143: How To Run A Film Distribution Company

By Scott McMahon | October 27, 2017 |

[Podcast] How To Run A Film Distribution Company

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In this episode, Indie Film Coach, Ron Newcomb interviews the team over at Glass House Distribution. Discover what film distribution companies are looking for and how you can get your film accepted by them.

What is Glass House Distribution's Mission?

Glass House Distribution is an international distribution company specializing in independent feature films and documentaries with international flair. This company was started by filmmakers who know what filmmakers go through in making a good quality film and the hardships of seeking distribution.

Founded in September of 2015, Glass House has grown from a small suite at AFM that year to a full booth at Cannes in 2016, and a full office at AFM upcoming in 2017. The simple guiding motto of “Full Transparency,” (hence the Glass House), as well as a high bar for quality movies has set Glass House on a course to be one of the future leading sales companies and has already generated buzz as one of the upcoming sales agencies.

Glass House maintains a presence at the AFM, the EFM (Berlin), and the March Du Film in Cannes, where each film is sold directly to buyers… relationships that have been built many years prior to forming the company, when each of the three main Glass House reps were filmmakers attending these markets.

On the distribution side, most recently, Glass House’s original series Dropping the Soap won an Emmy for Star Jane Lynch, for Best Actress in a web series or comedy.

Glass House is looking to acquire well-made films and documentaries for distribution on VOD, DVD, Foreign markets, TV and potentially US Theatrical.

If you’re interested, please send them a screener or DVD of your project!

CONNECT WITH GLASS HOUSE

Meet the Glass House Team

Bryan Glass, CO-FOUNDER

Bryan Glass is an American financier and President of a leading boutique securities broker dealer and investment banking firm. With over 20 years in the financial industry he is an active advisor to family offices, corporations and institutional investors. Having personal interests in numerous startups and established businesses his expertise in finance and business is a valuable commodity to Glass House Distribution LLC.

Tom Malloy, CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT

Actor, writer and producer Tom Malloy, along with his company Trick Candle Productions, are known for their quality independent films that span a variety of genres. Trick Candle has most recently produced #SCREAMERS, a found footage horror that's in theaters in November (twice called the BEST found footage movie EVER), as well as HERO OF THE UNDERWORLD (released November, 2016), starring Tom Malloy, Nicole Fox, and Quinton Aaron, and FAIR HAVEN (released February 2017, now on Showtime), starring Tom Wopat and Michael Grant, as well as the teen drama ASHLEY, starring Nicole Fox, Michael Madsen and Jennifer Taylor, written by Domenic Migliore, and directed by Dean Ronalds. The film was in theaters in 2013 and is now on VOD everywhere. In 2011, the company produced THE INNER WEIGH, a self-help documentary that has been described as “The Secret” meets weight loss. The roster of films written and produced by Malloy over the years also includes the 2009 Romantic Comedy LOVE N’ DANCING, which was directed by Rob Iscove (She’s All That), and stars Amy Smart, Malloy, Billy Zane, Rachel Dratch, and Betty White; the psychological thriller THE ALPHABET KILLER, directed by Rob Schmidt (Wrong Turn, Crime & Punishment in Suburbia) and stars Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, Malloy, Timothy Hutton, Michael Ironside, and Oscar Winner Melissa Leo; and a thriller directed by Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary) called THE ATTIC, starring John Savage, Malloy, and Elisabeth Moss.

Robert Deege, HEAD OF SALES

With over 20 years in entertainment, Robert Deege is passionate about and intimately familiar with both the creative and business sides. At Indomitable Entertainment, Robert worked across the company’s film, television and Broadway verticals, sourcing new projects and business; overseeing project development, production and post; and sourcing finance, brands, international sales and distribution. Recent credits include Sony’s comedy CRASH PAD (starring Domhnall Gleeson, Thomas Haden Church, Christina Applegate, and Nina Dobrev), the Emily Dickinson story A QUIET PASSION (director Terence Davies, starring Cynthia Nixon), action thriller INTO THE GRIZZLY MAZE (James Marsden, Billy Bob Thornton, Thomas Jane, Piper Perabo, Scott Glenn), teen comedy THE SECRET LIVES OF DORKS (Jim Belushi, Jennifer Tilly, Vanessa Marano, Gaelan Connell), and Sony’s inspirational family film SOUL SURFER (Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Anna Sophia Robb, Carrie Underwood). Before Indomitable, Deege worked as a Production and Finance Contractor for Blowtorch Entertainment who produced and distributed TENURE (Luke Wilson, Gretchen Mol) and SPIN (Bijou Phillips, Amber Heard). As a Producer at Discovery Communications, Robert wrote, produced, directed, and edited for numerous shows on Travel Channel, Discovery, TLC, Science Channel, Discovery HD Theater, Discovery Health, and Animal Planet. Robert is currently developing and producing several feature films, including a thriller from Mark L. Smith (The Revenant).

Michelle Alexandria, INTERNATIONAL SALES AND ACQUISITIONS

An LA native, Michelle Alexandria’s producing credits include feature family film First Dog starring Eric Roberts, and Priscilla Barnes #1 on Redbox; feature comedy The Extendables starring Mark Dacascos, Kevin Sorbo, and Martin Kove. She also produced French films, romantic comedies Coup De Foudre à Saint Germain Des Pres (English title: “Love At First Site in Paris) which screened at The Cannes Film Festival and comedy Mon Pere S’Appelle Bernard starring veteran French actor Bernard Menez and other well known French cast. More recently she produced a drama with Denise Richards and Jennifer Taylor of Two and a Half Men titled A Life Lived. Along with several other features, shorts, and music videos she has also worked in the trenches and UPMd her own films as well as Production Coordinator. Michelle has been a regular attendee at the major film festivals and markets since 2002, including the Cannes Film Festival, MipCom, EFM Berlin, Ventana Sur Buenos Aires, Paris UniFrance, Sundance, and The AFM working both as a producers’ rep and sales, acquisitions, and distribution for established international sales companies. Her knowledge and experience along with her well established relationships in the essential areas of film production, financing, sales, acquisitions, and distribution makes her an invaluable asset on film productions.

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About Scott McMahon

Scott McMahon is a Fellow Film Trooper at Film Trooper, a website for helping filmmakers attain filmmaking freedom. Scott recently made a feature film for $500 with no crew called, The Cube. Want to know what equipment was used to make that film? Grab a FREE gift at www.FREEGEARGUIDE.com

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