And the negotiations with HBO and Netflix
When we were discussing with Yavor how NoOne would be distributed, I suggested that we had to aim first and foremost to a self distribution VOD strategy. Even when we were writing the screenplay and later on shooting the film I always had in mind that this film more likely would be seen on a small computer screen,or on a TV monitor, or even on a mobile phone.
We have made the film fast paced, with proper dynamic and rhythm, however we were keeping cinematic integrity about its vision and sound. The film's intimacy and rawness are perfect to be experienced from the comfort of your futon.
The major mistake which we did and I again would admit is that we didn't go straight away for VOD distribution, after the completion of the film in April 2016. We had to do one big cinema premiere and immediately after that we had to release the film online and on every available distribution platform.
In July 2017 I got a very surprising email from HBO Europe. It said that HBO are interested in the title NoOne and they would like to know if the title has its global SVOD rights available for acquisition. I wrote them back that we Egregore Films are the licensor of the film and yes we still had the global SVOD rights available. Then they specify for which territories they would like to obtain the rights, they initially wanted the SVOD nonexclusive rights for 10 territories of Adriatic countries and Bulgaria. Later on they decided that they would like to evaluate the project for eventual acquisition for CEE territories and for exclusive deal. However, at the end we agreed that we would start our deal only for the first 10 territories and later on we would decide how to continue our conversation about the title.
While we were negotiating with HBO I managed to get the emails of all of the NETXLIF acquisition managers. I immediately wrote them emails with information about NoOne and that we are close to finalizing a deal with HBO. I had to wait around two or three weeks until I got an email reply. They said to me that they are interested in the title and that they would love to consider the film. But then again they disappeared for couple of weeks even if not a month. We were working with HBO on details about the agreement and the deliverables so we weren't rushed to push the communication with Netflix. However, one day I decided to write them an email with an offer which simple stated for how much we were happy to sell our global exclusive SVOD rights to them it was a six figure sum. Their representative contacted me back and told me that they would think about this offer and I had to wait until the end of September to hear their final call about the title. It's already at the end of September and I just wrote them an email to ask them what is their final decision about our proposition.
As you noticed we are talking about SVOD which stands for subscription video on demand, this is basically when a viewer pays a monthly membership fee to watch as much creative content as he wish.
We kept the transaction video on demand TVOD rights, because we built a website and we use VIMEO on demand platform to monetize every eventual online streaming of the film.
I am a little bit disappointed that we didn't do it much earlier maybe straight after the first official public screening, but with all of the festival requirements the films not to be available online for streaming I got caught in a Paragraph 22 situation, where in order the title to be eligible for the film festivals worldwide it had to be unavailable for online streaming and vice verse.
I still believe that this distribution model is the best for low budget and micro-budget independent films, a model in which the title becomes immediately available in all of the possible distribution channels and platforms. Because the model which now is created in order to protect the cinemas doesn't work in favor for the films, the audience and the filmmakers.
At the time in which I am writing this chapter most likely is that we to sign the agreement with HBO, which is still an incredible achievement and a nice PR despite the very low cost price which they offer for those 10 territories.
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