100,000 dollars, can it be true?

There's a young man in the UK with a knack for conversions who left this hysterical video reply about Four Eyed Monsters.

The central question, did Susan and Arin really rack up $100K in debt?

Yes.

- Three years of paying NY living expenses, but not working paying jobs

- A feature length movie

- A series of video podcasts

- Pioneering self-distribution software for theatrical screenings

- Winning awards "valued" at $X, but with little to no cash value

- Countless hours of grassroots promotion and networking

- Promising payment to people who helped along the way 

All that adds up to the tidy sum of $100,000 and change.

How did Spout get involved? I met Arin at a film festival two years ago and, like so many people since then, instantly saw the potential of what they're doing. When Arin said they were posting the feature-length movie on YouTube and asked if we were interested in being the presenting sponsor, I actually responded with "what if we give you guys $1 for anybody who signs up at spout.com/foureyedmonsters?"

We want to grow a community and see another movie by these two. They want to get out of debt and make more films. The math works.

Re: 100,000 dollars, can it be true?

ha, that is a cute video reply. he must be what... 12? :-)

i personally wasn't suprised at all at the amount of debt. it takes a bunch of money to make films especially independently.

i think its great that spout is helping out!  very cool. 

F.E.M is such an awesome project. i can't wait till they are more films.

exciting!

Re: 100,000 dollars, can it be true?

Re: 100,000 dollars, can it be true?

analogzombie:

FOur Eyed Monsters won the Indiewire Undiscovered Gems Festival right? Since it's a festival meant to showcase films w/o distribution one would think part of the prize would be a distribution deal and/or cash towards debt incurred during production. If they didn't receive that then what's the point of the fest? Simply to help create a larger audience for the films involved?

Last winter FEM did win the Undiscovered Gems Festival. This included $100,000 prize, which was actually some sort of distribution deal *valued* at $100K, but didn't amount to cash. I am not sure what became of the deal, but it has yet to materialize.

Re: 100,000 dollars, can it be true?

I was working as a programmer for a non profit arthouse when FEM was released. Our deal with Emerging Pictures meant that we showcased the Undiscovered Gems Festival and when FEM won, we showed it again on Feb. 14th. We had many people driving from as far away as Charleston and Savannah to see it. It's a shame if they haven't received any sort of monetary prize for that achievement. Especially considering the money Emerging made (though small) on the specialized screenings.

 I do find it hopeful thought that FEM is paving the way for a new form of grassroots promotion and distribution much like the days of roadshowing, and before a film would open on 1000 screens at once. I only hope that they receive some financial benefit for their hardwork.