25 Days of Vengeance Trail - Countdown to Memphis Premiere on April 23!

T-shirt vendor tests today. We're experimenting with designs and resolution. These are full color prints onto vinyl that's heat transferred to the shirts. Very economical one-off's. I'll wear these for a while and test the quality. I'm definitely going to reduce the saturation for the next round.

What are your thoughts? What design do you like best and why? Why color shirt would you wear?

See all y'all on Monday! Happy Resurrection Sunday, tomorrow!

Ian Max

26 Days of Vengeance Trail - Countdown to Memphis Premiere on April 23!

It's Good Friday, so I'm going to take a break to spend time with the in-laws. 

Here's a segment of a videos I made for a Vengeance Trail Crowdfundr campaign last year:

Today, I did get some good feedback on some technical issues in the movie. And guess what? It's on my hard drive so I can fix it and re-upload on Vimeo, and the movie will be even better when it's projected on April 23. 

Ah, the life of an indie filmmaker.

Ian Max

27 Days of Vengeance Trail - Countdown to Memphis Premiere on April 23!

Sometimes an ROI (return on investment) takes many years! How to have integrity with movie investors' money!!

Most independent movies don't make a profit (60-82% don't break even, in our budget range), which is a simple reality with a complicated response. Filmmakers like to create art, but don't want to learn the business of selling the movie. Vengeance Trail wasn't profitable on its first round, but that doesn't mean it can't find future audiences as a library movie. We made mistakes -- Vengeance Trail started out as a student film with low financial risk, but we didn’t have movie stars and we had some technical issues that made it difficult to attract distributors back in 2006. We also didn't shoot on film or on a digital camera resolution that would have 'future proofed' the movie. Then, we didn’t sell enough DVDs to make the investors their money back, despite touring America's cowboy and Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) Competitions for a year and getting shelf space in Blockbuster and Walmart. Ultimately, the financiers wrote off their losses years ago. This fact has bugged me for 15 years, until new technology came out to solve almost all the technical issues. Now, it's time to raise awareness and find a new audience, for Vengeance Trail and more Westerns to come! 

What I accomplished today:

• Submitted an ad to HappeningNow.com/Memphis. They wanted a link to a Facebook event, so I created that and already have some comments and interested parties. Sign up now!
• Spent the morning working on a t-shirt design that can double as one of the logos on the 8'x8' red-carpet banner I will have printed. The first version was short on dpi and the printshop had to stretch it, so I went overkill on the resolution and my computer had a hard time keeping up.
• Did a Facebook search for "Western movie" and HOLY SMOKES, there's at least 100 fan groups. I started interacting with a few.

Got to finish the EPK, because that's the starting point for publicity. I asked Chat GPT:

Hi Chat GPT, how are you? I am a movie producer finishing up a low budget Western action feature film. I would like to know what marketing materials I should create and a timeline for releasing them.

Hello! I'm an AI language model here to help you. Congratulations on finishing up your low budget Western action feature film! Marketing materials are crucial for promoting your film effectively. Let's discuss some essential marketing materials and develop a timeline for their release. Of course, keep in mind that this is a general guide, and you can adjust it according to your specific needs and circumstances.

1. Official Trailer: Prepare an engaging and captivating trailer to generate buzz and excitement among your target audience. Ideally, release it around 2-3 months before the film's release.
2. Teaser: Consider releasing a short teaser trailer or clip a few months before the official trailer to build anticipation and create intrigue.
3. Poster: Create an eye-catching and visually appealing poster for your film. Aim to have it ready around the same time as your official trailer, so it can be used in promotional materials.
4. Behind-the-Scenes Content: Capture behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and production photos to share on your film's social media channels and website. Begin sharing this content sporadically several months before the release to keep your audience engaged.
5. Social Media Presence: Establish active social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) dedicated to your movie. Regularly share updates, news, trailers, and engage with your audience. Initiate this at least 4-6 months prior to the film's premiere.
6. Website: Create a dedicated website for your film, containing essential information, updates, trailers, and links to social media accounts. Make sure the website is live early in the marketing campaign.
7. Press Kit: Assemble a comprehensive digital press kit including film synopsis, cast and crew information, production details, high-resolution images, and any other relevant materials. Distribute this to online publications, bloggers, and journalists at least 1-2 months before the premiere.
8. Film Festivals: Submit your film to relevant film festivals to gain exposure and potential awards. Research submission deadlines and create a strategy to maximize your chances of acceptance.
9. Premiere Announcement: Once you secure a release date or screening location, announce it to the public via social media, press releases, and other promotional platforms. Timing for this announcement may vary, but it is typically a few months before the premiere.
10. Online Ads and PR: Consider running targeted online advertisements and partnering with PR agencies to spread the word about your film, ensuring maximum exposure.

