Behind the Scenes w/ David Brown - My first commercially succesful film....
From Sales Agency to Silver Screen: How "The Fallout" Became My First Commercially Successful Film Article
Ever had a plan that completely changed? That's exactly what happened to me. I had dreams of starting a sales agency, but then the pandemic hit. What came next was something I never expected: producing a film that would change my life. This is the story of how "The Fallout" went from a $1.5 million indie project to a critically acclaimed HBO Max hit.
The Pre-Pandemic Plan and the Unexpected Shutdown
Before 2020, I thought starting a sales agency was a brilliant idea. I was ready to dive into the world of sales. But then, COVID-19 turned everything upside down.
In early March 2020, I was in pre-production for a movie called "The Fallout." Megan Park, a very talented director, was at the helm. The film featured stars like Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Shailene Woodley, Julie Bowen, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp and Blake Baumgartner. Our budget was set at $1.5 million, and we were two weeks into a four-week prep schedule.
Then the news broke: California was going into lockdown. At first, we thought it would only be a two-week pause. We planned to return and start filming. But those two weeks turned into nearly six months.
Resuming Production Amidst Uncertainty
When the guilds put safety precautions in place, such as COVID testing, PPE, and compliance officers, we were able to resume production in September 2020. However, securing financing became a major challenge. The pandemic had caused funding to dry up.
I managed to bankroll the film using a combination of my own passive income and a bridge lender. We were able to move forward with the project.
We made the movie. It was a non-union SAG project filmed in Los Angeles. It was also one of the first projects to resume during the pandemic.
The Director's Connections: Adding Star Power on a Budget
One of the things that made "The Fallout" special was our director's connections. Megan had previously worked with Billie Eilish, directing one of her videos. This connection led to Phineas O'Connell composing the film's score. Getting Phineas on board added a level of prestige to our low-budget film.
Shailene Woodley was also a friend of Megan's from one of her TV shows. Shailene agreed to be in the film. Additionally, Megan's manager was well-connected and helped bring all the pieces together.
Film Festival Success and a Million-Dollar Safety Net
We submitted "The Fallout" to film festivals and were accepted into both Tribeca and South by Southwest (SXSW). Due to the music elements and Phineas's involvement, we decided to prioritize SXSW.
Before the festival, I made a deal with Universal International for the international rights to the film. The deal was worth $1 million. In my mind, this was a safety net. If the film didn't do well at the festival, we would still have that money. It lessened our risk and liability.
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The Life-Changing Phone Calls: Winning Big at SXSW
SXSW was a virtual festival that year due to the pandemic. During the festival, I received a phone call that I will never forget.
The person on the phone told me that "The Fallout" had won the Audience Award. The Audience Award is given to the film that is voted the favorite by the audience attending the festival. It was amazing news!
The next day, I received another call. This time, they told me that "The Fallout" had won the Grand Jury Award. The Grand Jury Award is the top award at the festival, like "Best Picture." Winning this award was unbelievable.
To top it off, Megan Park won the Brightcove Award. This award recognizes up-and-coming directors with promising careers.
Here's a list of the awards we won at SXSW:
Audience Award
Grand Jury Award
Brightcove Award (Megan Park)
Winning these awards changed everything.
The $5 Million Deal and the Near Miss
After our success at SXSW, a bidding war started between Amazon and HBO Max. In the end, HBO Max acquired "The Fallout" for $5 million. It was a life-changing moment for me.
The film went on to be one of the top films on HBO Max for months. You can still watch "The Fallout" on HBO Max. You can also check out The Fallout Movie IMDB Page.
Additionally, "The Fallout" opened to a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it stayed that way for months.
I had two amazing co-producers alongside me, and I'll always be thankful for that film and experience.
The Universal Deal: A Costly Lesson in Timing
The deal I made with Universal International almost cost me the HBO Max deal. Because I had signed a contract with Universal before the festival, they had the contractual rights to the international territories for the film.
To move forward with the HBO Max deal, I had to negotiate with Universal and pay a kill fee to get out of the contract. The kill fee was $900,000.
If I had waited just a few days longer and not signed the contract before winning the festival, it would have cost me nothing to walk away.
Major studios understand the financial implications of these deals. They knew that by paying us a million dollars for international rights, they could potentially make around three and a half million dollars through their distribution channels.
Final Thoughts: Life-Changing Success and Lessons Learned
In the end, the $5 million deal with HBO Max resulted in a net profit of $4.1 million after paying the $900,000 kill fee to Universal. It was still a life-changing amount of money for everyone involved.
This experience taught me the importance of timing and the value of believing in your project. Despite the challenges and near misses, "The Fallout" became my first commercially successful film.
I'm incredibly grateful for the experience and the people who helped make it happen. If you're interested in learning more about film lending, visit FilmMoney.com
"I never imagined this would happen to me so early in my career."
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