DIY Liveblog :: We Are the Strange Case Study

// July 26th, 2008 // news

M Dot Strange – WE ARE THE STRANGE case study

• Made a 90+minute animated film for $20,000 that Sundance said looked like a $70 million film
• started a blog because he knew that eventually people would find it interesting
• When you do things DIY you have to have some faith that things will turn out the way you want
• Made videos that showed his process. Demystified the animation process for his fans
• In other countries making movies still holds a lot of magic
• Bring people into the film (making of videos that are more of a film school will attract people interested in what you’re doing)
• Have contests, give things away – build a culture around what your doing that benefits your audience
• Crowdsourcing – get your audience involved in what you’re doing
• don’t do a normal trailer, do something different
• shunned the business side of sundance (the distribution offers, etc.) and relied on his fans instead
• Used FilmBaby (gets you in stores and you can retain your rights)
• Gave away your first film. Its all about winning an audience. Loose $1, gain a fan.
• Put all your money from your first film into your next film.
• the distributors used to be the gatekeepers to your audience, that barrier no longer exist. You can have a direct and ongoing relationship with your fans.
• if you sign a deal you become less real to your fans
• when you have no money you can either innovate or fail
• create your own niche and dominate it, don’t compete with anybody