The Truth About Making Money from Indie Films: An Interview with Clay Moffatt
Clay Moffatt wears many hats when it comes to making Indie films. Don’t believe me? Just check out his IMDB page! From writing, producing, directing, acting, camera work, composing, and everything else you can imagine, it’s a miracle he has time for anything else.
But I was able to catch up to him and ask him questions about his take on making money in the Indie film industry.
FADE IN+: How did you first get into filmmaking, and what kind of films do you typically create?
CLAY MOFFATT: I’ve been passionate about filmmaking since I was 9 years old. As I grew and continued to learn, I realized that it could be more than a hobby or just a fun time with friends. I eventually went to school for film, but ultimately decided to make my own path and see where it would take me. These days, I typically work on thriller projects. However, I also really enjoy making horror and action films.
FI+: What would you say defines your style or the types of stories you’re drawn to tell?
MOFFATT: My style is a blend of what I’ve enjoyed watching in the past and what I’ve learned works for me. I tend to write very dialogue-heavy films. Most of the stories I write are simple, but I like to add in something to complicate things.
FI+: How many films have you produced so far, and over what time span?
MOFFATT: I have been professionally distributing my films since 2016. In that time, I have released 15 features and 3 shorts. Shorts don’t earn much, so I usually stay away from them. Sometimes I just like the idea, though, and want to make it!
FI+: What’s been your most successful project so far—either financially or in terms of audience reach?
MOFFATT: My most successful films have been from my found footage series, The Last Five Days. Which is somewhat ironic because I also star in them, and they have been by far the cheapest to produce. Outside of found footage, my most successful film, both financially and in audience reach, has been The October Flowers.
FI+: If you don’t mind sharing, what is the typical budget for one of your films?
MOFFATT: That varies quite a bit, too. Like I said, found footage is generally much cheaper. On the majority of those films, I’m only paying for locations, gear, props, and then the typical stuff afterwards, like captions and advertising. Yeah, you can do captions yourself, but I’m usually burnt out when I finish up a film. Oh, and maybe a handful of actors/extras. So, honestly, it’s somewhere between $2,000-$5,000 for a film like that. On a much more elaborate action film featuring multiple sets, actors, makeup artists, and a composer, it’s way more expensive. I’ve done it for as little as $8,000, but it’s usually $10,000-$20,000. I don’t make many films like that, though!
FI+: You mentioned using Filmhub for distribution in a Facebook post—what made you choose that route?
MOFFATT: Filmhub is something I stumbled upon when they were very new. I was signing films away to other distributors and not seeing any revenue. I figured giving them a try couldn’t hurt. It didn’t take long to start earning money every month.
FI+: For someone new to indie filmmaking, how would you explain how Filmhub actually works?
MOFFATT: The way Filmhub works is pretty simple. You deliver everything they need to get your film released. That’s the main file, trailer, artwork, stills, captions, licenses, music cues, etc. They then list the film in their catalog for buyers from streaming platforms to see. Platforms that you, an individual, can’t just simply send an email to. Once a film gets picked up, it will go live about 90 days later, and you’ll start seeing insights and reports 90 days after that.
FI+: Which platforms have your films performed best on?
MOFFATT: Tubi has always performed the best for me. But Amazon, The Roku Channel, and Fandango also do very well.
FI+: Do you approach each platform differently, or is it more of a “distribute everywhere and see what happens” strategy?
MOFFATT: My approach is always just get the film out. However, you can! You can’t have success or make money just sitting on a film. For bigger releases, I will make sure to pay for plenty of advertising. Some platforms don’t pay very well and might not even be around in a year, but I’m still happy if they pick up any of my films. It’s more eyes, and it won’t hurt.
FI+: A lot of filmmakers are curious about money—what’s a realistic expectation for someone putting their first film on streaming platforms?
MOFFATT: It’s difficult to predict what a film will do financially. I think a realistic expectation is to hope you make your money back. Or investors’ money. Once you find your footing, that expectation can and will change. But you’re not going to become a millionaire from your first feature.
FI+: You mentioned in a FB post that some films make as little as $2/month while others make up to $250—what do you think separates those outcomes?
