, and I will be sure to take it up with myself at my ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Film Fund-amentals: More Lessons From Failure

By Dennis Toth | Published: September 13, 2011

Sometime back, I suggested that one can learn more from a movie that has failed than from any ten flicks that were hits. At the time, I used the disastrous British opening of Motherhood as the prime example. But to be honest, that movie was kind of thrown out there in a haphazard experiment that ... Read more

Posted in Dennis Toth, Film Finance, Film Fundamentals, Indie Filmmaking | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

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