A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Film Picked Up by a Sales Rep or Buyer

Learn directly from a senior acquisitions executive who has helped hundreds of independent films secure distribution!

You will get an exclusive downloadable checklist for first-time filmmakers to confidently navigate your first project from start to finish!

Discover exactly what sales reps and buyers look for and how to position your film to get noticed and picked up!

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 webinar is now available to watch on-demand and no longer live.

Breaking into the film marketplace is exciting and full of opportunity, especially now as streaming platforms and buyers are looking for fresh voices. While major festival deals and acquisitions make headlines, many strong films still go unnoticed. Tony Piantedosi will give it to you straight: creating something great is only half the battle. Understanding how the industry works today - and positioning your project the right way - is what gets your film picked up.

You might believe that if your film is well-made, it should sell on its own. Tony will tell you why that’s not true. Quality alone isn’t enough. Without aligning your project to audience demand, buyer expectations, and market realities, even excellent films can struggle. In this session, Tony gives his no BS take on what buyers really look for, including genre marketability, budget tier, casting value, production design, technical delivery requirements, and festival strategy. You’ll also hear the insider truth about elements often overlooked, like why unit photography matters, how music clearances affect sales, and what materials actually help you stand out.

Your Stage 32 educator, Tony Piantedosi, brings more than a decade of acquisitions experience and has helped hundreds of independent films secure distribution. As Senior Vice President of Acquisitions at Vertical, he evaluates projects every day from a buyer’s perspective. Because he sees it all firsthand, you’ll get his honest, no BS insight on why films get picked up or passed over — and what separates market-ready projects from the rest.

In this Stage 32 webinar, Tony will give you his no BS post on how to package and position your film, select the right concept for today’s market, make smart production and post decisions, navigate sales strategy, and confidently pitch to reps and buyers. You’ll also receive a practical checklist to guide your process and make sure your project is truly market-ready. By the end of this webinar, you’ll walk away with a clear roadmap for aligning your creative vision with real-world sales opportunities. No fluff, no guessing — just straight-up, actionable insight from someone who knows exactly what it takes to get your film seen, considered, and picked up.

PLUS! You will receive this handout to help you:

• Checklist for First-Time Filmmakers

Tony on Teaching for Stage 32:

“The Stage 32 community is a talented and diverse group of artists and storytellers, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to connect and share insights with you!”