How do you know if you’ve found a Joe Amodei—or a predatory film distributor?

That’s the question Christian Taylor explores in this episode of Documentary First: The Deep Dive, after her conversation with Joe Amodei—filmmaker, 40-year industry veteran, and owner of Virgil Films Entertainment (Supersize Me, Restrepo, Forks Over Knives). What struck her wasn’t just what Joe said about Cat Fest 2026—it was the warmth and trust in their conversation. In her experience, that kind of rapport between filmmaker and distributor is genuinely rare.

So she did some digging. What she found was both infuriating and clarifying: there’s no Better Business Bureau for film distribution. No government agency protecting filmmakers. No licensing board. The system that exists is word of mouth, peer networks, and a few dedicated nonprofits trying to shine a light in the darkness.

What You’ll Learn: - The 5 essential steps for vetting a film distributor before signing - Red flags that should make you walk away from any distribution deal - Why The Film Collaborative’s Distributor ReportCard is the closest thing to “Yelp for distributors” - What filmmakers really say about predatory distributors (anonymous quotes) - Christian’s own distribution horror story—and how she got her film back

The Framework for Finding the Good Guys: 1. Talk to other filmmakers (not the distributor’s references) 2. Check The Film Collaborative’s Distributor ReportCard 3. Watch for red flags (15-year contracts, Netflix promises, no expense caps) 4. Get an entertainment attorney who specializes in distribution 5. Know the system is broken—community is the safety net

Plus: A powerful story from Minnesota about pizza shops and doughnut shops becoming the safety net when no infrastructure exists—and what it teaches us about looking out for each other.

Featured Guest: Joe Amodei—Owner of Virgil Films Entertainment, with 40+ years in distribution. His company has distributed Supersize Me, Restrepo, and Forks Over Knives. According to The Film Collaborative, Virgil Films is “one of the more positively reviewed distributors.”

Resources Mentioned: - The Film Collaborative Distributor ReportCard: The Film Collaborative - IMDb Pro for contacting filmmakers directly - Alex Ferrari / Indie Film Hustle: Indie Film Hustle® - Thrive & Survive in the Film Industry (podcasts, courses, and filmmaker protection resources) - Entertainment attorney Anne Easton: My Lawyer Friend Podcast

About The Deep Dive: This companion podcast airs on alternate weeks from the main Documentary First podcast. Every other week, Christian takes one powerful idea from a recent conversation and explores it more deeply—examining what it means, why it matters, and what to do about it.

Hear the full interview: Listen to Episode 271 of Documentary First for Christian’s complete conversation with Joe Amodei about theatrical distribution, VOD strategies, and why Cat Fest might be the future of cinema. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1xmIiD3Kvostpr3piuxi67?si=26185251dffe471c

If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a review!

Hi, this is Documentary First, the deep dive, where I take an insight from a recent

podcast conversation, plummet steps and see what gold we can bring to the surface.

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I'm Christian Taylor.

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Let's dive in.

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I recently had a conversation with Joe Amodei, filmmaker, film distributor and the owner

of Virgil Films Entertainment.

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Now, Joe has been in this business for over 40 years, back when VHS tapes were coming out

like, you know, he's old as dirt.

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Sorry, Joe.

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His company has distributed some remarkable films.

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You maybe have heard of them like Super Size Me, Restrepo, Four Silver Knives, just to

name a few.

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Now, we covered a lot of ground in that conversation, but some things that Joe said, you

know, they've been rattling around in my head all week.

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Now, one thing he was telling me about was Cat Fest 2026.

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Yes, a film festival dedicated entirely to cat videos.

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And he said something that hasn't left me.

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I'll play you that clip in a bit, but first I wanted to tell you about something else that

struck me during our conversation.

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Something that might seem unrelated at first, but trust me, it'll all connect.

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What struck me was the tone of our conversation itself.

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As I look back over the episode this week, I was struck by the relaxed nature of our

conversation, the warmth, the trust, the openness.

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Heck, mean, it even began with him throwing a compliment my way.

