Experts in film distribution and marketing hold dialogue in a panel led by FUNGLODE

By Cynthia Abréu

Lower publicity costs, marketing films and the fear of pirating on the part of film producers and directors were all issues addressed by the panel “The Internet: friend or foe: alternative distribution systems, marketing, and beyond.”

Ira Deutchman, founder of Emerging Pictures, led the panelists, who generally agreed that the Internet allows a more direct relation with film around the world and is a powerful tool to deliver messages and content.

Victor Sanchez, Ibermedia’s coordinator of co-production and distribution, drew a positive reaction from the audience when he argued about the pros and cons of using the Internet to promote films. “The Internet provides a window to reduce costs and show more films; however, it also allows pirating. Those websites that allow content to be downloaded are well known and no laws exist to sanction those who commercialize the contents in these portals,” he pointed out.

Elena Vilardell, technical assistant at Ibermedia, asked the question, “Has the use of the Internet broken the normal film model or does it reveal the class differences in film productions?”

Lizeth Ricaurte Sanchez, marketing director of Cineplex in Colombia, emphasized that social networks are a key factor in the promotion of a film, fund-raising and the internationalization of independent filmmaking.

Charlotte Vick, content editor of Ocean in Google Earth, asked participants to tell their own heart-felt stories of their early steps as filmmakers. Vick collects stories at Google Earth and her job is to make sure that the videos they protect are top quality.

Anita Ondine, CEO of Seize the Media, firmly defended the value of the Internet as the seventh art. “If we want a successful film, we have to interact with the public. Production companies need to know what the public wants. The Internet can provide such feedback,” she explained.

“The democratization of the Internet depends on the ability to access broadband in each country. We cannot say it’s such an effective tool for marketing films if everyone doesn’t have access to the Internet,” Vilardell said bluntly, and once again the audience had many questions.

However, Cynthia Wiesner, founder of Wiesner Distribution, pointed out that in Puerto Rico, films have reached a good position, thanks to Internet publicity and DVD sales promotions and other pirate-reducing formats.

To the question of how to market short films and feature-length films on the Internet and keep them from being pirated, Ondine answers that the best channels to market are through social networks and “to protect our creations from being pirated we have not found the formula. You either place them on the web and run the risk, or don’t place them.”

After two hours of interacting with the panelists, the audience had a much clearer idea of the Internet, what it is good for, how it works, and what are its benefits and risks. It is a friend, a balance of positive and negative things; knowing how to use it is key to being successful with this film distribution and marketing tool, according to Ricaurte, whose words provide a good summary of the panel’s conclusions.

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