IFH 458: How to Sell Your Indie Film and Yourself with Alec Trachtenberg

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Today on the show we have independent film producer, author, and sales consultant Alec Trachtenberg. With over a decade of experience building and managing the sales teams of some of the most cutting-edge technology startups, Alec has worked with major companies, such as Airbnb, Sony Pictures, Netflix, and Amazon. He has directly generated millions of dollars in revenue for a variety of companies in the technology and entertainment sectors, including Surkus, MomentFeed, and Entercom. He has taken his sales knowledge and skills and written and published Lights, Camera, Sell: Sales Techniques for Independent Filmmakers. Here's a bit about the book. Film producer and sales consultant Alec Trachtenberg argues that one must adopt a sales mindset in order to be successful as an independent filmmaker. By highlighting a variety of sales strategies that have worked for him in the world of startup technology companies, Alec shows how you can use the same sales strategies in every stage of filmmaking. Whether you are a budding freelance cinematographer searching for your next gig, a first-time director ready to shoot your first feature-film, or an indie producer acquiring funding for your next project, Lights, Camera, Sell will teach you how to succeed through strategic sales techniques used by cutting-edge tech startup companies. Walking you through the five stages of the sales process, Alec shows you relevant case studies involving a variety of scenarios in the low-budget independent filmmaking process. Alec will teach you how to: Prospect a screenwriter and option a feature-length screenplay Lead a discovery call with a prospective domestic distributor Demonstrate value with a powerful pitch deck to a financier Close a deal with a non-union actor by creating an initial talent agreement outline Resolve conflicts with crew members by understanding the principles of relationship success Lights, Camera, Sell will debunk the negative myths surrounding salespeople formed by our media and society, reveal best practices on asking the right questions, explain how to present your ideas and services in a compelling way, and more. Enjoy my conversation with Alec Trachtenberg.