How To Get A Movie On Netflix - Jeff Deverett


Jeff Deverett, Producer: Here’s the big  question, how does a new filmmaker even get   the first appointment? How do you get the first  time in there? Here is how I think you get in. Film Courage: I believe you have  three movies currently on Netflix?   Did you pitch all of those  movies yourself to Netflix? Jeff: Okay so the three movies first of all FULL  OUT is the first movie .   The second one is called KISS AND CRY . And the third one is called FALL   OUT 2: YOU GOT THIS . So it’s already sold and delivered   to Netflix but they’re actually starting airing  it on January 1st. It’s another gymnastics movie   we’re supposed to start it during the Olympics  last summer but of course there were no Olympics   so they held it until January. I  say it’s on because it’s delivered   and that’s when it’s going to start worldwide.  Luckily back then when I pitched the first one   they were open to hear pitches from independent  producers. I got lucky because the timing.   They were a big company but they weren’t what  they are today. So they were still taking pitches   from indie producers. So I went in there and I  pitched them myself and I learned a lot. It’s a   whole different style. They get so many  pitches. I didn’t know this back then,   you’ve got to keep those pitches really short. Get  to the point because they get so many of them that   they get tired of hearing them. They just want  to make a quick decision and hear what you have   to say. I pitched it too long. I had a 1/2 meeting  and I probably took 20 minutes to pitch that other   than 10 minutes of pleasantries. Today I pitch in  2 minutes, 2 - 3 minutes max. That’s all it takes   because they generally know right? So I pitched  it and they said okay sounds good we like it let’s   do it but we don’t want to take delivery from  you because you’re an indie producer. We want   to take delivery from a distribution company that  we’re already set up to do business with because   we don’t want to set you up as a new client in  our database.

It’s too much work for us. But I   am also a distributor. I have my own distribution  company. I make delivery…I make perfect delivery   to the distributors or I am making delivery to  the broadcasters around the world so delivery is   not an issue. They said yeah but we’re so busy, we  have so much going on we would prefer that we put   you through a distributor and I said I don’t have  a problem with that except for they’re going to   charge me a full fee for doing nothing. I pitched  you, I did the sale. You want the movie and I’m   going to have to pay their full commission and  they said “Jeff you seem like a sharp guy. Figure   it out. Go negotiate it, figure it out.” So they  gave me a list of like 6 or 7 distributors that   they recommended who I could do business with.  I met with 2 of them. I chose one of them and I   cut a good deal but not a fantastic deal because  I had no leverage. They knew I was sent there so   I had to deliver through another distributor and  I was kind of a little peeved by it. You know   it was Netflix, that’s what they wanted. What  am I going to argue? So I had to do that deal   and it worked out well. The other people they  did the deal then they actually happen to be   a good distributor. They did some other deals  too and it worked out pretty well so I can’t   complain about it. So the second time around same  thing - go to Netflix pitch them on the movie.   Love it, let’s do it. I said guys  don’t make me go through a distributor.   They said Jeff you know the rules, got to go  through a distributor. I said how many times do we   have to go down this anyways. Same thing happens.  I go and I use a different distributor because now   it’s different times. I actually make a different  type of deal and it works up. Third time around,   let’s do it please let me just deliver to you.  Please let me deliver to you. If I fail listen   don’t even pay me the licensing fee. If I don’t  deliver on time per exactly per your specs which   I’m doing anyways to these other distributors I  said I’m already…they’re doing nothing.

They’re   pushing a button to send the materials that I’ve  given them. I have your delivery list and your   specs. I make the…I do all of the delivery items.  Please just give me a chance. Third time they did   so now it’s direct and if there’s Netflix people  watching, thank you very much. I really appreciate   that you let me have that chance. And I made  delivery. I made delivery two months ahead of   their delivery schedule and everything’s fine  and they’ve already confirmed delivery and   it’s perfect delivery and you know their delivery  schedule is five pages long. I mean and by the way   I have to deliver those movies in 18 languages  and six subtitles, there’s 25 versions of them   and delivery alone is a lot more money than a lot  of indie filmmakers spend on making their movies   just making delivery. All the soundtracks, all  the M&E tracks, everything. I mean it’s a very,   very extensive process making delivery but there’s  companies you use who are certified…I forget what   you call them…not aggregators, whatever - they  deliver, the specialize in delivering to Netflix   and you hire them and they do your dubs and your  this and your that and you just have to manage it   all and then some stuff you do your own stuff,  your own artwork and things like that. Making   delivery is a big part of the business but I  really appreciate that Netflix gave me the chance   to do it and I did it properly and hopefully  that and again that’s part of distribution. Film Courage: How did you get  the appointment to pitch? To even   know that your pitch was too long  originally and shortened it down? Jeff: Because at heart I’m a sales guy. I mean  you know remember I went from law school into   the sales department of a distribution company.  That’s what you do, you get appointments and   you meet with people and you pitch them  and you have to be super, super tenacious   and very persistent and polite and the most  important thing is you have to - here’s the   motto I tell everybody who works for me, you  can quote me on this - “No means not today.

