Most independent films don’t fail because they’re bad
— they fail because they’re invisible.
Even powerful stories can be overlooked if they don’t reach the right people with the right message at the right time.
You finished a film. First of all — congrats!
That already puts you ahead of 99% of people who just “talk about it.”
Now comes the part no one prepares you for:
How do you actually make sure someone sees it?
Not just “upload it,”
but actually find a real audience — buyers, viewers,
even just one person who says, “This hit me.”
I’m Pavel Starikin — entrepreneur, producer, investor, and distributor since 2007. I made my first 25-minute film Cheers, Maestro! and spent over $80,000 on it. We poured our hearts into that project, and when it was done — we won awards, we screened at Cannes.
And yet, the only real distribution offer I got was $25 per minute. That’s $625 total. Like selling apples — by the kilo. That’s when I realized: something was wrong with the system. And I had to figure out distribution myself — from the ground up.
I spent $80,000. Got offered $625.
I’m not talking at you as an “expert.” I’ve been through this myself.
Festival — silence. Streaming — 113 views. Emails — unread.
That’s when I realized: distribution isn’t about launching.
It’s about being understood.
Here’s the path I’d suggest — and what we do with every project we take on:
1. Start by figuring out what your film is really about
Big studios hire script doctors to make stories “more universal.”
But we? We have something stronger — truth.
It’s not about genre or demographics. It’s about emotional resonance.
Not “women 25–35” —
but “people who felt invisible after a breakup.” Or “someone afraid to say they’re burnt out.”
That’s where we begin.
We uncover that emotional core — then build the logline, poster, trailer, promo texts —
not for “everyone,” but for the right ones.
2. Next — festivals (if it fits)
Why? Because recognition matters.
Buyers take you more seriously if your film has laurels.
But we help you pick the right ones — not just burn your budget on prestige.
3. Or — straight to buyers
We have warm contacts with real buyers and sales agents.
We don’t spam. We pitch your project only where it fits.
If someone bites — we help close the deal.
If not? No shame. We keep moving.
4. Then — streaming (but not just “upload and hope”)
We place films through platforms like Filmhub, Dash to Amazon, Tubi, our own LSN page, and others.
But here’s the truth: just being “on a platform” means nothing if no one watches.
Which brings us to…
5. Promo. The real kind.
Not “post and pray.”
We’re talking ad campaigns, audience segmentation, emotional messaging, hooks that actually pull people in.
We write the texts. We design the path. We track what works. We adjust.
Seen films get bought.
Could you do this on your own? Sure.
But if you want help — we’re here.
Since 2015, we’ve been running our own festivals, building a system to support indie filmmakers — not just artistically, but strategically.
Most creatives are far from sales. I get it. But without visibility and monetization, future projects struggle. Sure, you might find grant support — and that’s great. But we focus on what comes next:
We help your film get seen. By the right audience. By buyers. Because seen films get bought.
If you’re ready to explore what your project can become — let me take a look.
We didn’t learn distribution from theory. We learned it from $80K and silence.
If you send us your film or script, we’ll take a real look — and tell you honestly: is there a real path forward?
No hype. Just a human answer.
And if you want, we’ll walk that path together.
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