The Summer Cohort of the 8 Above Distribution Lab is now open to applications.
Since I wrote Think Outside the Box Office I’ve experimented with various ways of educating filmmakers from two day workshops on every continent to the IFP Filmmaker lab to now the 8 Above Distribution Lab: the heart of how we educate filmmakers.
We are excited to announce the next cohort of our lab will start this summer in late June/early July. Fifty four films with over 150 filmmakers have gone through our previous cohorts. We are eager to meet the next cohort and are accepting applications now.
The 8 Above Distribution Lab is:
- A six-month, cohort-based experience where filmmakers develop and execute a customized distribution strategy.
- Weekly mentorship by myself along with the highest level of industry professionals.
- A mind-set shift in how you can approach distribution and filmmaking itself – for your current and future projects.
- Relationships with a cohort of other filmmakers going through the same process. The peer network often becomes just as valuable as the curriculum itself.
- Constructed to work with filmmakers at every stage of the process from script/development through distribution.
- Designed for filmmakers of all experiences. Most of the current cohort have made at least one previous feature, many with multiple projects – we all need to learn the new system.
If you’re interested in the Summer 2026 cohort of the Distribution Lab, I look forward to meeting you in one of our upcoming info sessions by clicking here:
“Participating in Jon’s distribution lab gave us such a leg up when it came to releasing our film! It really helped us navigate a tangle of options and dead ends you can run into as an independent, and gave us the chance to shape our vision for the film’s distribution as a guide throughout the process. Jon’s connections and know-how were invaluable resources, and he was incredibly insightful, forthright and responsive throughout a process that would otherwise be opaque and confusing.” Gretchen Hildebran, Producer/Director
At 8 Above we feel that our releases, the lab, the Substack and our consulting form a virtuous circle where each aspect of what we do informs the other. Over the next month or two we’ll be posting guest posts from industry expert’s lab sessions as well as case studies from former lab participants. One of these posts will be by current Lab participant Kate Stahl and Caroline Golum whose film Revelations of Divine Love was profiled this week in The New York Times.
D Word Workshop
If you are not quite ready for a 6 month workshop – or just want to kick the tires some more: Next week I am launching a four week mini-workshop with The D Word. In the workshop I will outline fundamental principles and real-world strategies for success in the ever-changing and often-daunting realm of distribution and marketing. Some of what we will cover:
- How the brand of the film and your brand as a filmmaker interact.
- Ways to identify core and niche audiences.
- Strategies and tactics for reaching your audiences including social media, email lists, organizational outreach and partnerships, publicity, influencers and paid advertising.
- Various distribution paths, including festivals; community screenings; theatrical, digital rights for broadcast, streaming, and VOD; and educational distribution.
- Creative ways to integrate merch into film distribution
- How to budget for different types of releases
Taking place April 23-May 21. Live sessions take place on Zoom on Thursdays between 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm EDT. The sessions will also be available as recordings to registered participants through June 30.
Fee: $299 $50 off with code: jonreiss50
Also, participation in The D-Word workshop will count towards the cost of attending the Distribution Lab.
Register for the 4 Part Workshop
More Feedback from Distribution Lab Participants:
Jon’s deep knowledge, commitment, creativity, and encouragement never left me and I seek to pass it on. I felt seen and appreciated by my Jon in a way that fueled my courage to stick with the field, no matter how challenging or daunting. No matter how many years go by, I know with confidence that I can call on him for counsel. Jon’s course had a tremendous impact on me — both reaffirming and enlightening. Neyda Martinez
“My partner and I began the distribution lab with limited knowledge of the distribution process. By the end of the lab, we came away with a confidence in our ability to embrace hybrid distribution and keep the rights and creative control of our film, something I would not have expected at the beginning of the process.” – Kelsey Taylor
“Rather than take a cookie cutter approach to distribution, Jon understands that no two films are the same and so no two distribution plans can be the same. There is an audience for my film. With Jon’s insightful guidance, I am not only prepared for how to find them, but how to get the film in front of them.” – Gibson Frazier
“Jon is both experienced and intuitive. He understands where the industry is heading, and he shares that knowledge freely. As someone shaped by the punk generation, he brings a spirit of resistance and resourcefulness into everything he does.” – Eden Marryshow
The learning from the lab has encouraged me to fully and positively embrace this “other half” of filmmaking and to continue on the journey of creating a sustainable career as a filmmaker…no excuses! Demetra Giannakopoulos .https://jonreiss.substack.com/p/reimagining-film-distribution-with