”   Everybody starts with a no, everybody  starts with a no. And if you take no   as the definitive answer you cannot survive in  this business. I say no means not today. Meaning   I’m not going to give you the appointment today,  I’m not going to give you the deal, I’m not going   to even talk to you, I’m not going to return your  email. I don’t take that as personal rejection.   That’s part of the business. It’s a pain in the  butt but it’s part of the business and I just keep   at it over and over and over. In a very nice way  I just assume that it’s part of the business and   I have 22 years of experience getting no’s.  There’s lots and lots of no’s. Lots of doors   shut on your face, lots of no return phone  calls, thousands…tens of thousands of them   but you know ultimately if you believe  in your product and you know that you   have something to offer to them sooner  or later maybe they will give you a shot.   I used to say it takes a hundred calls  to get an appointment. I don’t say that   anymore. Now I say it takes 250 calls to get  an appointment. The number has gone up. So if   you know that going into it and you know for all  the people who have worked with me in the office   they know that that’s true, they might  say no Jeff you’re wrong it’s now 300.   But you know that. That’s part of the process and  you just deal with it and you live with it and   is it a little depressing and  aggravating, yeah of course it is   and are people totally rude and not returning  any emails or calls, it’s part of the process. Film Courage: And when you went  in the third time to pitch,   what are you bringing with you?  Just a log line? A synopsis? Jeff: Okay, I’m an anomaly, independent producers  who are watching this do not assume. This is the   Blair Witch Project.

This is not what normally  goes on. I had a track record from two other   films. If I didn’t have that I wasn’t even  going to…every single time you do it it’s a new   adventure. So they know that I can make the movie  on time and on budget and on a quality movie.   That helps open the door and get the  appointment to start with. Secondly   everything got delivered on time and thirdly they  did well with the movies. Had they not done well   I wasn’t going to get another appointment it’s  business. It’s all statistics, they look at their   little iPad in front of you and they say okay  your numbers are…they don’t tell you the numbers   . But if your numbers aren’t  good - one you aren’t getting an appoint and   two you’re not getting a deal so how here’s  the big question, so how does a new filmmaker   even get the first appointment? How  do you get the first time in there?   Here is how I think you get it in…you’ve  got to go in with somebody else.   You’ve got to go in with an established  producer who has a track record who   can make believe in you or who does believe in  you and can hold your hand through the process   and give you that creditability and experience  because not only what the streamers want and the   broadcasters but your investors, the investors  want. They want to know that you’re going to be   able to deliver what you say you’re going can  deliver and if you haven’t done it before, it   doesn’t mean you can’t do it. You probably can do  it. It just means that they don’t know that you’re   going to be and so they want to be on somebody  who has done it before. So for say a streamer to   say okay Jeff will make sure your product is going  to get delivered on time and on budget and quality   or an investor, I guess I have a track record that  helps, it really helps to have a track record and   that’s sort of what all the agencies have. These  are the people you want to do business with,   people that they’ve already done business  with before because it’s more predicable.

So getting in the first one or two times is  way more difficult because you don’t have a   track record so I think the best way to do  that is to hook up with somebody who does.   Unless you can get super lucky  and get your own appointment. Film Courage: And where would one  meet a person of this caliber? Jeff: Yes, that’s the problem. I mean generally  you’re going to go on the Internet, you’re going   to watch all of these webcasts and interviews  and all of this kind of stuff and all of these   people who claim to be teachers and masterclasses  and this and that and pros and it’s tricky, it’s   tricky. But you’ve kind of opened it up for me to  do a pitch for myself here. I mean I do consulting   for those people to find other people. So I don’t  necessarily do that for people. I have done it.   I’ve done a couple of projects where I’ve mentored  them, once in awhile I’ll do that but usually what   I do as a consultant I hire myself as a consultant  to hook those people up with other like people,   either certain genres because by the way  when you’re dealing with Netflix now,   there are…there’s got to be thousands…there’s  got to be I don’t know five to a thousand   buyers. There are so many departments now with  so many little niches. So if you fit into this   category - if you’re horror, psychological  thriller, blah, blah, blah, there’s like maybe   five different categories and you need to go into  the right one so you’ve got to be hooked up with   somebody who kind of knows how to navigate  that one. It’s a little tricky these days. Film Courage: Okay, here’s another  question…so I’m at an event   and maybe it’s film oriented or maybe it’s AFM,  whatever. How am I approaching someone…I see   them from across the room. I realize this  person could get me in that door . How do I approach them  where I’m not disingenuous, where I am not   this sort of sleazy, LA opportunist…or  maybe all the rules go out the window? Jeff: Great, great question  and it really boils down to   how do you do it in a bar? I mean you  know like it just depends on who you are,   what mood you’re in, how many drinks you’ve  had…it really does.

