'Outsourced'
Truly Indie is almost 3 years old, and while it hasn't yielded anything close to a "Juno"-sized hit, the Mark Cuban/Todd Wagner brainchild has distinguished itself as a novel alternative to mainstream distribution.
The four-wall scheme lets filmmakers control the rights and get their pic a handful of theatrical engagements. Rather than languishing in direct-to-DVD limbo, these titles can generate reviews and a modicum of attention, fortifying ancillary prospects.
The cost varies, but the average is $60,000-$70,000 for a minimum of five runs in a network of theaters in 19 markets, many -- but not all -- of them Landmark sites. The fee includes publicity and marketing services, and the program runs only from March to October.
"We're a last resort for the many films that don't get a big pickup," sums up Landmark chief exec Ted Mundorff.
Truly Indie success stories include last fall's "Outsourced," credit-card docu "Maxed Out" and "Beowulf & Grendel" starring Gerard Butler and Sarah Polley. The highest-grossing of the lot, the comedy "Outsourced," took in just $141,642. Those aren't big numbers, but the titles also serve as a relationship builder for Cuban and Wagner's 2929 and Magnolia Pictures, both always looking for indie figures on the rise.
On deck for the spring: "Backseat," with Donald Sutherland, and the military doctor docu "Fighting for Life."
The program runs on merit. Interested filmmakers send their pics to Austin, Texas-based Kelly Sanders, who picks about 30% of submissions with an eye toward eight to 10 releases a year.
"There are really only a certain amount of titles we can work with and treat with the appropriate care," Sanders notes.
While it's manna for many frustrated indie auteurs, one knock heard in film circles is that when the Fox Searchlights and Miramaxes need extra screens, Truly Indies are the first to go.
The upside for exhibs -- and one reason why Landmark is recruiting theaters outside its circuit to join Truly Indie -- is a reliable revenue stream: The flat rental fee plus concession sales make an agreeable alternative to the often onerous terms negotiated in traditional distribution arrangements. While informally referred to as a "rent-a-system," four-walling does not involve the collections and splits involved in many rent-a-system deals.
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