S2 EP31 | Navigating the Indie Film Industry with Greg Beckers
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I think you have a better shot
now as an indie filmmaker.
Then you did four, years ago.
This is Truly Independent, a show that
demystifies the indie film journey by
documenting the process of releasing
independent films in theaters.
Each week, Garrett Batty and I,
Darren Smith, will update you
on our journey, bringing guests
to share their insights into the
process and answer your questions.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Welcome everybody.
It's another episode of Truly Independent.
We're excited to be here.
Garrett, good to see you.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Daren, nice to see you.
Thanks for, joining for another episode.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Yeah, we're here again.
we also have a guest with us,
which I'm very excited for.
Welcome Greg Beckers to the show.
How
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Good.
Thanks for having me on.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Awesome.
We connected Garrett.
Do you wanna know where I met Greg?
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
let me guess, Daren.
I'm gonna, gimme three guesses.
The first two won't count.
the third is LinkedIn.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Greg, for your sake.
I'm a big proponent of LinkedIn and I
have touted it heavily on the show as
a place to connect with filmmakers I
would say almost all of the guests that
I've, invited on the show have been
people that I've met from LinkedIn.
So it's
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: it's,
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
it's a great
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
it's the best.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
peoples to
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
No, it's the best.
I think any filmmaker should
LinkedIn, I think it's the best.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Darren's turned me into a believer.
my profile isn't that great on LinkedIn,
but I check it every once in a while.
I should probably do it more.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
There you go.
Greg, can I ask you to give us a
little intro as to who you are and,
your background your, foray into
the industry and what you do now.
then we're gonna follow your journey and
pull out some highlights along the way.
tell us a little bit about you and
your place in the industry right now.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
I did kind of a non-traditional
way of going in there, I would say,
because I'm from Belgium originally.
I came to LA 13 years ago.
and when I got here, I, you
know, I, I came here doing a
completely different business.
I was doing, car logistics
at the time, which is.
Completely different industry,
but you know, a lot of similar
things 'cause it's sales basically.
and and when I got going here, I, my
brother who is a actor, had a manager but
wasn't super happy with it at the time.
I was like, okay, why
don't I give it a try?
I can probably do it.
You know what I mean?
How hard can it be?
turns out it's a lot
harder than I thought.
I, went about it, looking in how to do it.
Turns out there's a lot of hoops you
have to jump through to even really
get started as a talent manager.
you can start a talent management
company and call yourself a manager.
But you, unless you're on the
breakdowns and you're getting auditions,
you don't have a business really.
so getting on that was definitely
a big hoop initially because you
need recommendations, that took me
two, three months just to get on
that, to get the recommendations
to, get to know enough people that
would give me the recommendations.
after about two, three
months, I got on that.
Then started with about.
Seven clients, originally and
then over 10 years, we grew it to,
at its peak, around 70 clients.
I had two managers working for me.
we had four series regulars
on Apple TV and Netflix.
So it eventually grew,
It was definitely the first three
years was, was a slow growth because
it's a lot harder than I would
say, a normal industry where you
do sales, you make income, because
you're, as a manager waiting, you're.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
So Greg, just for,
the sake of helping me understand what
are you doing as a talent manager?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
as a manager compared to an agent,
you're normally much more involved
with their career, so you'll be
the one helping them get reps.
if they're looking for an agent, you're
the one that, introduces them to an
agent, you see which one's the best
fit, you're helping them with headshots.
Like which type of actor
are you branding wise?
You know, like what do you fit and
do your head shots represent that?
and then of course
you're getting auditions.
the big difference between an agent
and a manager is that you're very
involved with every little detail
of their career and almost like
part-time therapist in a lot of ways.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Okay.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
for the therapy sessions?
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
that's part of the 10%, that's
part of the management fee.
so as an independent filmmaker,
I come to you or I say, I want
such and such actor in my film.
Am I working directly with you or,
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
an agent?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
you're usually working with both.
if I was an indie filmmaker, I
would always go to the manager
before I would go to the agent.
Funny enough,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: I'm sure
you guys have had experience with this as
well, but, it can be tough to get people
to read something with some of the reps.
unless you're fully financed,
sometimes they're like, come back
to us when you're fully financed.
especially with agents.
That's true.