MOFFATT: Many things go into the success of a film that you may not have control over. The things you do have control over are the film title, artwork, trailer, and definitely some other things. But those are big. For example, the film, The Last House on the Street, continues to perform very well many years later. The title sounds just like a handful of other films, and it blends in and gets watched for that reason all the time. It has an attractive poster that fits the horror genre perfectly. But my trilogy of teenage spy movies, Pocketman and Cargoboy, The Rise of Sir Longbottom, and Wrath of the Viper Sniper don’t do well at all. I’m okay with that, though! I wanted to make them and name them that. They have a very specific audience and even stranger titles.
FI+: How long did it take before you started seeing consistent income from your films?
MOFFATT:I would say it probably took me about 2-3 years and releasing 5-6 films before I really started to see anything stable. This could vary greatly, though, for someone else.
FI+: You’ve said that Tubi doesn’t share much data—what kind of information do you wish they provided?
MOFFATT: When you partner with a distributor like Filmhub, they will provide reports. Usually monthly or quarterly. You’ll get access to how many minutes your films are being watched on various platforms. You can start to see trends. You will get an idea of what month is a good time to release a film or to pay for additional advertising. But after several years, Tubi still doesn’t provide that to Filmhub users. They just pay, and you don’t get those details. I have distributed with a few other companies, and it’s the exact same when it comes to Tubi. Except the pay is usually less because the distributor is taking a larger cut. Filmhub only takes 20%, which is much lower than anything else I’ve seen.
FI+: How important is analytics (views, watch time, audience behavior) to you as a filmmaker?
MOFFATT: Analytics and reporting are definitely important. Probably not as important as you might think. Audiences will change all the time for no real reason.
FI+: Have you ever changed your strategy or content based on performance data—or lack of it?
MOFFATT:Take this with a grain of salt. I change strategy all the time. I am very willing to try new things and see what sticks. I used to think around July was the best time to release a film, but now I think late September or early October is even better. There are months like January to stay away from. Advertising strategy can vary a lot, too. Each film is different, and just when you think you have it all figured out, you’ll get thrown a curveball.
FI+: What’s the most frustrating part of distributing films on current platforms?
MOFFATT: The most difficult part of film distribution is communication. Things take time, and the only one wanting progress right now is you. Your film is just one of many, many films being distributed around the same time. Distributors are just the middleman. I once had a film go live on Amazon with the wrong artwork, and it took weeks to get it fixed.
FI+: What’s worked best for you in getting people to actually watch your films?
MOFFATT: Sharing your films with other people, family, friends who will also share your films, is a great place to start. It’s free too! I use Facebook and Instagram to post clips, trailers, and stills as much as I can. Make sure to share with a link to the film if you can.
FI+: You’ve told me you have a YouTube video where you break down film revenue—what inspired you to make that, and what are the biggest takeaways filmmakers should know?
MOFFATT: Over the past few years, I have become active on YouTube simply because it’s another potential revenue stream. My business partner, Adam Berardi, and I met while working on Silver Woods. He acted, and I directed. We’ve stuck together over the years and really helped each other out. However, we didn’t have any help when it came to what to do after you finish a movie. So, after nearly a decade of being lied to, losing money, giving up rights, etc., we decided to share what we’ve learned in our series, Through the Lens. I’m very transparent and don’t understand why other filmmakers seem to keep everything a secret. Others’ success does not hurt your own.
FI+: Where can people currently find and watch your work?
MOFFATT:I currently have films streaming on Tubi, Amazon, Fawesome, Fandango, Google Play, The Roku Channel, and several other platforms! As mentioned above, I also have a YouTube channel for my production company, Overnight Pictures. My Tubi link is HERE, and my YouTube link is HERE.
FI+: If there were a platform built specifically for indie filmmakers that offered better transparency, monetization (ads + tipping), and discoverability—what would you want it to do differently from what exists today?
MOFFATT:I just wish everyone were more open. Filmmakers should get to see exactly where their money is coming from. It has gotten so much better over the last couple of years, but we’re not quite there! Tools like Filmhub are very beneficial, and I can’t recommend them enough if you haven’t tried them yet.
