Jon Reiss
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JON REISS Named one of “10 Digital Directors to Watch” by Daily Variety, Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker whose experience releasing his documentary feature, Bomb It with a hybrid strategy was the inspiration for writing Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution in the Digital Era, the first step-by-step guide for filmmakers to distribute and market their films. In that book he created the concept of the Producer of Marketing and Distribution (PMD) in order create a new crew member who would be in charge of a film’s audience engagment and release. He recently co-wrote Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul.



Reiss also works as a consultant helping filmmakers with their distribution and marketing strategies. He has worked with and consulted for IFP, the Sundance Institute, Screen Australia, Film Independent, Creative Scotland, The South Australian Film Corporation and numerous film schools and festivals to devise ways to educate and help independent filmmakers in the new economic landscape. He has conducted his TOTBO Workshops over three continents i and is the year round distribution and marketing lab leader at the IFP Filmmaker Labs. He also teaches at the Film Directing Program at Cal Arts.



His previous documentary feature films are Better Living Through Circuitry, a startling, humorous and entertaining glimpse into the exploding rave culture and Cleopatra’s Second Husband, a dark psychological drama. Reiss has also directed videos for Nine Inch Nails, The Black Crowes, Danzig, Slayer, and the Kottonmouth Kings. Reiss’ “Happiness in Slavery” video for Nine Inch Nails won awards at the Chicago and San Francisco film festivals and was voted Top Ten by the Village Voice Critics Poll for Best Music Video.



Jon Reiss’ early credits also include four hour-long documentaries concerning the notorious performance group Survival Research Laboratories which were included on a compilation 10 Years of Robotic Mayhem. Reiss got his start in filmmaking at Target Video, a San Francisco based alternative video company where he covered much of the West Coast punk explosion.



Reiss is working on two more book projects: the first is devoted to the PMD, the second book takes the structure of distribution and marketing outlined in TOTBO and applies it to all the art forms. Reiss also contributes to Filmmaker Magazine, Huffington Post, Indiewire, Screen Daily, Moviemaker Magazine and other publications.





For more information go to: www.jonreiss.com



FB: www.facebook.com/reiss.jon



Twitter: www.twitter.com/Jon_Reiss



Email: jon@jonreiss.com

Blog Entries by Jon Reiss

Jennifer Fox's Reincarnation as an Artist Entrepreneur

3 Comments | Posted October 28, 2011 | 11:38:57 (EST)

I recently had the pleasure to speak with documentary filmmaker Jennifer Fox regarding her latest film My Reincarnation, which opens in New York and Los Angeles on October 28th before screening in theaters worldwide. A comprehensive screenings calendar is available here.

Filmed over 20 years, My Reincarnation is...

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Exciting Times in Park City

Posted January 29, 2011 | 11:30:28 (EST)

I just returned from Park City where I had the pleasure to judge the Slamdance Documentary Competition. I saw some compelling and inspiring work. Being a judge forced me to actually see films at a film festival for the first time in two years since embarking on the TOTBO project...

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Obsession, Genius, or Both: Thoughts on Exit Through the Gift Shop

Posted April 15, 2010 | 15:51:09 (EST)

If you are interested in the creative process and/or freedom of expression and/or the role of media manipulation in consumer culture (as I would suppose 99.9% of you are) then Exit Through the Gift Shop is a must see movie. Since there is no video release or day...

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Re-Connecting Audiences and Filmmakers, Part 2

Posted January 19, 2010 | 10:21:42 (EST)

In last week's post I gave my first five out of 10 suggested ways that audiences can connect with filmmakers. Here are my second five suggestions for how audiences can engage with and help support independent film as we work our way through the current distribution crisis.

...
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Re-Connecting Audiences and Filmmakers, Part 1

Posted January 13, 2010 | 11:39:08 (EST)

Much has been written about the collapse of the distribution model for independent films in this country and around the world. There seems to be a general consensus that an audience for independent film (and independent voices) still exists (and much of that audience is you!) What seems to be...

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A Christmas (and Hanukah) List to Help Save Independent Film

Posted December 17, 2009 | 12:04:49 (EST)

Much has been written about the current crises in independent film. Studios run by corporations increasingly view their specialty divisions as a hobby, and have been eliminating them one by one. DVD sales are down. The internet is struggling to monetize.

However, it is an exciting time because it...

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The Age of Stupid Is the Future of Film

Posted September 21, 2009 | 12:03:10 (EST)

One of the most important films of the year (perhaps decade) is about to be released. Take note. While this film is about the collective future of humanity, this film is equally or more important because it represents the future of film, film culture and film distribution and marketing.

...
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The Beauty of Graffiti

Posted April 24, 2007 | 17:45:13 (EST)

I was extremely excited when I got this opportunity to blog on Huffington Post not only because I am an avid reader and fan of the site - but because I feel that people who read the Huffington Post would be a natural audience for my film Bomb It about...

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