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In my experience, from what I have heard from a lot of people in this crazy world of

entertainment, this kind of rapport between a filmmaker and a distributor just is not the

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norm.

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As I was praying this week and thanking God for my blessings, I thanked him for Joe and

Virgil Films because I thought about that conversation with Joe and my relationship with

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Virgil Films.

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You know, and I decided that I wanted to call attention this week to what I'm going to

call the good.

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But first,

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I need to tell you about the bad.

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Here's what some other filmmakers have said about their distributors.

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Now these are anonymous quotes collected by the Film Collaborative, a nonprofit that

interviews filmmakers about their distribution experiences.

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One filmmaker said, as time passed, it became harder and harder to get paid by the

distributor or to get quarterly statements.

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At one point, it was years between payments and getting the run around from department to

department was continuous.

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Another said, it all started with my first conversation where he treated me

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Like I should be very thankful that my movie even has this opportunity.

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And when one filmmaker was asked what went poorly with her distribution, she said, this is

a long list.

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Let's start with communication.

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Once the deal was done, I really never heard from anyone over there.

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They don't return calls or emails and don't even have a voicemail set up.

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These are very common complaints.

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Filmmakers tell me all the time that they're not given transparent accounting reports or

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Reports aren't delivered on time and they don't feel they can trust the numbers.

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They say their distributors don't really care about them or their film.

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The distributors wanted a title for their library, hoped to make a little money on the

initial release and then rinse and repeat with another film and another filmmaker.

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I actually had a pretty negative experience when I initially saw distribution for my film.

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I was approached by a distributor who I thought I had vetted well.

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I researched the company's reputation online.

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I talked with filmmakers who had worked with them.

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and I felt good about entering into a deal.

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But then I experienced the runaround, the silence, quarterly reports that never came,

payments that never arrived.

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Thankfully, and I do mean thankfully, there was a clause in my contract, thanks to a good

entertainment attorney, that said if they didn't deliver reports and payments within a

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certain timeframe, I could terminate the agreement.

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And they didn't, so I did.

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Now did get burned in the process.

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I didn't get the money that my film made, but at least I got my film back just in time to

start a new journey with Virgil Films.

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Many filmmakers aren't as fortunate.

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They sign a 10 or 15 year deal, they hand over their film, their life's work, and they

never see a dime.

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So here's the question I've been sitting with.

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How do you know if you have found a Joe Amodei or a predatory film distributor?

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Good question.

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I'm so glad you asked.

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Now, I've talked a lot on the main documentary first podcast over the years about things I

would have done differently in seeking distribution.

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So let me see if I can summarize what I've learned.

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But before I begin, I do want to thank Jo Amade for helping me on this list.

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Number one, talk to other filmmakers.

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This is the most important thing you can do.

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Don't ask the distributor for references.

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They'll only give you their happiest clients.

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Instead, go to IMDB Pro.

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Look up the films in their catalog, find the filmmakers contact information and reach out

to them directly.

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Here's the questions you can ask them.

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Did you receive timely reports?

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Were you paid what you were owed?

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Did the distributor spend the promotional dollars they promised?

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Would you work with them again?

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Number two, check the film collaboratives distributor report card.

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It's a mouthful.

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This is the closest thing that we have to a Yelp for distributors.

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It's a nonprofit that interviews at least eight filmmakers per distributor and synthesizes

their experiences into an anonymous report card.

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They even have a page on Virgil Films, actually, and I'm happy to say that Joe and his

team are one of the most positively-reviewed distributors.

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You can find them at thefilmcollaborative.org, and I totally, highly recommend this

organization.

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Number three, watch for red flags.

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If a distributor won't put you in touch with past clients, that is a serious red flag.

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If they promise you Netflix or guaranteed placement on other major platforms, that is a

lie.

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Nobody can guarantee that.

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Get it in writing or walk away.

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If they want a 15-year contract, push back.

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Hard.

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Standards should be 3 to 7 years.

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If there's no cap on expenses, demand one.

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Otherwise, you could be on the hook for costs that you've never approved.

