I’m at the Austin Film Festival. I’ve found at other film festivals that panel discussions can be really hit or miss. Often conversations can meander around filmmakers saying the same things, although they may be good things like "Don’t give up making film," but nonetheless the same things. I’ve found the panel discussions here to be lively with a lot of audience dialog happening.

What is the most passionate dialog about? Two words: Marketing, Distribution.

Everybody is watching what Mark Cuban is up to. Filmmakers like Alex Smith and Adam Rifkin reiterating that filmmaking is two giant hurdles. 1 hurdle is making the film. Once the film is made the next and more unpredictable hurdle is getting through the gate for a film to reach an audience.

Everybody is searching for an alternative avenue to find an audience.

More later.