2 Reasons: Sell Movie's Script Before Its Release

A movie is a success. The movie producers then thinks of selling the scripts, or screenplays as a way to monetise it even further. So why then are we selling our movie’s script, even before the movie has gone into production? Would people feel like watching the movie after they have read the script? Would someone not steal it? Ever since I made the eBook version of Munnariv available on Amazon, I have been getting these questions.

Here are two reasons why I believe selling the movie’s script even before calling action is a good thing, in particular for my debut feature.

1. Raise Funds

This might not apply to all films. But it definitely is for Munnariv and could be a strategy for simialr micro budget feature films. We are yet to reach the budgeted amount of ₹5.6 lakhs. We are short of ₹88,387, mainly for postproduction. We are 8 days away from starting production.

To sell the eBook of a movie script, for ₹99, that too of a movie that no one has seen, and expect its royalty payments (which comes to around ₹54) to reach ₹88,387, it could be a far fetched idea. I do not know. I have never sold a book. If it were to, then 1,637 people would have to buy that eBook for ₹99.

2. Awareness

Our film is a small film that talks of big ideas. The story happens predominantly in one room. The crew is small, most of whom have been working in their fields for some years, but this would be their debut feature. I am a debut feature film writer, director and producer. The cast (though hugely experienced) is unknown. There is no possibility of a theatre release, but self distribution. How then do we find our audience?

Say someone comes to know that such and such a group of passionate people are making a Malayalam indie movie called Munnariv, on an iPhone. They search online for it. What will they land on? What information are they going to get? This is why for a micro budget movie like ours, it is absolutely essential to explore all possible avenues of brining the word into the world.

Someone who bought the book, read the whole thing, and has fallen in love with it, would they not want to watch the movie as well? I feel they would. We may in fact be building potential viewers for the movie. What a wonderful possibility!

Disclaimer

I realise I might be a bit too optimistic. I am still only learning about the marketplace, and how to make a living in that market, following my passion. But that is the point is it not, to do, make mistakes and learn. I believe so.

All that said, do not get me wrong. I get people who do not want to know the story before watching the movie. After all there is something to be said of going into a black hall with no idea what we are going to see and then to be awestruck by it. Absolutely. Ah, maybe I may even write an article on “2 Reasons Why Not To Sell A Movie’s Script Before Its Release”.

The Insecure Me

Maybe we will make the 1,637 sales, or maybe not even one will buy. Maybe someone will buy after the movie is released, or maybe not. Maybe 10 years down the line people will buy, or maybe not.

Putting myself out there is scary, the risk of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of public failure. But it is a risk I feel is worth taking.

The Excited Me

By the way, this is my first book ever to be published. So I am finally a published author! This in itself is a big deal to me.

When I got the mail from Amazon saying that my book has been published, I did not open that mail for some time. I do not know why. I was sort of scared. It felt like opening my first payslip. Exciting and scary at the same time.

That there is another step. Taking one step at a time, let’s steadily march ahead.