I find that managers in general will
give it more of a look, they'll be
more like, let me take a look at
this and share it with my client,
because you have less clients usually.
So as a manager, you have a
smaller roster as an agent.
They have, they have so many
clients sometimes, and they're
just constantly, you know,
pitching and working on auditions.
a lot of times they don't have that
much time, so they're not gonna
take it that seriously always.
I would probably always recommend going
to the manager, but eventually, yes,
you always have both of them included.
once the negotiations start,
both of them are always included.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
Okay.
if I'm saying, I like such and such
individual, or I'd love to reach
out to so and so, I go to whatever
IMDB Pro and find their manager
name and reach out to the manager.
Is that, is that the workflow
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
it's pretty much always through IMDB.
you can see all their
representation on the side there.
And I know when I look, I always
hope that they have a manager, to
be honest, because I know I'm gonna
have an easier time talking to them
than some of the big time agents.
and I know they'll take more of a
chance, especially on indie film.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
I didn't mean to hijack the
conversation but I'm fascinated from
an independent filmmaker standpoint.
I just have a million questions, so,
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
thanks for bearing with me.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: it's in,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
look like?
What does that initial reach
out like, say, Hey, I'd love
to reach out to so and so.
Am I sending you a letter?
Is it an offer?
Is it just a script?
What's that pitch look like initially?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: I,
I, I think it also depends what level
of actor you're reaching out to and,
and what agency you're reaching out to.
if you're reaching out to an actor that's
a working actor, maybe he's done a series
regular on something, on some network show
or something, but he is not maybe like.
What you call an A-list name it's not a
huge name where you're like, oh, this is,
this is gonna be hard to get 'em attached.
If it's more of a working actor, you
can, you can actually, most of the time,
get people attached just by, reaching
out, sending out the script, checking
for interest, and you can attach them
informally that happens a lot now.
So a lot of times now, and we
just had this happen with our own
film, actually, they'll attach.
And they'll be like, once you're
fully financed, then we'll start
the negotiations on the money.
You know what I mean?
That's one way.
Now, usually when they're bigger,
the bigger you go, they'll
won't attach without the money.
You know what I mean?
So, especially like,
there's always exceptions.
if they absolutely love the
script, the director, the team,
there's always exceptions.
There's no set rules in this, I would say.
but I would say the bigger they are.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: No
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
there's no rules in that way.
I think that's, an important
thing to remember, for a lot of
filmmakers, you don't have to think
there's only one way to do it.
I think you'll be surprised in
this way that a lot of reps will
be flexible and we'll kind of just
like, oh, okay, maybe we can do that.
I think you have a better shot
now as an indie filmmaker.
Then you did four, five years ago.
because it's been so
slow for a lot of people.
I know so many actors, they're
getting so few auditions compared
to years ago right now there's
definitely a shortage in that way.
So if I'm an indie filmmaker,
this is a good chance to get
someone on board because there's
less work than there's ever been.
less auditions than there's ever been.
I do think right now is a really good time
for indie filmmakers to attach talent.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
That's awesome.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
that's, that's one thing I've
love, love, love about indie film.
It is that kind of, no rule.
a little bit wild west.
when we were casting our last movie.
I took a picture of the beautiful
location I thought that's gonna, that's
gonna sell the actor, and sent that to
him and said, Hey, we want you here.
You know, I even chicken,
scratched on the picture.
We want you here.
These are the dates.
then he put us in contact
with his, people to make that
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
Well, yeah,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: And,
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: I would,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: so
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
what you're saying,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
I love what you
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I would say what's really important
is making them feel wanted too.
Like not just sending some standard pitch
the more you personalize it and make it
feel like, hey, you're our first choice.
this is what we did on the
recent film, which was true
that he was our first choice.
you're who we thought about right
away when we read the script.
this is why we feel like you fit
this and we'd love to talk to you
about the character I think that
is more exciting for an actor.
and feels good for an actor too
because, what I learned in these 10
years working with actors is, man,
they deal with a lot of rejection.
they deal with so much rejection and
they're, just hearing no 99% of the time
and you're waiting for people to say
yes to you and to basically want you.
So it's like, yeah, when someone comes
to them and it's like, Hey, I've been
thinking about you for X, Y, and Z and
this is why, you have these qualities.
It's like, yeah, that helps a
lot because they're like, oh,
this person believes in me.
