Indie Film Self Distribution in 5 Easy Steps | One Grand Film | Director Interview

Join my filmmaking community at https://skool.com/ogfilmskool/about

n this conversation, I sit down with Wes Clark, a 24-year-old filmmaker who's already made TWO feature films and is completely rethinking how indie filmmakers should distribute their work.

What We Cover:
• Why Wes turned down multiple "top-tier" indie distribution offers (and the math behind that decision)
• How he raised $80K for his first feature with cold emails
• The self-distribution strategy that's working (website, merch, DVDs, targeted ads)
• Why YouTube ads crush Instagram/Facebook for film marketing (real numbers included)
• Pennsylvania's 25% tax credit that nobody talks about
• How to make a feature film in 13 days with a crew of 10
• The "1000 True Fans" model applied to filmmaking
• His 2026 plan: a YouTube series that reimagines how shows get funded

Key Takeaways:

Traditional distributors take 40-50% + expenses (often $10K-$20K upfront)
One merch sale = 5-6 fewer film rentals needed to break even
YouTube ad cost: as low as 1 penny per 10 website visits
The best festival strategy for micro-budget filmmakers
Why building your own audience matters more than going viral
Wes Clark's Films:
"How to Start a Cult in Five Easy Steps" - Available now at https://www.howtostartacultin5-easyst...
"The Psychic Files" - Coming 2026

CONNECT WITH WES:
YouTube:    / @wesclarkfilm  
Instagram:   / awesclarkfilm  
Website: https://www.howtostartacultin5-easyst...

CONNECT WITH ME:
One Grand Film Skool: https://skool.com/ogfilmskool/about
OGF on IG:   / onegrandfilm  


MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
• Mark Toia's "Monsters of Man" distribution case study https://www.skool.com/ogfilmskool/sel...
• Kevin Kelly's "1000 True Fans" article https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-...
• Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit program
• FilmHub, Bitmax (aggregators discussed)
• Quiver Distribution
• Indie Film Hustle podcast

#filmmaking #indiefilm #filmdistribution #filmmaker #moviemaking #selfdistribution #featurefilm #filmproduction #microbudgetfilm #filmmarketing