Why Indie Film Visibility Must Come First: A Producer's Hard Lesson
By
Daren Smith
Pulled from the oven just right. Trustworthy, fact-dense, deeply satisfying.
Summary
Independent producer Daren Smith shares his experience making an indie film that premiered at TIFF and was acquired by IFC Films, yet still failed to find an audience — opening on only 14 screens and grossing $5,935 in a week. The chapter argues that visibility for indie films must be prioritized from the start of production, not treated as an afterthought once the film is complete. Smith reflects on the harsh realities of the indie film distribution landscape and the need for producers to build audience awareness early.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledI've done it. I made a film that no one saw.
We thought we did 'everything right': We made a film (during COVID), it got into a big festival (Toronto International Film Festival), and sold it to a distributor (IFC Films).
The film opened on 14 screens and made $5,935. It lasted a whole seven days in theaters.
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