And even if it's a smaller budget
indie then they'd be like, oh, okay.
But they seem to really know what
they're doing and they're really
invested in making this work with me.
I think you can get a lot done
and I think you'd be surprised.
Who you can sometimes get
even on smaller budgets.
even as a filmmaker I worked with,
that I'm selling his film and
he got JK Simmons on his movie
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Is
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
And their movie budget
wasn't insane at all.
Like it was very indie.
they got him for a couple days only.
it was amazing, and they got him on board
because got, like, JK loved the script.
He loved the story, he loved the
director, and that's why he came on board.
So I think you can get a lot done
if you start with, a great script?
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
it's fun to hear.
Okay, so you did talent.
you're talent managing, doing that for
a while, and then you start to say,
Hey, what about producing, what about
helping actors start producing own films?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Almost
two and a half, three years ago, I started
helping a client of mine who's an actor,
he had directed a film and had a full
feature, but He hadn't tried to sell it.
a lot of actors and filmmakers, don't
have a huge idea on the business side.
Of filmmaking.
They, they don't know how
the distribution works.
A lot of times, they don't
know how the sales works.
They don't know what a good deal
is or a bad deal contract wise.
there's quite a lot of that.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
So they're a distributor.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
Honestly,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Sorry.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
look, that's why I,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
those a free,
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I would say the same.
I think when I first started
doing it, I was just shocked how.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Okay.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
how much they were taking advantage
of filmmakers, in my opinion.
some of these contracts are just
horrendous how they're written
and the costs they put in there.
and that's not all of 'em.
There's definitely good distributors
we've worked with that are really
good, but I'm just talking to are
always some that are not great.
and I think when I started working with
him, he had the film and I looked at
the film and I was Like, this is solid.
it's a small indie, but I
think you could sell it.
I was like, why don't I try it?
I'll take it out.
I hadn't really done sales at that time.
and I'll, I'll, I'll take it out.
And I just started reaching out through,
going to a FM and, and, and, and
reaching out to a bunch of distributor.
I took it out to like, I think
I took it out to like 700
distributors, which is a lot.
and, and, and there's
a lot internationally.
There's way more than that.
I think there's like two,
3000 distributors at least.
and got them a minimum guarantee.
That was basically all their budget.
So for them, they were really happy.
And that's how that started.
at the same time, I started getting
into producing because of that.
we made a movie, about a year
and a half ago with The rest in
peace, Michael Matson, as well as
the creator of Final Destination.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: oh
wow.
Okay.
So, you've been on this unique
side of producing where.
It's like, there's the
good movie that we've made.
Now how do we position either getting
our good talent in or getting our good
deals for the film, which is rare.
That's awesome, Greg.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
I love it.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: my
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: good.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
so yes, I've been to the.
cans and the film markets
and things like that.
seeing the circus, the litany of all
sorts of films and posters and everything.
people are buying films or making deals
based on a key art and a log line.
when you're saying you're out there
selling a film, are you walking that
floor and meeting with distributors?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
Yeah, yeah,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
In behalf of the filmmakers,
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: So that,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: what
are you looking for to go, okay, this
is a deal that I want to talk about?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
minimum guarantees were always nice,
and we're always looking for that.
when I start selling a film, like
right now I'm still selling the
JK Simmons film, for example, I'm
taking their international rights
and taking it to, Germany, Japan, all
the individual territories and trying
to get a minimum guarantee first.
that is what I'm pushing the most,
because sometimes you don't know
how much money you're gonna get.
With these rev share deals, there's
filmmakers that have barely received
anything on rev share deals sometimes.
so to me I'm like, okay, let's see
how much cash we can get upfront.
and then let's talk about
the rev share deals.
I would say.
In terms of deals, I'm always
trying to get everything down.
whatever their distribution fee starts
at, I'm always trying to get that down.
Five or 10%.
They usually don't go down 10%,
but they'll usually go down 5%.
then I'm trying to get their
marketing cap down as well.
Like, I've seen such a
range of marketing cap.
It's a little insane to me.
but I've seen marketing cap as
low as three, 4K all the way to
like, I think the highest I've
seen at one point was like 30 5K.
and that, and that's just marketing cap.
So that that's the money that they're
taking before anything goes to filmmakers.