It’s a chemistry thing. Film Courage: That’s fair. Jeff: It’s true, sometimes you just feel a little  more daring. You don’t want to be that sleazy,   LA type of thing. Nobody wants that but you know  sometimes people respect…like it could be I don’t   know how to do it. I was never great at a bar  . I’m pretty good in a sales room   but I’m not that good in a bar. I just don’t  feel comfortable in that environment. And it’s   the same, standing in the lobby at the AFM and the  hotel there, it’s tricky, it’s really tricky. And   they’re usually talking to people and they always  look so busy, you don’t want to interrupt so   that’s got nothing to do with filmmaking  and everything to do with interpersonal   skills and confidence and humility  and whatever it’s chemistry. Film Courage: I think that’s a fair answer.  You’re right and there are people who are   masters at it. I see them at Starbucks and  all over where they have this It Factor and   they can start conversations and it’s not  over-the-top “I need something from you.”   And there are other people and I can’t even say  that they’re trying to be sleazy or disingenuous,   it’s just an approach. You’re right. I don’t  feel comfortable in bars either so I get it. Jeff: It’s a chemistry thing so I  don’t know. That’s the word I use. Film Courage: That’s a good point   and I don’t know I guess chemistry  can be manipulated. I don’t know? Jeff: Yes and it’s also funny all of these  markets and festivals have these big parties.   The problem with the parties is they’re  so loud. You can’t really talk to anybody,   you can’t really engage but maybe that’s better.  I don’t know? It’s a social dynamic that’s   tricky. I generally approach it as real business  like that’s who I am.

Just real straight up   business guy which isn’t…sometimes that doesn’t  work. A lot of people want it to be more social. Film Courage: Yes, but then sometimes the  ones who are really good at that there’s   like a flakiness. So there’s  a really fine line to it. Jeff: And it depends on the other  person right? How they receive that.   Some people like to have that flaky  thing, some people don’t but you don’t   know because you don’t know the person so  you have no idea. It’s like blind dating. Film Courage: Yes, that’s true.  Good point. Have you only pitched   Netflix three times and you were successful  at all pitches or there were more times? Jeff: There were more times. I forgot to  mention that. There were many more times when   they were not as receptive, which is  fair game right? You can’t like anything. Film Courage: But it taught you something?   I know it’s a cliche but you  learned to shorten the pitch maybe? Jeff: No. They didn’t like it. They  didn’t like what I had to offer so   fair is fair. You can’t expect everybody to  like everything. I mean I respectfully disagree.   I think the other stuff I pitched was in some  ways even better but it didn’t happen that time.   But my motto is “No means not today,”  so those are on the back burner.   There will be another cycle. I will  pitch them again. I have to wait for   new people to come in or you know to change  departments or whatever and then do it again. Film Courage: Are you bringing in art, key  art as well or no, that doesn’t factor in? Jeff: Oh yeah, especially at a streaming company,  yes. And at a distributor you have to because the   distributor wants to make the key art so  they actually don’t want you…they want to   do it unless you’ve had it done professionally  really good and you’re a good artist .   I always bring in key art. It gives a visual  image and I bring in a trailer and key art and   a log line, that’s it, that’s all you  need. It’s pretty short and sweet. Film Courage: So then how does it go?  “Okay great,” they tell you right there   “No we can’t do this.

” Or  they say “We’ll let you know.” Jeff: Yes, they say “We’ll let you know.”   But after you leave those meetings you analyze  that “We’ll let you know for a long time.”   Was it a good “We’ll let you know?”  Was it a medium one? A bad one? Film Courage: Was there an inflection at the end? Jeff: Was there an inflection. Film Courage: Did they raise an eyebrow? Jeff: Was it on the left?   You drive yourself crazy. You just hope that  on your follow-up you get a good result. Film Courage: What’s your  time frame for following up? Jeff: I usually ask them when I should follow-up.   Actually I used to ask now I say “I’ll  follow up with you in a week. Is that okay?”   Because you don’t want to appear that you’re  bugging them or pestering them or whatever and so   you do and you’ve got to be good at follow up and  then hopefully get a response. If you don’t you   politely follow up you know a couple days later.  Everything has got to be polite and professional   even though they’re not necessarily…I’m not saying  Netflix. Netflix is actually the most professional   I’ve ever done and I’m not saying that for the  video, it’s true. Their follow-up is unbelievable,   they return calls. For me anyways. I’ve been lucky  that my buyer has been super, super responsive,   polite and professional. Whereas some people you  will never hear anything from them . You wonder if your email is even  working. You didn’t get a bounce back but you   often wonder. So you follow up politely. You be  as professional as possible and you know just   sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.  Questions for the viewer: What was helpful   about this video? Anything not helpful?.