Last week we opened up the comments section to you, our readers, to ask Dylan Leiner of Sony Pictures Classics, all your burning indie filmmaker questions.  Here are the questions and responses! 

Question: What is SPC's general acquisition process and, as an example, how was RACHEL-GETTING-MARRIED discovered and brought into the SPC fold?

Answer: In order to get noticed, a film has to have something original (distinctive - that word again) about it.  WALTZ WITH BASHIR is just that.  Unlike anything we had seen.

Question: What venues get most of your attention (e.g., Sundance) and are there lesser-known venues that an indie filmmaker should consider?

Answer: The top international film festivals always serve as good barometers for us to look for finished films - Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Toronto to name a few.  But we consider hundreds of films that haven't played the major festivals if we see they are receiving strong reviews and consistently positive word of mouth so it is a good idea to give your film exposure.

Question: Are there any glaring errors, technologically or otherwise that stop you dead in your tracks when you're watching a film and considering it for acquisition that lets you know right then and there you don't want it?

Answer: In terms of quality, we do evaluate how a film will look on large movie screens as well as television sets.  If the film is too grainy, out of focus or too dark it will affect our decision on whether or not to take it on.  We must consider the technical specs of our home entertainment department and our TV deals which will not accept films that are not of very high quality.  There are many different HD cameras these days so consider using one before going to mini-dv or another lesser format.

Question: I am currently working with a producer that has one production company interested in funding one half of the budget for my low budget feature film. Is it preferable to be the only company developing a film or because of the economy are you more willing to join forces with another company to produce a film? I'm not asking you personally if you'd be interested in my film, just from a generic standpoint.  This presents quite a conundrum for an independent producer seeking financing only to find out they need to find more than one financier outside the realm of the first company.I imagine it's a lot like balancing plates on sticks.

Answer: SPC co-produces a number of films each year (SLEUTH, THE WHITE COUNTESS, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, PERSEPOLIS to name a few recent ones) and considers these just as seriously as full productions (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, FRIENDS WITH MONEY, THE FOG OF WAR).