I was telling a friend yesterday, someone
not in the film industry, breaking down
how when you sell a film who's getting
their percentages, the distributor, the
sales agent, and then the marketing cap.
And he was like, that's insane.
How does a filmmaker make money
then, well, that's the hard part.
if you take bad deals,
you're not making any money.
we're always trying to get the
marketing cap down if not, we're
definitely trying to get them to share
exactly what it's being spent on.
because you know, sometimes you see
a marketing cap of 30 k and you're
like, what are you guys spending it on?
It's like, oh yeah, we're
running ads and PR and stuff.
And it's like, okay,
but how do I know that?
how can I see that?
there are distributors that will
actually be open to sharing it.
There's a lot that won't, There are people
that are just like, this is what it is.
then I try to get the number down.
So if it's 30, I'll try
to get it down to 15,
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
So Greg, I think there's something
interesting in like, you came from
talent management and then said,
I'm gonna do sales, I'm gonna do
distribution, I'm gonna do producing.
I've talked with a lot of filmmakers
over the last year who are just
trying to figure out like, how do I do
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
And what it seems like is you've
got the same answers we do, which
is you just decide that you're a
producer and then start solving the
problems that are in front of you
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
tell us a little bit more about.
What kind of mindset shift, or what
kind of day-to-day changes did you
have to make in order to go from
talent manager to producer, who's
also handling sales and distribution?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I think the word you just used is
the number one word problem solving.
that's basically what you're doing.
if you're an amazing problem solver.
anyone that's amazing at
that can be a good producer.
that's the number one skill.
if you're someone that isn't rattled
by chaos, which is what producing is,
even the movie we made, was so chaotic.
I mean, we had a lot of things
go wrong, you always expect
stuff to go wrong, you know?
and I think if you enjoy that atmosphere.
and I grew up in a very, chaotic
upbringing, so that helps.
I think for me, I like that situation.
It's fun for me.
it gives me an adrenaline rush.
from talent management, what carries
over is the sales that carries over.
The problem solving and dealing
with different personalities.
I think that's huge.
I mean, you guys know in film,
you're dealing with such a
wide range of personalities.
more than any other industry I've worked
in different industries like B2B and those
personalities are pretty one tone usually.
but film is not like that at all.
you have such a wide range of
personalities, so I think that does
carry over from talent management.
'cause you're used to working
with actors and, and there's
a lot of personalities there.
So I, I think knowing how to.
communicate with different people
and how to adjust how you treat this
person and what we'll go over and
how this person will take something.
I think that's huge.
I think that's a skill
that comes with experience.
But again, I truly believe that you don't
need to do a traditional path to start
as a PA on a film and work your way up.
You can definitely do that.
And being on set helps, but I think if
you're business oriented and you've.
Done business in the past, any type
of business, and you're very good at
problem solving and good with people,
I think you can be a good producer.
You know, if this is what you love
and you love films, and I love films.
I watch so many films every
week, just these indie films.
being on set is the best.
I think that's the best time I
have being with people that are
like all these dreamers that you
don't get in other industries.
I've worked in other industries and
there's a lot of jaded people because
they're not doing what they love.
They're doing something purely for money.
in film.
You have a lot of people that still are
believing in, in what they're doing and,
and are doing it for the right reasons.
everyone wants to get paid
but it's a nice atmosphere.
I love being on site.
filmmakers are awesome to work with.
I love working with crew.
they're super underappreciated sometimes.
what Crew does is amazing, like the hours
they do and how specialized they are.
it's pretty nuts
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Yeah, so a quick follow up to
that question of how you did it.
It seems like you're a proponent of
people producing their own stuff,
whether they're actors, I'm assuming
that applies to if they're a writer,
if they're a director, they also
kind of need to take on that hat.
So when you're having a conversation
with one of your actors, are you still
doing talent management or have you
shut that business down to be full-time
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: I.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
on the producing and distribution
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
shut the talent management
down about, six months ago.
so pretty recent,
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: So
When you're having conversations with
actors or filmmaker friends and you're
saying, look, the answer is you need
to start producing your own films,
How does that conversation go for you?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
it depends on who it is.
I have actor friends that it goes
over amazing and they wanna do
it, and they just love to create.
and there's people that are like,
oh, I don't want to do that.
I just want to get auditions and
book something and, be on set.
