Hammad Zaidi

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – SMALLISH FILMS FEASTED (AGAIN) AT THE 87TH ACADEMY AWARDS! Welcome to Going Bionic #255, otherwise known as our annual post-Oscar analysis of how Hollywood’s biggest night affects the indie film landscape. Luckily for all indie …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – ANALYZING ALL $266 MILLION SHADES OF GREY WORLDWIDE! Welcome to Going Bionic #254. Today we’re analyzing Fifty Shades of Grey, which as you may well know, crushed all Valentines Day weekend records.  In addition to reporting on the film’s …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – METEORIC RISE OF “AMERICAN SNIPER” Welcome to Going Bionic #253. Today we’re scoping the most financially successful war film of all time, American Sniper. The controversial picture, which is based on Chris Kyle’s bestselling autobiography, smashed all …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – SUNDANCE 2015 SPRINGS LIFE INTO INDEPENDENT CINEMA VALUES! Welcome to the 252nd edition of Going Bionic. Today we’re discussing the scorching-hot sales market at Sundance 2015. But, before we discuss America’s most significant film festival, Id like to …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER! Greetings from Singapore and welcome to Going Bionic #251. By the time this article publishes, I’ll be up in the air headed back to Los Angeles after a four country, …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – TIME SAVING STRATEGIES WHEN DEALING WITH INVESTORS! Welcome to Going Bionic #249. I hope the promise of the New Year has doused you with enough optimism and relentless fervor to capture your cinematic dreams in …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – WHAT FILM BUYERS ARE CRAVING IN 2015… Happy New Year and welcome to Going Bionic #248. With 2015 upon us, new trends are emerging from distributors and buyers regarding what types of independent films they …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – WELCOME TO OUR 2014 YEAR-IN-REVIEW! Hey, filmmakers! Welcome to Going Bionic #247, aka our Year-In-Review. 2014 has proved to be quite memorable in the motion picture industry. While indie films dominated the 86th Academy Awards, mega-blockbuster-driven …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – PUTTING A FORK IN THE HORRIFIC 2014 BOX OFFICE! Hey filmmakers. Welcome to the 246th edition of Going Bionic. First and foremost, I’d like to wish everyone Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza, …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FEATURE FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – NOTE TO SELF: HOW TO DEAL WITH BAD NOTES! Welcome to Going Bionic #245. Today we’re exploring three quick ways on how to field horrific notes on your scripts or feature films, without jumping …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – INDIE BUDGET “SWEET SPOTS!” Welcome to Going Bionic #244. With 2014 settling into our rear view mirror in three weeks and a few days, today is the perfect time to help you jumpstart your 2015 …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – FINANCE KILLERS!!! Welcome to Going Bionic #243. I trust you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and if you applied to Sundance, I hope you had something extra to be thankful for over the holiday weekend (in the form …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES ARE ‘HUNGRIER’ FOR THE HUNGER GAMES! Welcome to Going Bionic #242. Today we’re feasting on The Hunger Games ”Mockingjay, Part 1” and how its immense international appeal just trumped less than magical domestic earnings over its …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – DUMB AND (NOT SO) DUMBER TO RULES THE BOX OFFICE Before you rub your eyes to make sure they’re not deceiving you, it’s true: Dumb and Dumber To stumbled its way past Disney’s Big Hero 6 and …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – GREETINGS FROM AFM 2014! Welcome to Going Bionic #240. Before we analyzing the trends emerging from the soon-to-be-winding down American Film Market, I’d like to first thank all Veterans for their service, and wish them a …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – NINJA TURTLES DOMINATE WORLDWIDE! At first glance, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may not seem like they would be a candidate for worldwide box office domination, even with their unmatched agility, enviable powers and lethal …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ACQUIRING LIFE RIGHTS Welcome to Going Bionic, #238. Today we’re tackling the overtly treacherous world of acquiring life story rights. I’ve acquired a handful of life story rights since 1993, …

GOING BIONIC: DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY – CHINA HELPS “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY” ORBIT THE TOP OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE Welcome to Going Bionic #237. Before we get started this week, I’d just like to express how utterly shocked I …

GOING BIONIC – DISTRIBUTING INDEPENDENT FILMS INTERNATIONALLY : THE YOUNGER, HIPPER DRAMA GENRE! Welcome to Going Bionic, #236. Today we’re discussing how the formula to make a successful drama has shifted from needing established stars with healthy budgets, to showcasing rising stars …