How do I get a distributor to pay for HI-8 to 35mm conversion?

Once the film is finished - how should I proceed with distributors? I do not admit I shot on HI-8, which means I have to pull money from them to finance the final 35mm product.

1) My first impulse was to go to a distributor/investor and tease them with half the film... I would then say I need some more money to fund the rest of it. I
would make no mention that this was being shot on HI8... The funds they give me would be used to transfer the film to 35mm...

2) Another idea I had was perhaps to sell the foreign direct to video rights (The film will be dubbed in Spanish for the Hispanic market). I would then ask for a lump sum and give up an royalty fees as incentive to give me more money up front. Royalties are hard to keep track of from foreign countries anyway. If they don't send it - I'm not going to go there and demand it... The lump sum would be used to help pay for the transfer to 35mm. How hard is it to sell multiple rights?

3) If there is an "acceptable" digital format for the direct to video market - I may just go that route. Anybody know what format most direct to video distributors WOULDN'T scoff at? Some form of Betacam perhaps? That would be ideal, I suppose...I imagine it would be cheaper.

4) Maybe I could just rent a 35mm and film the TV <g> - I suppose developing and magazine costs would come close to the transfer cost anyway...

Any ideas? I've never dealt with a distributor before, so I don't know if I could possibly get away with any of the "deals" I want to make. Oh yeah, I should mention that PROFIT is not important. I am perfectly willing to break even... All I want is to end up with a distributed 35mm movie (from a HI-8 source) without paying from my pocket. I've spent enough money...

No distributor is going to be fooled.

What would be the point of the transfer anyway? Maybe if you shot it on a digital format to start with, but even then it wouldn't look that good (though I have heard that the last Sundance festival had 2 or 3 movie shot on DV and blown up to film format).

You might want to look for a direct-to-video release instead. With the Filmlook process, or the equivalent, it might look alright.

Its the difference between going to a venture capitalist and going to your mommy. Which one will do more for you?

As for selling to local video stores, and so on - it isn't possible. I don't know if you've ever tried - but almost all video stores (around me anywa - I live on the border of 3 states) buy exclusively from a single distribution company. Even mom and pop stores and they never go to an outside source. Why? I don't know. Maybe they're locked in to a contract or something. As for selling direct to consumer - nobody is going to buy it unless it has some naked lesbians or something. I've been through this route before...the only people who shed out bucks are people who want to wank off...

That's why I just want to be distributed in to rental stores. That's ULTIMATE goal I suppose. Distribution in to stores and theatres is pointless.

Oh - and to answer Admiral :

HI-8 to 35mm look good if you do it right - and I got a lot of good advice from people who do it for a living. Once transfered the film does loose resolution - this is obvious...but it isn't in the pathetic way that I thought it would be. It looks like a 70's flick or an early 80's European reel. The new glossy Hollywood look is hard to achieve even WITH a 35mm camera.

Fooling distributors - !You're right! - perhaps I won't be able to "fool" them. However, if they don't say anything - I won't say anything. The whole idea is to keep the HI-8 thing a secret. Some time down the line when I make my next movie - nobody is going to actually WATCH it. They'll just confirm that it was made on 35mm and distributed by so and so. Boom - instant credibility as a filmmaker who has had a BUDGET.

It's kind of like a Bacheolers degree. For a basic BA job, nobody looks at what courses you've taken, or what grades you have, only that you've graduated from so and so Univeristy in a particular discipline. I know people who do the duty of hiring/screening and they only call the University to confirm graduation in that field. They don't even look at grades.

The point of trying to have a finished film on 35mm (despite what it may look like) is simply to advance in the industry. DV is equivilant to porn, my friend. Now you can choose to believe me or choose not to - It's still true. The life of a low res artist is not cool. While personally money and prestige is not important to me - it is a part of reality. You need it to continue doing what you want to do...

I'm sorry if I seem hostile. I've been through this conversation with many people... You get tired of it, you know.

Anyway - now that I've made my stance clear (this isn't directed to you Admiral - I should have stated earlier what my EXACT final goal was) - any help?

Thanks.

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