Markets, Money & Micro-Budgets — Tom Malloy on Real Indie Distribution

Tom Malloy pulls no punches about what actually moves for indie films — who does what in distribution, why audience traction matters more than festival prestige, and how small teams can make smarter deals and stretch production value without breaking the bank.Aim for a clear, marketable hook — genre + audience beats vague “art-house” positioning when you need to sell.Treat distribution like part of production: build relationships early and create demonstrable demand.Put minimums/performance clauses in deals so rights can revert if a distributor doesn’t deliver. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices