Help with How to Find Owners?

[Collectblu69]

Hello I'm trying to create a blu-ray company specializing in exploitation movies like Blue Underground, Vinegar Syndrome, etc, and I need help in trying to figure out my first step. What is my first step in locating the rights holders of old spaghetti westerns or grind house movies? Do I need to attend a film distribution conference and meet with sales agents? I've looked into the cost of 4k scans of 35mm negatives and it's affordable. I also know labs that do this but for the life of me I can't figure out what the first step as far as rights and setting up a deal. Thanks!

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Collectblu69

Hello I'm trying to create a blu-ray company specializing in exploitation movies like Blue Underground, Vinegar Syndrome, etc, and I need help in trying to figure out my first step. What is my first step in locating the rights holders of old spaghetti westerns or grind house movies? Do I need to attend a film distribution conference and meet with sales agents? I've looked into the cost of 4k scans of 35mm negatives and it's affordable. I also know labs that do this but for the life of me I can't figure out what the first step as far as rights and setting up a deal. Thanks!

Can't answer your question but be careful it's a cutthroat business and very easy to get duped.

[noirjunkie]

An IMDb Pro subscription would probably be useful. The site supplies a lot of industry contact information.

[Zygmunt22]

Make sure that you have enough capital to set up an LLC so as to have some type of buffer between your personal and business assets.

[SilentNight]

I had looked into this extensively over the past several years on and off. I have the capital to start an LLC as well. However, locating rights holders and all the other stuff that goes with it....no clue. To the point where I finally said screw it. I ran into brick walls every step of the way sorry to say.

Having said that, good luck and I would love to see another upstart business bring some of these long lost films back to the masses so to speak.

[Diabolik008]

I think that Euro horror/exploitation is less of a risk than westerns. Some of these rights holders are easy to find. Try Rewindfilm.it, the catalogue is on the website.

[lemonski]

Originally Posted by SilentNight

I had looked into this extensively over the past several years on and off. I have the capital to start an LLC as well. However, locating rights holders and all the other stuff that goes with it....no clue. To the point where I finally said screw it. I ran into brick walls every step of the way sorry to say.

Having said that, good luck and I would love to see another upstart business bring some of these long lost films back to the masses so to speak.

How much capital do you reckon it would take to do something like the OP is trying? Genuinely interested - I’d do it myself if I had any clue where to start.

[Diabolik008]

Originally Posted by lemonski

How much capital do you reckon it would take to do something like the OP is trying? Genuinely interested - I’d do it myself if I had any clue where to start.

I think it'll be around 15k.

I guess some labels get a deal for several movies from the same company. And that way they get the price down.

[SilentNight]

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

I think it'll be around 15k.

I guess some labels get a deal for several movies from the same company. And that way they get the price down.

from the numbers I ran, it would be significantly more. The rights to these movies aren't always that cheap. Plus, restoring and remastering, special features producing, artwork, cases blu-ray replication, employees (if you need any), insurance, business LLC / storefront.....the list goes on and on.

I was under the impression $500,000 would be a good jumping off point to get rolling. Even then, still not sure how to figure out rights holders and all that legal jargon that you have to wade through.

I suppose if Bill Olson can do it, anyone can with the right knowledge. I really REALLY wanted to get in with Vinegar Syndrome as an investor / producer with my own sub label so to speak. Hell I still would love to do it.

[Diabolik008]

Originally Posted by SilentNight

from the numbers I ran, it would be significantly more. The rights to these movies aren't always that cheap. Plus, restoring and remastering, special features producing, artwork, cases blu-ray replication, employees (if you need any), insurance, business LLC / storefront.....the list goes on and on.

I was under the impression $500,000 would be a good jumping off point to get rolling. Even then, still not sure how to figure out rights holders and all that legal jargon that you have to wade through.

I suppose if Bill Olson can do it, anyone can with the right knowledge. I really REALLY wanted to get in with Vinegar Syndrome as an investor / producer with my own sub label so to speak. Hell I still would love to do it.

With 500k I guess you can release at least 30 films.
It also depends what kind of films we're talking about. Really obscure stuff or more well known genre films.

Costs for transfer and duplication can be calculated. For the cost of the rights you could contact some of these European companies such as REWINDFILM or VARIETY.

Alot of the Code Red stuff is in the Variety catalogue.

I would be really interested to know what it would cost to get SMILE BEFORE DEATH (Rosalba Neri) from Minerva. That's one of the great unreleased gialli.

[30hertzrumble]

I would love to document the obstacles you face trying to get this off the ground. It would make for an interesting series of articles.

[SilentNight]

seriously, I am still quite interested in this as well. I assume that Vinegar Syndrome would restore as they are an "in house" restoration company. I don't want to speak for them however. But when I think of top tier releases regardless of quality of the actual movie, they are the kings.

[GeoffOliver]

I obviously am in no position to do something like this if I even wanted, but I’d say you might need help from a distributor like Kino to get handle sales, stock, etc.

[Todd Tomorrow]

It’s a little naive to think it’s a business you can just jump into. If you have to ask a question like this on a home entertainment forum, you are a far way from your goal.

People who start their own labels usually have worked for another label or in a related business for a long time. There are so many aspects you have to know about, from the business side, to the technical side to costumer care, to marketing to what staff to hire and much more. That is something you have to learn over years. It takes more than the desire to release your favourite flicks on disc.

[DukeTogo84]

If you have the capital, I would say maybe try to work with a label that already exists. Like Arrow, Kino, Shout!, Scorpion, etc.

[SilentNight]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

If you have the capital, I would say maybe try to work with a label that already exists. Like Arrow, Kino, Shout!, Scorpion, etc.

I actually reached out to pretty much all of them several years ago via email. The only one to respond was Vinegar Syndrome.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

If you have the capital, I would say maybe try to work with a label that already exists. Like Arrow, Kino, Shout!, Scorpion, etc.

Why would you hand thousands of dollars over to them and why would they be interested in working with someone totally inexperienced.

[Zygmunt22]

Originally Posted by Diabolik008

I think it'll be around 15k.

I guess some labels get a deal for several movies from the same company. And that way they get the price down.

You could do a single title for that much, but we're talking a one-off title on a very low-level of obscurity that would be owned most likely by its producer. And it would be a lot more likely to happen in that financial ballpark if it was a US title...and we're assuming the elements were in decent shape.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Todd Tomorrow

Why would you hand thousands of dollars over to them and why would they be interested in working with someone totally inexperienced.

I'm sure these some of the companies could use investors. Not all of them are rolling in dough.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

I'm sure these some of the companies could use investors. Not all of them are rolling in dough.

The OP was asking about becoming an investor in an existing company. They also didn’t indicate that they themselves were rolling in money.