Ed Burns talks about independent distribution http://bit.ly/97iy0n
More than “the” new model, one of many new models of financing independent film. Both this post and the one I did earlier on ‘Freakanomics the Movie‘ harken back to the connection with fans and giving them some reason to buy.
What he’s done over the past few years is essentially strengthen his commitment to indies, but with a twist: instead of making films that require studio backing or extensive financing, Burns’s latest film, and the scripts he has in development, will be produced without studio interference, and instead of chasing after the promise of theatrical distribution, he will only pursue a theatrical release if the situation calls for it. In other words, he’s the poster child for digital distribution, fully embracing a landscape where audiences can download his movies on the portable device or cable box of their choice. And that’s where our conversation began.
The disruption of old models is normal in any industry as technology affects it. I feel confident that we will find enough new models that we’ll have a healthy film and TV industry for many years in the future. (Yes, I do believe that there will be fewer outrageously wealthy filmmakers and TV producers, but there will be many more people making a decent living, like what has been happening in music.)