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And if the vibe is just off, trust your gut.

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Number four, get an entertainment attorney.

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Not your uncle who does real estate law, an actual attorney who specializes in

distribution.

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These guys have seen contract before.

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They know the tricks.

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They're worth every penny.

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And if you're looking for a fantastic one with a kick-ass resume, I don't like sharing,

but I'll share mine.

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Her name is Anne Easton and you'll find her at My Lawyer Friend podcast.

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Anywhere you get your podcast as well as Substack, Instagram and YouTube and tell her I

sent you.

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Number five, know that the system

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is broken.

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And here's the hard truth.

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There's no better business bureau for film distribution.

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No government agency protecting filmmakers from predatory deals.

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No licensing board.

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No enforcement mechanism.

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The system that exists is word of mouth.

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know, peer networks and dedicated nonprofits trying to shine light in the darkness.

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That means we have to look out for each other.

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Now you might be wondering, why isn't there?

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a better infrastructure, why do filmmakers have to rely on whisper networks and anonymous

report cards?

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Well, I did some digging and honestly what I found was both frustrating and clarifying and

hopefully super infuriating.

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The Film Collaborative actually tried to create a Yelp for distributor years ago, a public

database where filmmakers could rate their experiences.

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It failed.

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Not because filmmakers didn't want to participate, because they did.

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But they were terrified.

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Terrified of retaliation.

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Terrified of being blacklisted.

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Terrified of what speaking out would do to their careers.

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So instead, the Film Collaborative created Distributor Report Card, where they interviewed

filmmakers confidentially and published anonymous summaries.

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It's the best we've got, but it only covers a fraction of the distributors out there.

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Hopefully they're working on more.

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The Better Business Bureau?

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I checked.

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Most indie distributors aren't even listed.

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And the complaints that do exist are consumer focused.

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Someone got a damaged DVD.

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That's not helpful for filmmakers trying to evaluate a business partner.

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State attorney generals?

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The FTC?

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Those are for reporting fraud after it happens, not for vetting companies beforehand.

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And even then,

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Many predatory distributors operate internationally, which makes enforcement nearly

impossible.

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There's also a fundamental structural problem that I need to explain.

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Consumer protection laws are designed to protect consumers, people buying products.

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But the filmmaker-distributor relationship is business to business.

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You and I are not customers, we're vendors.

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And that means fewer protections, fewer regulations, and fewer resources when things go

wrong.

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Alex Ferrari, the filmmaker and podcaster behind Indie Film Hustle, actually created a

Facebook group called Protect Yourself from predatory film distributors.

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I tried to find it this week.

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The link redirects to a page that says this content isn't available.

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It may have been shut down, made private, or deleted entirely.

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don't know.

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But that honestly kind of proves the point.

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Even the resources that do exist are fragile.

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They depend on individuals who care enough to maintain them or have the time to maintain

them.

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And when that's not possible, the resources disappear.

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So what do we do with all this?

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Well, here's what I've come to believe.

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In the absence of institutional protection, community becomes the safety net.

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We look out for each other.

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We share our experiences, even when it's uncomfortable.

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We warn the next generation of filmmakers about the distributors who burned us.

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We support the nonprofits that are trying to bring transparency to this industry.

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And we celebrate the good guys when we find them.

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Which brings me back to Joe Amodei.

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I've been in this business for over 40 years too, but as a working actor for most of that

time and more recently as a first time filmmaker and podcast host.

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But I'm not famous.

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My film has been successful, yes, but it hasn't found the kind of money success a film

like Super Size Me or Restrepo has.

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But here's the thing, from the very first day I was introduced to Joe and his team at

Virgil, I've been treated with dignity.

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Respect, kindness, my phone calls have been answered, my emails have been returned.

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My film has never felt like a second tier film to them.

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They're working their hearts out for it.

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That may sound like a simple nice thing to say, but in this business, between a filmmaker

and a distributor, it's genuinely rare.

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Joe Amodei is one of the good guys.

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Not because anyone forced him to be, but because he chooses to be.

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Now.

