This from the man himself, Jon Reiss, in response to the many wonderful posts this week from Michael Barnard, Lucas McNelly and Dennis Peters regarding the PMD.

Let me clarify some of my feelings about the PMD.   I will add my universal caveat that every film and situation is different.  But  here are some important guidelines:

1.  The best case scenario is that a PMD is on board as a full collaborator and worker from as close to inception of the film as possible.  No later than beginning of prep.  This allows for, what I feel, the optimum of the integration of audience connection and engagement (which is what distribution and marketing is at its essence).   If you wait till you have finished your film – you are in a world of hurt (I’ve said that before, but I don’t think I can say it enough) because this connection building and engagement take time and effort and cannot be hurried.

2.  The best marketing is as creative as traditional filmmaking now – and frankly the line is blurred between what is the “film” and what is marketing.  This is a de facto state of things since the rise of transmedia.  If anyone just wants to make a traditional feature these days – that is great,– I am not going to tell anyone what his or her creative output should or should not be, but  I am only pointing out that there is a tremendous amount of creative potential that focusing only on feature films ignores.  I feel as a film community we should embrace it – and many filmmakers are. It is tremendously exciting.  Look at what Lance Weiler is doing.  I was fortunate enough to be at the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh yesterday – and many things struck me (more blog posts coming on this subject) – but he was one of the first transmedia artists – we can learn a lot from him about what it means to be a creative person AND what it means to connect with audience.  (And Sheri Candler – yes he was an incredible leader of a tribe – another post on that coming too).   I know for many of you this is old news – but I still feel there is a battle being waged about this – one that is a waste of time in my opinion.

3.  As a result, the PMD is not just a social marketer, a dealmaker, a festival publicist, a line producer, a distributor, a publicist – he or she needs to understand all aspects of the marketing and distribution of a film and conceptualize, develop and oversee its execution over the full life of a film.  To do all of the above is a tremendous amount of work – akin to being the sole producer of a film in a crew of 3 (and at times this will happen – just as micro budget films have been produced in this way).  But I do advise that there be a distribution and marketing team (I took a whole chapter of TOTBO to outline this crew and even that should be supplemented now (another blog post later). The PMD is the one who oversees all of the pieces (but as in the case of all who work on indie films – they will be working full time and busting their butt in the trenches like everyone else – because there is never enough money to hire as many people as anyone would ever like).

4.   Just as people cut their teeth in indie film by taking on smaller tasks and working their way up – so it will be with PMDs.   Electrics become gaffers become DPs.  Social media assistants become social media strategists become PMDs. (as an example) While people work up the ladder – if they want to be the top creative in the department – they will learn ALL aspects of that department on their way up.  It is an intense learning curve – but people who want it – do it.

5.  When people cut their teeth in indie film – they usually work for free or for little money to have a chance to prove themselves.  Money, work, and credit are always  negotiated in independent film.  I don’t see that changing with the PMD.  Film has always been an apprenticeship system.  Even with film schools (and PMD training is on its way – more future blog posts) – most film students discover that they still need to apprentice out of school.   This is not just true for film – but for all arts not only in the US now – but throughout the world and throughout time.

6.  An alternative to this is  a group of filmmakers who band together as a team – all chipping in resources and skills – to make a film.  They usually divide up responsibilities and credits.  But each member of the team has his or her own sweat equity skin in the game.   This is where you have new producers, directors, DPs born who have not worked through the apprentice system.  But they take the risk on a project and prove themselves.

7.  The last alternative (which usually involves apprenticeship as well) is to get a lower level paid gig in an established, commercially based company (e.g. a publicity firm, social media establishment, transmedia commercial company etc) and get paid for doing lower level work on commercial projects.  Often people do this and  learn all the ropes, change jobs to learn a different skill (again paid for commercial work) until they have enough skills to strike out on their own.

8.  All of the above goes to say that I feel that if you want to be a PMD in the indie world – it will be difficult to ask to be paid without a track record.  Like all other people in the indie world – you need to pay your dues – work on films – build a reputation, resume, reel – to show what you are worth.   Most people in indie film – especially when they are starting out – have multiple jobs and find multiple ways to make a living.

9.  If you are in film – especially indie film – to make money – I suggest finding another career.  There are many other ways to make money more simply. Chances are you’ll make more money per hour at McDonalds than from working on any indie film. The world of film and media are for people who love film and media and cannot live without it.  It is a tough life except for a very few. (Again from Warhol: “Life is very hard”).

10.  The people whom I have met who want to be PMDs around the world – have a love of film – but feel that they have a set of skills more geared toward marketing than actual production – and are excited by having a way to work in the field they love (film and media) and use their special talents.  They are not doing it primarily for money.  They are doing it because everything else besides film is unsatisfying – and while they do need to find a way to make a living – they need to be involved with film.

11.  The hope is of course – with everyone in independent film – is to find a way to do what you love and sustain yourself.  There are many, many ways that people find to do this.  It is of course tougher than ever now – especially as we are in this transitional period.  I don’t feel I have all the answers – but I am excited by what the future holds, by having discussions with passionate people who care about our world and I feel together we will all find a way to make this work.  I don’t feel that we as filmmakers are alone in this.  All media content creators and artists are facing the same conundrum – musicians, journalists, authors, artists, photo journalists, graphic artists, game designers (massive layoffs in Australia in the months prior to my visit).  We are all facing the same challenges and I feel that we can all learn from each other.

Let me know your thoughts at  @Jon_Reiss on twitter or facebook.com/ThinkOutsidetheBoxOffice

Tags: Dennis Peters, Jon Reiss, Lucas McNelly, Michael Barnard, PMD

VisionFest 2010 is Filmmakers Alliances’ (FA) yearly celebration that brings together the best of L.A.’s independent filmmaking community. This year’s Vision Award Recipient is Danish filmmaker NICOLAS WINDING REFN, known for the “Pusher” trilogy. FA’s President, Jacques Thelemaque, “His work bares the signature of a true visionary – difficult to categorize, but singularly arresting, his films are not for the feint of heart – beautiful, often brutal and beyond compare.” His stunning biopic “Bronson” starring the amazing Tom Hardy has been called “A Clockwork Orange for the 21st Century!” by Damien McSorley (Zoo).

Gosling and Refn are currently teaming on the feature film “Drive”, based on the James Sallis novel of the same name; it follows “a stuntman whose already-exciting existence is jolted when he discovers that a contract has been put out on his life.”

The VISION AWARD is given to an established filmmaker whose artistic ambition and consistent filmmaking excellence provides artistic inspiration to emerging filmmakers all around the world. Past recipients include Mike Figgis, Terry Gilliam, Wim Wenders, Allison Anders, Alexander Payne, David O. Russell, Werner Herzog, Mark and Michael Polish, Kevin Smith, and producer Ted Hope.

“I see dozens of movies every year, but it’s relatively rare to encounter new directors with such exciting ability and instincts. I’ve detected the influence of my favorite filmmakers in Nicolas’s work, but he clearly has moved beyond homage to develop his own unique sensibility, which makes him the ideal person to receive this year’s Vision Award”, Stephen Pizzello, Executive Editor American Cinematographer.

Where: When:

Downtown Independent Theater Friday, August 27, 2010 at 8:00 PM
251 S. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

I’ve been trying to get into the audiobook world for years, and finally broke through, getting two books in one month. What I hadn’t fully understood, though, was how taxing the work can be. The latest volume I’ll be reading is thicker than the yellow pages, and we’ve got to get it done in four days.

After several hours of reading aloud, the mind goes numb. Try it some time and you’ll understand. The voice, too, strains and cracks, but that seems minor compared to losing all faculty for language.

But, forever seeking to understand the intersection of my meditative practice and my professional life, it dawned on me that audiobooks were a gift from the heavens. Not only do I enjoy the work immensely, but the recording sessions are a chance to deepen my practice. Time on the cushion and time in the booth are alarmingly similar.

The body is still, erect but not rigid, for a long period. A quiet comes over the room. The mind wanders, and we are asked to bring it back. We notice our discursive thoughts and learn not to judge them, for the judging simply interferes with the task at hand. And when we rise, and shake the stiffness from our bones, we are transformed.

The world outside moves at a different pace. The sounds seems crisper, the angle of the light more acute. And the mind, though exhausted, is refreshed.

I wonder how many other activities in life are equally similar, or at least have that possibility.  I wonder…