Lessons from The Butterfly Tattoo

Phil Hawkins has been drawing lessons from his low/micro-budget adaptation of Philip Pullmans’ novel, The Butterfly Tattoo. Phil’s sales agent negotiated a limited theatrical + DVD release in the USA and the film has sold to several other territories. As we’ve come to expect it has not sold to the UK.
But now the film is being illegally downloaded in very large numbers – already more than 200,000. Phil writes about this, taking the line that it’s inevitable and that filmmakers have to learn how to connect with this – and how that’s difficult if you are looked into a conventional sales and distribution deal.
His post has generated at least 30 comments. There’s much food for thought here as well as some very good ideas and suggestions. Check it out at:
http://philmmaker.tumblr.com/post/120631058/two-years-work-downloaded-in-six-minutes

Tags: British independent film, DIY Distribution, Film distribution, low budget filmmaking, Media Studies, Phil Hawkins, Philip Pullman, The Buttefly Tattoo