One of the many ways to distribute your film is to get it into an independent theatre. In order to do so, you will have to do some research work. First, find out more on the types of films each theatre shows. Check out their titles and the types of budgets these films have. It will give you a much better idea to see if your film has a chance to be shown here.
Make a list of what theatres are in your area, most of these will be much smaller than the large cinemas we are used to. Contact them and ask questions on what their submission guidelines are. Do they only take films via a distributor? Will they take films from an independent filmmaker themselves? Do you need to fill out an application form of some kind?
It would help if you have been to a festival and had your film shown here. It gives you credibility and a portfolio to show theatre managers.
Uploading Your Video Online
Using online sources for your film is another obvious and easy way to get your film shown. Most sites are free and easy to use. You can't charge for entrance like with a theatre, but it also doesn't cost you money to promote the film and get people in the seats. Some theatres will also charge you to rent their space, so uploading to an online site might be the answer for you to get your film noticed.
Some online sites have a limit to how large their files can be, depending on the quality that you are showing; you will have to cut your film into sections. Make sure that you edit your film accordingly in a meaningful way.
Some sites you could upload to are: YouTube, Google Film, Yahoo Video, Guba and of course your own website. There are others, so do some research to which is the best fit for you.
If your film is really interesting and gets many hits, you could get some interest from studios or distributors, especially if you send them a link to your film.
Selling Your Film Online
If you are an enterprising type of person you can always sell your own films online. Of course you have the option of selling them in local stores and flea markets too, but you will reach a wider and larger audience online.
Selling on sites like eBay, iOffer, Amazon and Cafepress will get you hundreds if not thousands of views and possibly some sales. It takes good marketing and advertising to make good sales on these sites, since there is a lot of competition. The fact that it's an original film may or may not help you to sell it, but again if you are a good promoter, you just might make good money.
Using Cafepress has an added benefit. Not only can they burn your DVD from a file you upload, you can design your cover and promotional materials like t-shirts, hats and buttons. You can give them out to locals and friends to promote your film. Plus you can sell your movie on Cafepress too. You can also order copies of your film at cost and sell them yourself or distribute them to local businesses.
Distributors
Finding a distributor can be a challenge too. You can find some online and in your yellow pages, make sure they are legitimate by checking with the Better Business Bureau in your area.
Some online sites you can try are: Independent Film Distribution, Avatar Films, IFC (Independent Film Channel), yes they do accept submission for independent films, check out their submission guidelines. Underground Films, Indie Films and Atom Films. There are plenty more, just do a search for them and you can find the right one for you.
Bear in mind to read any contract completely and carefully. Make sure you are only giving the distributor the filmes online HD rights to distribute the film and nothing else. Make sure you aren't giving them too much money for doing so, they do get a cut of the sales, but make sure they are only getting what's fair to them. Having a lawyer look over any contracts is always a good idea if you can afford one.
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