The Audience as Asset, Not Just as Viewers
We’ve seen a lot of shifts in the entertainment industry over the last decade. As everything has moved towards digital access and monetization, the role of the audience is now more important than ever. No longer are they just viewers, but an active asset that young filmmakers are using to sell their pitches, as we saw recently with Backrooms. Brandon Blake, entertainment lawyer at Blake & Wang P.A., looks a little deeper.
Part of the Pitch
Film financing has always been a complicated thing. However, in an era where every variable is expected to be measurable, that moves the eyes on the screen into an asset of their own. Being able to arrive with a built-in audience may well be the leverage between a successful pitch and one that isn’t, as Backrooms indeed proved so well.
Essentially, those on the other side of the bargaining table want to see risk avoided wherever possible. Knowing there is a receptive audience is half the battle. Bring your own, and that’s one risk less that financiers see.
With social media and other digital outreach platforms, it’s also easier than it was even a decade ago. The common issue, however, is that filmmakers don’t know how to weigh up what they have.
Understanding a Strong Audience
Having a following isn’t quite the same as something you can share in a pitch. The real questions boil down to whether that audience comes back regularly, if they offer paid support not just eyes, and how captive the audience is to other platforms vs. your own work.
In the end, a strong, loyal audience can be valued, and what can be valued can also be financed and negotiated. It’s critical for today’s independent filmmakers to keep that in mind as they enter negotiating deals - after all, the folks on the other side of the table aren’t going to remind you.
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