Shop Talk Podcast #15 - Scilla Andreen on the changing indie film business

The latest podcast features a discussion with Scilla Andreen, co-founder and CEO of Indieflix, about the current state and future prospects of the independent film business.

Here's Scilla's official bio:

Scilla Andreen (Filmmaker, CEO & Co-Founder IndieFlix) producer, director and Emmy nominated costume designer Scilla has deep roots in the entertainment industry and is a popular speaker and tireless champion of independent film. Scilla along with producing partner Carlo Scandiuzzi created IndieFlix, an independent film distribution and discovery site founded on the principles of community, promotion, syndication and transparency. They also created indie-fest.com and are launching the Filmmaker First Initiative. IndieFlix believes Independent films can and will be profitable. You can find IndieFlix on the web at http://www.indieflix.com.

It was a great chat. You can download it here.

Highlights:

(00:50) About the US indie market

(02:20) Options to get indie films to their audiences

(06:20) Where does a filmmaker's advance go?

(09:13) What Indieflix does

(12:03) The many ways people access films and videos today

(13:00) About the "Bridge to Everywhere"

(15:35) What is a "hit" film for Indieflix?

(19:08) Promoting the filmmaker and the story behind the film

(19:33) Making meaningful recommendations for films members might like

(21:06) "If your film is worth stealing, it must be worth something"

(22:39) Looking ahead: the future of filmmaking and film distribution

(Theme music: "Nova" by Nomo, from its album Ghost Rock)

Scilla mentioned the challenge that exists for filmmakers to get clearances to use the music they choose for the film. Today's Wall Street Journal had an interesting article about this very subject: the settlement of a lawsuit between Yoko Ono and a documentary filmmaker over the use of 15 seconds of "Imagine."

Tags:
content, distribution, filesharing, film, movies, podcast, entrepreneurism

Shop Talk Podcast #9 - Francis Ten of West Indian Girl on Today's Music Business

For the latest edition of the podcast, we're talking the business of music. It's changed dramatically since the boom days of the late 1990's, when Napster hadn't yet been born and CD sales were at their peak. Now, music is easier to download free than to purchase.

In spite of these obstacles, the music world is more open to new voices than it's ever been. Making a living, though, has gotten harder.

Francis Ten is the bassist for West Indian Girl and also manages the group's business operations. West Indian Girl is based in Los Angeles and its latest album 4th and Wall was released in late 2007.

In a wide-ranging, fun (and funny) discussion, we talk about "revenue streams," MySpace, and why music is different from t-shirts.
And check out Fran's very personal and human response to the question of acquiring music free via filesharing rather than purchasing it. (Some similarly nuanced sentiments can be found in this post from consumer-electronics columnist and author David Pogue.)

The podcast is here (right-click to download).

(Intro and Outro music: "Up the Coast," from West Indian Girl's latest album 4th and Wall.)