I'd say it's a mix, but what you're
saying from LinkedIn, I think I'm a
big proponent of that I talk a lot
about making your own stuff being
involved with your own marketing and
your own distribution and being way
more, personally involved in that.
And it's strange.
most people agree, I'd say, but
there are always people that.
get, triggered by that.
they're like, oh, well that's not my job.
You know what I mean?
that shouldn't be my job.
That's the distributor's
job and, and dah, dah, dah.
And I think anyone, and
the same with actors.
Sometimes you get actors,
well, that's not my job.
Like the manager and agent should be
doing everything and getting me a job.
and I think you're always gonna have.
People like that, that are about
what's my job and what's not my job.
and I think those are the people
that are gonna struggle, especially
how the industry is right now.
I think people that are like, okay, I
can do X, Y, and Z and produce something
myself even if I'm acting, and I can
create something myself and if I don't
know how I can learn how to do it.
Same with indie filmmakers.
You can learn how to market, even if
it's not something you're necessarily
interested in, or at least partner with
one person that's, really good at that.
I think people have to start taking
way more of a hand in their own career
actors and filmmakers because there's
no one distributor or no one manager
that's just gonna do everything
and push your whole career forward.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Awesome.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: you
mentioned, in looking for distribution
deals, there are key indicators or things
that distributors might be looking for.
So as an independent filmmaker, I
wanna say, okay, what, what are those
things that I need to do early on?
Or, you know, as I'm looking for
distribution, is going to really
be attractive to a distributor.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
what I'm finding out right now, especially
the last two years, is the genres.
Right now, they're, they care a lot
about, it, like, I've sold two dramas
and they were a struggle to sell.
dramas are really hard and distributors
will literally come back and be like,
We're not focused on that genre unless
you have a really big name attached.
even JK Simmons wasn't big
enough for them which is crazy.
they were very much like, we're not
looking for that genre right now.
so I think, I think having some
kind of niche, and I know you guys.
Speak about this in your podcast
as well, and you guys have made
a film which is niche based as
well, which I think is smart.
You have target audience.
so I think they wanna see some type of
like, what's your specific audience,
not just people that love drama.
Know what I mean?
Like what's your specific audience?
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Hmm.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: That's
one thing that they're looking for.
the amount of times I get
feedback on people's trailer where
they're like, oh, it's too long.
I hope the film is
better than the trailer.
You know what I mean?
and they'll still watch
the film sometimes.
most of the ones I talk to, I'm not
throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall.
So if I'm sending them
stuff, I do think, okay.
At least it's a good film.
but yeah, the amount of times they talk
about the trailer and a lot of 'em want it
shorter, that it's weirdly, a consistent
note that so many distributors have given
The Trailer's too long.
And even sometimes with the film, I've
had two films where they literally
came back and were like, oh, I just
wish it was 10, 15 minutes shorter.
Which to me, like, I don't
necessarily always agree with
that, you know what I mean?
but I hear where they're coming from.
they're purely thinking, okay, well if
this shows up as 90 minutes, it's way
more sellable than it shows up at 1 0 5.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah.
that's a good point.
I mean, unless you're some name
brand filmmaker or have a name
brand star, people are just gonna
be like wanting to set everything
down and watch what they're doing.
Then maybe these initial indie films,
it's okay to have a 90 minute movie and
a 92nd trailer and be okay with that.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I would say even with the trailer.
You should get feedback on the trailer
before deciding that's your trailer.
sometimes filmmakers love
their own trailer, but you're
so close to the project.
That it's hard to see clearly sometimes.
the trailer is?
for selling.
it's not some art piece That's your film.
Your film, do whatever you want.
But I think the trailer, you need to
be focused on what's gonna sell the
best and you need to get feedback
I don't think any filmmaker can
do that completely by themselves.
'cause you're too close
to it at that point.
I think.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
I have a distributor.
my company Three Coin
Productions who produces this
podcast, that we do trailers.
I work with a distributor who refuses to
let filmmakers create their own trailers.
oftentimes a filmmaker has a skewed
perspective of what each shot means.
That in an audience who's totally
unfamiliar with the story or the movie,
doesn't appreciate he says, we'll
show the trailer to the filmmaker.
They can give advice or give feedback,
but you need a professional, like a
trailer company to cut your trailer.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: Yeah.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
And it does make a
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I completely agree.
