How do you get people to put down their phones and go to a movie theater? Producer Miranda Bailey has been wrestling with that question for some time and has some answers for emerging producers.
Bailey produced one of this year's Sundance favorites Swiss Army Man (yes, the farting corpse movie) and, this month, brought comedian Mike Birbiglia's Don't Think Twice to theaters nationwide.
While she was initially wary about launching two movies back-to-back, she wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of working with Birbiglia after falling in love with his first film, Sleepwalk with Me.
"I really wanted to make his next movie," she tells me. "He could have sent me a blank script."
Fortunately, he sent her pages for a movie set in the world of improv comedy. Don't Think Twice is a humorous and heartfelt look at the camaraderie and jealousy that festers among an improv comedy troupe when two members get an audition for a Saturday Night Live-esque television show.
In a market where small films are competing with "Netflix and chill" and Pokémon Go, Bailey knew she needed to offer audiences more than just two hours of entertainment and grant her talent as much creative control as possible.
Don't Think Twice opened with the highest per-screen average box office in 2016, beating out Woody Allen's Cafe Society. Here are some of the secrets to Bailey's producing strategy.
Personalized Distribution
Bailey knew that to get ahold of the best film projects, she needed to offer her talent something extra. She founded a distribution company, The Film Arcade, which allowed her to offer filmmakers a personalized way to get films into theaters.
"You spend four years getting a film made and then you sell it," she explains. "The distributor tells you that your opinion matters, but they don't have to do anything you say. I thought it would be great to set up a distribution company that collaborated with filmmakers throughout the release of their film."
Talent with a Following
Marketing budgets for smaller films don't always put butts in theater seats. More and more, producers are chasing talent that has a following on social media.
"I wanted to find a filmmaker who had an audience and was excited to do the work to get them into the theater, Bailey says.
Birbiglia starred in and directed the film, and also promoted it constantly to his fans on social media, which is no small deal considering he has nearly half a million followers on Twitter. Bailey also produced the film alongside NPR personality Ira Glass, who gave the film an even larger social media presence.
In-Theater Experience
Not only did Birbiglia draw online attention, he also traveled from city to city to teach improv classes and do Q&As after select screenings.
"From the beginning, we set out to create a unique experience for both Mike's fans and indie film fans. We mapped out a cross country tour that generated tremendous press and word of mouth that helped launch the film so successfully," says Bailey.
The result? One of the highest opening weekend per-screen averages of all time.
Don't Think Twice is currently in theaters nationwide and also stars Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Gillian Jacobs (Netflix's Love), Kate Micucci (Garfunkel & Oates), Tami Sagher (writer on Girls and Inside Amy Schumer) and Chris Gethard (The Chris Gethard Show).