You’ve Made Your Film, Now What? A Distribution Discussion With Michael Kuehnert

Join Michael Kuehnert, Director of Acquisitions at Video Project, and Emmett Williams, Director of the St. Louis International Film Festival, for a practical discussion on today’s rapidly changing documentary distribution landscape. Over the past 14 years, Michael has acquired more than 250 documentary films and has consulted with well over 1,000 filmmakers about their distribution strategies, goals, and impact ambitions. As funding sources, educational markets, and public media continue to evolve, filmmakers must rethink how they bring their work to audiences.

This interactive session will explore the current state of documentary distribution, the importance of sequencing distribution windows, developing effective impact campaigns, navigating PBS opportunities, lessons from successful producers, and common contract pitfalls to avoid. The presentation will conclude with an open Q&A.

Topics will include:

• The current distribution landscape
• The importance of distribution sequencing
• Impact campaigns
• PBS options and strategies
• Stories from successful producers
• Contracts and pitfalls