I think listening to that and you
can still have, feedback and be
involved, which I think you should.
sometimes, I've also had distributors
that wanna change the title of the film.
they're like, I don't think this title
is marketable, and that's different.
You can push back sometimes, especially
if you really believe in the title.
they don't always know everything.
they're going off their experience, but
if you truly think that title is the
best title for your film and you're super
adamant about that, you can't push back.
But I would always listen first and look
at the trailer notes, look at the title
notes, and be like, do I agree with this?
Am I super attached to this?
and then make a decision.
I don't think you have to a hundred
percent change everything they're saying.
I think you need to push back.
At the end of the day, it's still
your film, but I would listen to
the advice and decide if it works.
for the trailer,
definitely be open to that.
I think the title's different.
I can see more attachment there.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Yeah, that's a good note as a filmmaker.
I've done eight features
and it's always amazing.
you come up with the title or whatever
it is, the, the trailer, the concept,
and then a distributor does come in
and there is that level of trust.
And you think, look, there's, you know,
thousands and thousands of movies out
there and distributors, and if you've
got one that is paying enough attention
to your movie, that they care about
giving notes on the trailer and doing
some market research on the title.
That's usually something good to listen
to they are trying to get this movie sold
a lot more than the filmmaker has been.
so, yes, I think I, I think
listening to input from a distributor
who, who's reputable and who,
who is gonna give you a return.
There's a lot of value in
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I think that.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Well, we've seen this a lot with
our own films, Garrett, where like
a, financier for example, may.
that they know better than the
director who's done it eight
times maybe you don't, because the
director's been doing it for 20 years.
And then, you know, filmmakers that
I've talked to that are like, well,
I'm gonna do it this way because I
read something on variety It's like,
yeah, but you've never done it.
if you're gonna try your own
distribution or foreign sales, It
may be valuable to talk to people
who have done it dozens, of times.
there's a ton of value in that experience.
they'll be able to say quickly,
yes, no, this is working.
This isn't working.
that feedback's invaluable because.
they've had hundreds or thousands
of reps at this stuff thinking
you're gonna do it better.
Your first crack is a little bit, no.
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
I completely agree with that.
I think marketing and sales
is a different skillset.
depending on what type of filmmaker
you are and how involved you are.
If you're a filmmaker that's very
involved in the marketing or you have
some experience in that, that's different,
but if you don't have any experience in
that, I would definitely listen to the
people that have been going to all these,
markets that are talking to these buyers.
they probably have some idea.
It doesn't mean that they're always right.
But they probably have some idea
based on experience compared to maybe
someone that has no experience with it.
I would definitely take that seriously,
as hard as it is to sometimes change
something, especially a trailer, because
I know, filmmakers, you get attached
to the trailer that you make sometimes.
and then getting a note
like, Hey, this doesn't work.
we need to change this.
it's not the best thing to hear, you know?
But when you're at that stage, You're
trying to build a career, if you're
not making a return for your investors
and you're not making a return on your
film, then you've got a huge problem.
You're not gonna have, in my opinion, a
super long career, unless you just keep
finding people that keep putting money
in and then you don't make any money.
I don't know how you
would sustain a career.
if you're not making any money.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Yeah,
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
So, I have a final question, unless
there's more to talk about, but I do
want to find out, it just left my mind.
Hang on, Greg.
I was reading your notes.
Hang on, we're gonna
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
you're good.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Oh, okay.
here's what it was.
I'm an independent filmmaker.
I've got my script, I've got,
funding, and we're ready to go into
production what is your pathway as a.
Sales agent or, a producer
distributor for recoupment is it
possible through your foreign deals
and minimum guarantees to recoup a
budget of, my million dollar Indie?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648: I do
think you need to get the right people
on board because I know people that have
gone with people that sell their movie
and they show it to like 30 or 35 people.
for most indies, that's
not gonna be enough.
if you want to get the most.
Return and hopefully maximize your
minimum guarantees, you need to go out
to almost everyone, or at least get
someone on board that's gonna go out
to almost everyone that fits the movie.
if you're going out to a thousand
distributors, that's a pretty good shot.
You know what I mean?
it's a lot of work.
it takes a long time, but I think you
have to do it because you don't wanna sign
up for some worldwide rights deal that's
a rev share deal, and you don't know.
