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From the "People" Archives: Buyer Profile: Howard Cohen and Eric d'Arbeloff, Roadside Attractions
Howard Cohen BACKGROUND: Has been a film and television professional for more than twenty years (since 1982), mostly in independent film production and distribution. My significant stints were as Head of Independent Packaging and International at UNITED TALENT AGENCY from 1996 - 2003; and Head of Acquisitions and a production executive for The Samuel Goldwyn Company from 1987 - 1994. I also worked at Turner Network Television as a development exec '94 - '96, and at Paramount in NY in 1984-85 when they first started acquiring films, such as CROCODILE DUNDEE. I graduated from Harvard College in 1981 with a Bachelor's Degree in English. MOST IMPORTANT FILM FESTIVALS: Sundance, Cannes and Toronto. These are still the "big three" in terms of having films that are both high quality and have theatrical potential. Berlin and Venice would be the next tier, especially for foreign films. Other festivals are slowly coming on the acquisitions radar such as LAFF, Tribeca, SXSW, AFI, and Cinevegas, although they have only tended to have one or two world premieres of films with theatrical potential each year. FAVORITE FILMS OF THE LAST THREE YEARS: "Dirty Pretty Things, " "Far From Heaven," "The Woodsman," "My Architect," "School of Rock," "Monster," "Tadpole" RECENT FILMS INVOLVED WITH ACQUIRING: "Super Size Me," "Remember Me, My Love," "Walk On Water" TYPES OF FILMS COMPANY LOOKS FOR: English-language features, foreign-language features, and documentaries. We like films that are smart, unique, and well-made, but especially films with a "willingness to entertain" as we describe it. We also like films that speak to a specific niche, such as black, Latino, Asian, gay films, etc. that may be underserved niches and have real marketplace potential. HOW TO GET THE ATTENTION OF BUYERS: Get the film in to a significant film festival, and/or get a reputable producer's rep. WRONG WAY TO GET ATTENTION: Sending random e-mails and letters to us. I think it's the rare exception that a film with theatrical potential doesn't come from a significant film festival and/or a reputable producer's rep. There are few great films completely under a bushel; it's just my experience. The eight or 10 well-known producer reps out there have pretty good instincts. If they all pass I probably will, too. Again there are exceptions, but I don't put a lot of energy into chasing those rare exceptions. GENERAL THOUGHTS: Independent filmmakers should focus 100 percent of their energy on making a great film first and foremost until it's in the can, assuming they are making the film with independent money. THEN think about distribution, marketing, representation, and the industry stuff. I think filmmakers can get too caught up in the business of film before they've really accomplished their first goal, which should be making the film.
Eric d'Arbeloff BACKGROUND: Former independent producer of films including "Lovely & Amazing" and "Trick." I have a BA in English from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard. MOST IMPORTANT FILM FESTIVALS: The biggest challenge for us is to find interesting English-language narrative films that we think will perform at the box office. The three most important festivals are Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto. FAVORITE FILMS OF THE LAST THREE YEARS: "American Splendor," "L.I.E.," "Dirty Pretty Things" RECENT FILMS INVOLVED WITH ACQUIRING: "Super Size Me," "Walk on Water," "Remember Me, My Love" TYPES OF FILMS COMPANY LOOKS FOR: We are open to anything that we think is good. We tend to like films that have a willingness to entertain, be they comedies or serious dramas. HOW TO GET THE ATTENTION OF BUYERS: We like to work with reputable producer's reps. WRONG WAY TO GET ATTENTION: I think it's mostly about common sense. The only thing that bothers me is when people don't take "no" for an answer or expect that I owe them an in depth analysis of why I'm passing. So much of this is about instinct. GENERAL THOUGHTS: I think it's an exciting time for independent film. I was very inspired by "Lost In Translation" -- first by the film's success, second by the filmmakers' ability to get so much production value from a low budget, and third by the international outlook and setting of the film. I hope we see other American independent filmmakers take those kind of risks. | |