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That got me thinking about something else I saw this week, something that really, really

moved me.

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There is a story out of Minnesota that brought me to tears.

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You may have seen the news and you know what's going on there.

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Federal immigration enforcement has been intense and it's had a devastating effect on

immigrant-owned businesses.

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Customers are afraid to leave their homes and employees are afraid to come to work.

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So some businesses have lost 60, 70, 80 % of all their revenue.

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But something incredible happened.

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A pizza shop called Rectangle decided to do something.

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They started a pizza for pizza promotion.

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For every pizza bought, they donate a pizza to a family in need.

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So they figured, we know how to cook, we know how to feed people, so let's do what we can.

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They were immediately overwhelmed.

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Orders started pouring in from all over the world, like China, Canada, Sweden, Alaska.

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People were writing notes that said, don't make this, just donate it.

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Within days,

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Their Venmo hit $200,000, their basement filled up with donated groceries and toiletries

and games for kids.

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They had to stop accepting physical donations because they were just simply too much.

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A donut shop called Glamdol started giving away free coffee and donuts to community

members.

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A resale shop next door set up a medical station.

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A diner renamed itself Postmodern Times and went donation-based until the crisis passed.

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a coffee shop that had only been open for four months, but business second, and turned

their storefront into a food pantry.

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One volunteer summed it up, everyone wants to help.

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That's how Minnesota is.

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And the owner of the donut shop, standing in the middle of all this community support,

just shook her head and said, we're just a dumb donut shop.

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No, you're not.

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You're community.

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You're the safety net.

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Here's why I'm telling you the story.

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In Minnesota, there's no government infrastructure protecting those businesses and

communities right now.

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So ordinary people stepped up.

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Pizza shops, donut shops, coffee shops, they became the safety net.

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They looked out for each other.

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And the response from strangers around the world was overwhelming, so heartening.

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In the film distribution area, there's no government infrastructure protecting filmmakers

from predatory distributors.

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So ordinary people step up.

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Podcasters like Alex Ferrari, non-profits like the film Collaborative interviewing

filmmakers and publishing report cards.

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You know, lawyers like Anne Easton.

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Filmmakers sharing word of mouth.

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The system is broken, but the good people, they're still out there.

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And when they band together, they can do remarkable things.

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Which brings me finally to CatFest.

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During our conversation, Joe made a point that really stuck with me.

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He was talking about what kinds of documentaries are really working right now.

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I thought they would be like, you true crime.

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And it is, but he also said something else really expected, unexpected.

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Take a listen.

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A 90-minute compilation of cat videos sold out a 252-seat theater in four days.

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Joe's point was simple.

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People want to feel good right now.

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They want something that takes them away from the horrors of going on everywhere.

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They want hope.

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They want connection.

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They want fuzzy cats doing fuzzy cat things.

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And you know what?

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I think he's right.

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So here's what I want to leave you with.

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Yes.

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The film distribution system is broken.

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Yes, there are predators out there.

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Yes, you need to do your homework and protect yourself, but there are also good people.

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Joe Amodei is one of them.

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Folks at Film Collaborative are some of them.

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uh Alex Ferrari Anne Easton, all the filmmakers who are sharing about their bad

distribution stories, looking out for the next generation, those are the good guys.

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And just like those pizza shops and donut shops in Minnesota,

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When good people band together, they can chase back the darkness.

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So do your due diligence, find the good guys, and don't forget to watch a cat video every

now and then.

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Speaking of which, I'd like you to meet my cat, Kaffee He makes me really happy.

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Maybe he'll make you happy too.

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That's it for this episode of Documentary First The Deep Dive.

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If you want to hear my full conversation with Jo Amadei about distribution, theatrical

releases, and why CatFest might be the future of cinema, check out episode 271 of the main

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Documentary First podcast.

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And if this episode helped you, or if you have your own distribution horror story or

success story, I'd really like to hear about it.

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Drop me a message.

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I might feature some of your responses in a future episode.

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So until next time, keep telling stories that matter.

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I'm Christian Taylor.

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Thanks for diving in with me.