"Think of your film as content. Do you think your film would be a good source for a book based on it? Lifeway owns B&H Publishing and can make that a reality. Or how about a small group Bible study based on themes from your film? Lifeway can accomplish that too. Would you like to get your film screened at churches? Lifeway can do. Of course you want to sell your film on DVD; Lifeway is the second largest chain of Christian bookstores in the US."
B&H Publishing is a division of Lifeway (http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com). How can they help you as a filmmaker? They can create a book based on your film. Like any publisher, your relative value is based on the size and level of engagement of your audience. The larger and more engaged your audience, the better for you. This is another reason why it's important to build the broadest platform you can for your film. The are going to be looking to your platform as the first, and perhaps primary, sales channel for your book. A great film carries weight; but a great film along with a great communications platform carries great weight.
What other sales outlet do you think is important for B&H? Lifeway Stores! And B&H/Lifeway have created a great promotion. B&H creates a $5 retail book based on your film and it's sold through Lifeway. They sell a lot of $5 books. They use it to cross promote your film.
The theme of your Christian film can be great material for a small group study. But publishers work a year or more out. It's important to start the conversation well in advance of the completion of your film. Publishers will usually want to start selling the small group study in close proximity to the release of your film. Think of how cool the study will be with the text accompanied by scenes from your film that set up/advance/close the study... A real multi-media spectacle.
And Lifeway has a great database of churches that may went to buy your small group study (of course individuals or small group leaders will want your study as well). Think about having your film run in a church and then the church uses your small group study in the weeks afterward… More on that next time.
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