Personal Video Distribution

Don't forget do-it-yourself distribution as a legitimate way to get your productions seen by others.

Uncle Al's Ab Workout, Mike Jones' Kickin' Karate and The Beach Babe Experiment. Three of the hundreds of successfully marketed low-budget videos available on the market today. Never heard of them? Well, neither have many people. But the tapes have sold enough copies to keep the producers busy making more. What's their secret? Personal distribution.

Not to be confused with the high-cost world of commercial video distribution, which is full of contracts, release dates, recoupment levels, ad commitments, royalties, etc., personal video distribution is a way of reaching select audiences to view your work--at low to no cost. It allows the communication of your ideas, thoughts and feelings to specific individuals or groups that express interest in topics your productions address. I must forewarn you: personal video distribution will not bring you worldwide notoriety or fame. Just examine the list at the beginning of this article for proof. And your bank account won't overflow either.

What personal video distribution will do, however, is fulfill the main reason for committing an image to tape--getting that image viewed by others. The following is a list of methods for placing your productions in the public eye, arousing interest and opinions, good or bad, sparking discussions and, most importantly, getting…