If you're gonna get any money.
I think what I would recommend right
now for most indie films, and there's
always exceptions, like obviously if you
get an amazing shutter deal or some, a
24 deal or some amazing deal like that.
then sure, give the worldwide rights away,
especially if it's some kind of big mg.
but otherwise, I think I would always
split it up in the territories.
in general.
that's my preference.
even for this indie we sold
this past year, we got better
minimum guarantees from foreign
territories than we did from America
The US was not giving us great
deals and, Germany ended up
being our biggest one by far.
there is money to be made,
internationally, even more than,
than, than the US sometimes,
because Europe especially is.
They're big supporters of indie film.
They have subsidies, they have
grants, they have all kinds of things
there that, that are just way more
beneficial to indie filmmakers.
That doesn't really exist in the
US and I think there's a big risk
aversion right now especially in the
US, to taking much risk on films.
So you gotta take it out everywhere
and you'll be surprised some
countries that you're like, oh,
that's not even a big country.
But it all adds up.
if you get seven, eight minimum
guarantees in all these different
countries, you might be closer to,
recouping everything instead of this
one deal with one big distributor.
That doesn't give you a lot.
And personally, I think it
spreads out your risk because.
Let's say you go with a worldwide
distributor, it's your first film,
and you don't know if they're
gonna be great for you or not.
maybe you didn't do a ton of research.
a lot of first time filmmakers,
usually go about it like this.
then you give it to someone and all
of a sudden they don't do a good job.
Now they have all your rights
and they're not doing a good job.
At least if you have six,
seven distributors on board,
if one ends up not being good.
you still have these other ones that
hopefully do a good job with it.
So to me, I even like that in terms of
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Kind of
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
spreading out the risk, just
not having one person be
solely responsible for my film.
unless it's some big company, like I
have a friend that Shutters said they
just gave a multi six figure deal to.
So it's like, yeah, if you get
a company like that, great.
but otherwise, I'd say sell
territory by territory.
either if you're doing it yourself or
you get some kind of sales agent on
board but do it and take the time, even
if it takes three months, four months to
sell the film, I would always do that.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: Well
that's encouraging, Thank you so much.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Greg, where's a good place for,
people to connect with you?
If they hear this episode and
they're like, dang, Greg's awesome.
I need to talk to him about distributing
my film, or, tips on talent management.
where do you direct people
to go find out more?
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
obviously LinkedIn is always great.
I'm pretty active on LinkedIn.
but then, you know, it is, my
website as well, greg beckers.com.
Greg Becker is pretty much
on all the social media.
I have YouTube videos that I make as
well because I'm trying to put more
information out there for filmmakers it's
a weird gatekeeping industry sometimes.
and I think there needs to be a lot
more access to information if you're
doing a good job as a company, you
want all the information out there.
the only way you would not want
all the information out there
is if you're doing shady stuff.
So, to me I'm like, there should
be more information out there.
So I plan on sharing a lot more.
At some point I want to share a video,
literally going into a specific contract
so filmmakers can see the nuts and bolts
on what I think is good and what's not
good, so you know, what you're looking at.
I would say, yeah, Greg Becker's
on all the social medias, and
the website, and that's probably
the best way to contact me.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Awesome.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: when
you do that contract breakdown episode,
let us, be a, Co episode with you on
that, 'cause that'd be fascinating
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
that'd be cool.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
Man, this has been very enjoyable.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for joining us.
I know our listeners who are watching
on YouTube, can see Greg if you're
just listening on the podcast
channels, go to greg beckers.com
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
Thanks for having me on and I'll
definitely, be cool to make that video
together because I'm sure we'd all
have thoughts about these contracts.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648: I've
got several that we could put on and
just kind of brutalize them or say,
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
No, we should do that.
We should grab one of the worst
ones and we'll take the name out,
but like, we'll look at one of the
worst ones and be like, this is
what a terrible contract looks like.
garrett-batty_1_07-21-2025_100648:
I love that idea.
Okay, stay tuned for another
upcoming episode with Greg
greg-bekkers_1_07-21-2025_090648:
Thanks guys.
daren-smith_1_07-21-2025_100648: Boom.
Thank you for listening to this
episode of Truly Independent.
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Our intro and outro music is
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