I think this has less to do pricing than the fact that it is difficult for libraries , particularly public libraries to buy from individual companies. It is a complicated and bureaucratic system but it is not practical for a library to buy from hundreds of different producers. The key to sales really is getting reviews and notice from trusted sources because for the most part libraries do not have the time to preview a lot of titles. In general places like Mid West tape in particular are your friends not your competition.
On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 5:06 PM, Randy Pitman <[email protected]>wrote: > Hi Gary, > > I can sympathize with the “tough business” remark. But libraries are not > at fault for the realities of the marketplace, which they had no real hand > in creating. The longstanding fact is that no library pays full retail for > the latest Stephen King novel. And there’s no difference with DVD/Blu-ray: > libraries who are not buying from Amazon, Baker & Taylor, Midwest, etc. > *when the title is available in retail and discount priced"* are not being > very wise stewards of taxpayer monies, plain and simple. > > Best, > > Randy > > Randy Pitman > Publisher/Editor > Video Librarian > 3435 NE Nine Boulder Dr. > Poulsbo, WA 98370 > Tel: (360) 626-1259 > Fax (360) 626-1260 > E-mail: [email protected] > Web: www.videolibrarian.com > > *From:* gary jenkins <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, August 31, 2012 12:10 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [Videolib] self distribution > > I produced a film about slave life in Missouri. I once had a guy work > off a list of midwest and African American studies librarians (Richard > Dill) and he worked like crazy and he is a good sales guy who wants to get > into the doc film business. He did not sell one of my films about slave > life and culture in Missouri. I did have some unexplained sales on Amazon > (7-8) during that time. > > I sold my film on slave life to a local library and then did a film about > the Underground Railroad on the Missouri Kansas border that was of higher > production values. I submitted it to the same buyer and he did not buy it. > When I asked, he really did not have a reason, and advised this is a "tough > business." > > He is right about that. When libraries buy from Amazon, the film producer > gets a very small royalty. > > Gary Jenkins > www.lifedocumentaries.com > 4442 Fairmount > Kansas City, Missouri 64111 > 816-931-3535 > 816-931-2908 (fax) > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Rachel Gordon <[email protected]> > *To:* video lib listserv <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Friday, August 31, 2012 6:29 AM > *Subject:* [Videolib] self distribution > > Self-distribution…ah…one of the most complicated things to explain to > someone just starting to figure things out. But please tell this person > that the good thing about education is that you can take your time to > figure things out. Unlike other markets, you can go slow and ask as many > questions as you want because there is longer usage of your content in > education than in the commercial environment. > The first thing I’d say to anyone is that if you’re not willing to devote > at least a year to it – either by yourself or with an assistant or intern – > that you basically want to go with a distributor. > Some time ago I wrote an article for Shooting People on whether to choose > self-distribution or not. I’m not suggesting to read it because I wrote > it, but because it gives a sense of the investment they are in for. > Best of luck! > Rachel > Rachel Gordon > Energized Films > ***www.energizedfilms.com* <http://www.energizedfilms.com/> > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic > control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in > libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as > an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of > communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video > producers and distributors. > > > ------------------------------ > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic > control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in > libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as > an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of > communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video > producers and distributors. > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic > control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in > libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as > an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of > communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video > producers and distributors. > >
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
