This is the first post in the IndieFlix blog series following the progression of the “In The Darkness” distribution story.
In The Darkness is not your average feature film release. Bypassing all traditional distribution routes, the team behind the film is ready to embrace the digital age through the online-only launch on Hulu.com. The film is the second release from “April Showers” director Andrew Robinson and producer Jenna Edwards through their new production company Mattoid Entertainment.
This is Hulu’s first exclusive film launch, which, if successful, could change the game in film distribution and marketing. Showcasing a feature-length film premiere online, for free, is unprecedented at this scale.
“During the [release] of “April Showers,” I learned a lot about distribution,” said producer Jenna Edwards. “Other platforms can be expensive and the returns are not always that good. Film marketing in general has changed so much that you can’t really just be ‘just a filmmaker’ anymore. You also have to take charge of the distribution and marketing of your film.”
Even in its initial stages, Mattoid created “In The Darkness” with online distribution in mind. They’ve taken what they’ve learned from “April Showers” and developed their business model on grassroots marketing strategies and control over every stage in development.
Barely out of production, they are already working on another film.
“All of our films have been specifically designed for internet distribution,” said Mattoid producer Jeremy McGovern. “In our model, it allows us to maintain much more control over our project and keep our team small, tight and cohesive and better to adapt and evolve.”
Going through Hulu, the biggest free content distributor on the internet, was a deliberate venture for the team, especially after the successful run it had with “April Showers.” IndieFlix negotiated that deal and had a huge role in closing this new deal with Hulu. All the whole, the thought process and mindset of the modern indie film consumer was never far from their minds.
“After hearing what Hulu wants to do with the site and after seeing some returns of [April Showers], we sat down and thought, ‘if you were a consumer, wouldn’t you rather watch a movie you were unsure about, with no ‘names’ and relatively new filmmakers, for free?’” said Jenna. “We also thought about pirating, how so many people are watching films for free on the internet anyway. We wanted to give people the opportunity to do that while make some money at the same time.”
The advantages of an online-only release seem cost-effective and manageable.
“It is the only platform that is growing,” said Jenna. “And not only are the deliverables less expensive, but marketing is less too. In the ‘traditional’ model, you had to market and advertise for each platform weeks, if not months, in advance. With the internet, it’s very much instant gratification if they see your ad, click the link and can view the film immediately.”
While the Mattoid team is excited about the online release and looking forward with hope, the fears of completely abandoning the old model are never far from their minds. Even the company name is an ironic tribute to their struggle.
“‘Mattoid’ is a rarely-used psychiatric term for someone that is showing clear signs of insanity, but has not lost all grasp of reality or become dangerous yet. It’s someone that’s teetering on the brink of complete insanity,” said Jeremy. “And, being what we were about to attempt, we all felt it was appropriate.”
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