Your Film Won't Make Any Money

Five years ago I was finishing post-production on my third feature when I received a call to start teaching film. My 10 years of experience on set and distributing films set me up to talk about this art form from a unique place. While the films had not made a lot of money, I had made a living. My first two films had premiered at Raindance in London and The Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Both films had secured distribution deals, a goal all of us filmmakers wish for. But the truth was, I only made about $1,700 from those first two features, all of which I distributed back my collaborators. So why have I kept making films, especially if they don’t make any money?

As you may recall, five years ago was the start to the pandemic. This meant my first year teaching film and photography would happen completely through a screen in my spare bedroom. This lack of tech challenged everything I had learned on set and these young filmmakers remind me that it’s about the stories, not the gear. Little did I know that the film I started a few years prior was perfectly situated for this moment.

“Seize The Carp” was posed as a challenge to make a film in 7 days for $7k and less than 7 main creatives. “Seize The Carp” was completely improvised which required me as a director to lose control. I wanted to see what was possible with less, little did I know that the pandemic was about to teach us all this lesson. This film was made without anyone else’s permission. This film was made because we wanted it to exist and now it does.

In the five years since finishing this film, I’ve started two film programs at independent schools in Los Angeles. All three of my films are on physical media, and they are available in rental stores around the country including the last Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon. Our cinematographer went on to be a union Director Of Photography and has shot multiple feature films. Our actors went on to start theatre programs and create their own brand on Youtube. All of which came from a film that has not made a penny of profit thus far.

Very few of my films have ever had wide releases, and as a filmmaker you may be wondering if a film won’t ever get seen, then why make it? For me, filmmaking is how I understand the world around me. Film gives me an opportunity to process my joy, my anger and even my sadness through storytelling. My first distributor once told me that my films look as if they are made to show other filmmakers what is possible. This distributor also sent me an email once saying that they had $.13 cents for me as my quarterly profits. I chose to take the first comment to heart. So if my $7,000 film inspires even one person to embrace the silent moments, learn something new, or make their own work then that’s more important than any financial gain that may come. Each film reminds me of the power of collective energy and what is possible when we create something bigger than ourselves. For me its never been about the final product, its been about what I learn through creating.

If you are a filmmaker still reading, this is why I make my films. I want to show the world that the technology is the least exciting part of this art form. I want more artists to create with less and see how empowering it is. The four of us made a feature film that could only exist in this form, and I would challenge any filmmaker to do the same. If the odds are that no one will watch the film and it won’t make any money, then why are you making your film?

If this brought value to your day then I’d love to ask for your support by either subscribing to this substack or grabbing a physical copies of my work at bronsoncreative.us If you want to learn how to make your own film, then head on over to YouTube.

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I can’t wait to see what you create!

Jerry J White III
Filmmaker and Educator