Remember to always adapt your timeline to fit your specific release plan and budget. It's also crucial to continually assess and adjust your marketing strategy along the way based on audience feedback, engagement, and other relevant factors. Good luck with your film marketing efforts!

Good advice. On it!

Ian Max

28 Days of Vengeance Trail - Countdown to Memphis Premiere on April 23!

HOW WE MADE A FEATURE WESTERN FOR $10K!

Indie Filmmakers, this is one way to get your movie made! See what you can accomplish with the first $10K and all the resources and relationships you can parlay for free.

Hollywood Guns & Props                TripleDare Productions

Origin story of Vengeance Trail: Josh Seat was a film professor at Master's College in Newhall, CA. He was friends with Al Frisch of Hollywood Guns and Props. Al's company could outfit 4 period movies at a time, with wardrobe, props, and guns. His wife Sue made costumes. They owned a few horses and had standing sets in their backyard, where they would host Cowboy Poetry once a year when all sorts of Western movie fans would be in town for the Golden Boot Awards. Josh wanted to make a movie with his students and Al had screenplays lying around. Al brought in his friend Keven (Russell) McCaulley, who had his own vintage props and wardrobe, and they put up the initial $10K to make a movie. They formed Copper Button Entertainment. Josh intended to shoot fast and cheap on a consumer camcorder.

My film partner in crime, Stephen McCurry, got hired as DP and he brought his ambition to the project. Al had connections at Golden Oak Ranch in Newhall to shoot on their Western street backlot. He was also friends with various other talent, such as Phil Spangenberger who taught Mel Gibson to shoot on Maverick, and Jack Lilley, who could drive a 6-up. Stephen owned a Canon XL-1 camera and some lights. Al had a putt-putt generator.

Stephen needed help. He brought on his 4 Atlanta friends who had done many guerrilla shoots together and now lived in Los Angeles; Ian Eyre, Aaron Day, Christopher Lowell and Julian McClellan. Everyone needed to get paid something, so I think we agreed to $100 per day flat. As you can probably tell, the budget grew, but we accomplished most of a feature for about $35K. We decided to shut down production and Stephen went off to edit. 

Al and Keven liked the footage as it came together. It felt like a real movie. Stephen and Al workshopped the script. Stephen and I took over producing from Copper Button Entertainment, with our own shingle, TripleDare Productions. Then reshoots were planned for the next year. Long story short, we kept running out of money and Al kept putting money in our bank account. How?

Fortunately, Al had once-upon-a-time purchased half of the props and guns from Stembridge Gun Rentals when they closed, so he was able to match guns, leathers, set pictures, and serial numbers for unique weapons, used by movie stars such as John Wayne, and sell them to collectors. I shot a long barrel pistol used by Steve McQueen in the first year's shoot, but my footage got cut in the reshoot. Vengeance Trail was funded by arms sales, lol.

All this to say, a little momentum can lead to big results. I'll continue the Vengeance Trail story another day.

Speaking of, what are some topics you'd like to learn more about? Leave a comment!

• Why am I going through all this effort after the movie being dormant all those years?
• Which ai tools I used? 
• Why am I self-distributing?
• How much money do I expect to make, and how much do I need to make?

Today's goals accomplished:

• Edited a promo for a short screening event on April 14. Exported the DCP. Delivered!

To finish tonight:

• Create a high res image for my t-shirt printer to create a sample.

Blessings,

Ian Max

29 Days of Vengeance Trail - Countdown to Memphis Premiere on April 23!

Each day, I'm going to post a little behind the scenes on: The Making of Vengeance Trail, or The Remaking of the Movie using Artificial Intelligence. As well as an update on progress planning the theatrical premiere on April 23 and sharing connections local to Memphis, TN.

You probably didn't get a chance to see Vengeance Trail the first time around. Who remembers Blockbuster? Blockbuster and Walmart is as far as Vengeance Trail got distributed, so I'd love to meet someone who saw it on the shelf and rented or purchased it.

If you like period-accurate Westerns, you're going to love this classic tale of good vs. evil! Nominated for the 2006 Golden Boot Awards "Best of the West." Al Frisch of Hollywood Guns and Props has all the props, costumes, screenplays, and even some horses and standing sets, to make many new Westerns. 

Tomorrow, I'll tell of how a film professor persuaded a historian and collector that Western movies can't lose and that he and his students could make a $10K feature with the resources of two Western buffs and their friends. Lot's of dreams were on the line!

Today's challenges:

• Start the process of building relationships with Memphis influencers by polishing and updating the EPK (electronic press kit).
• Then, I can approach media and bloggers for guest articles.
• Create the art for the t-shirt from the poster art, and send for a test print.

Which t-shirt design do you prefer? 

Today's Successes:

• A Memphis podcaster wants to interview me, stay tuned.
• I submitted the premiere screening event to HappeningNext for $5. 
• I negotiated with The Auteur Club for them to show my promo April 14, in return for showing their promo before Vengeance Trail on April 23.
• I booked a talk show with Anfra Boyd: April 21, 7pm Central on YAMS TALK RADIO.
• I also booked Anfra to live-stream the Premiere. She will bring so much energy!!!

Time to enjoy my family and get to bed on time!

Thanks for your support!

Ian Max

30 Days of Vengeance Trail - Countdown to Memphis Premiere on April 23!

Over 20 years in the works, Vengeance Trail is going to receive its first theatrical exhibition. I'm so excited to see and hear it on the big screen!

If you haven't followed the journey so far, Vengeance Trail started out as a student film, then grew. But, as you can imagine with a bunch of first time filmmakers, me included, plenty of mistakes were made. After several years, the movie was released in Blockbuster and Walmart, but it only made a fraction of its budget in return. I was always bummed that the investors were never made whole and the movie didn't find a large audience. When artificial intelligence tools became available, I started to wonder if the movie could be rescued and improved. And now, this epic-feeling Western, shot on a prosumer miniDV camera, receives the royal treatment at a theater in Memphis!

Now that the movie has been digitally enhanced, follow along on its self-distribution journey. For various reasons, traditional distribution isn't the best option for the movie. The first theatrical screening of Vengeance Trail happens 29 days from today. This daily blog series for 30 days will chronicle the journey to throw a memorable event.

What we have:

• A bonafide, feature-length movie! See the trailer at VengeanceTrail.com.
• Venue, a 165 seat theater at Malco Cordova Cinema Grill, on April 23, 2024 at 7pm. 
• Food and drink available at the event.
• Movie poster from which we will have t-shirts made.
• Stars of Vengeance Trail attending.
• Invites to be a guest on a podcast and a movie review website.
• Local advisors who have hosted theatrical premieres.
• Potential talent to live-broadcast the event.
• Potential musicians to entertain before and after the movie.
• Sound system for Q&A - the theater provides a house microphone.
• Camera and lights for the red carpet.

Needed:

• Update the EPK (electronic press kit).
• Printer for banners, posters, t-shirts. Lead time and quantity decisions. 
• Design completion for banners, posters, t-shirts.
• Possible DVDs, BluRays and 
• Decisions on a website for collecting ticket sales and emails for the future; Eventive vs. Kinema.
• Lock in musician and hosting talent for the event.
• Write a first draft of a guest post article for the movie review website to give notes.
• Decide how many posters to print, based on price-break and budget for inventory.

Today's successes:

• Two Memphis filmmakers, LaDell Beaman and Rex Oatis, have recommended sources for a red carpet backdrop for guest photos. Stickers & Banners drop ships within 24 business hours, and an 8'x8' vinyl banner is $98 plus S&H. I can borrow stands to hold the banner up. Another option is Central Imaging & Printing, which excites me because I really want to hire and spend locally, so I'll compare their quote when I get it. 
• I met Memphis Wrestler, K Toomer aka Fatjitsu, for the second time on Saturday. He and I were invited by LaDell to present our careers (stunts and professional wrestling) at a Heel the Hood Foundation Memphis event, and he prints the t-shirts for Memphis Wrestling at such an affordable price that there's actually still room to make a profit. So, I'm going to have him print a sample shirt with the following image as a test. 

Hope you like learning filmmaking with me!

Ian Max