Exploring Life & Business with Michael Repsch of Dark Star Pictures

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Repsch.

Hi Michael, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my career in film distribution a few months out of college, from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, at a boutique indie film distribution and sales company called Breaking Glass Pictures. Getting in on the ground floor of a relatively young company with a small team placed me directly in the thralls of the business and offered me the unique opportunity to absorb every aspect of what film distribution entailed. I loved it, Traveling to film festivals and markets around the world, making deals for films, coming up with marketing campaigns for consumers, strategizing with filmmakers and creatives, and of course bringing wonderful film content for people to view. 

In 2016, I moved to Los Angeles and was still working remotely for BGP. At that time, I had also established a part-time independent business on the side booking theatrical campaigns for producers and other boutique distribution companies. By the latter half of 2017, I had made the decision to start my own branded distribution company and by the time of the Toronto International Film Festival (September 2017) my transition had begun from BGP into founding a new company – what would become Dark Star Pictures.

During the American Film Market (November 2017) Dark Star had acquired our first film – ENTANGLEMENT starring Thomas Middleditch – and announced the launch of our new venture at the market. And so the company was born. We released ENTANGLEMENT in February of 2018 and have been releasing a consistent slate of films ever since. To date, we have released more than 50 feature films and continue to grow!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, nothing is ever as smooth as you would like it to be! The biggest hurdle that I have had to overcome is time, as in there is not enough of it and that is something you learn quickly. Coming from another established – company the first thing felt was the lack of support from a team. Considering the film distribution business is very cash driven/cyclical, one of the most important things when starting was to keep a lean overhead budget so more money can be invested in acquiring content and marketing. What that translates to is wearing many hats and working long hours.

Another big hurdle for my business was that I chose NOT to take on outside investment. Which meant for the first six months of operation, we were bringing in almost no revenue and had to rely on my initial capital investment.

Finally, one of the other initial hurdles we incurred is that lack of a reputation in the market. Sure, I had my own reputation individually, but when launching a new brand there is market skepticism that makes getting content more difficult,

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Dark Star Pictures?
Dark Star Pictures is a film distribution company. We acquire and produce independent feature films (and documentaries) to market, sell and exhibit to audiences in North America. We have deals in place and working relationships with all of the avenues in which consumers view film content including theaters (AMC, Regal, Drafthouse, Laemmle, etc..), VOD platforms (iTunes, Amazon, Netflix, Shudder, Tubi, etc..), Broadcast Networks (Showtime, Starz, Here TV, etc…) and physical media outlets (Redbox, Wal-Mart, Target). You can find our content in all of these places!

Our brand of cinema is not bound by any genre but by thought-provoking artists looking to advance their creative narratives and share them with captive audiences. Dark Star has strategic brand partnerships in place to help further the footprint of our brand. We are known as – and most proud of being – a filmmaker-friendly distribution company who offers transparency and collaboration every step of the way. We are proud to call ourselves a creative business helping illuminate paths for true artists.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Check out our social media and website.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://darkstarpics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darkstarpix/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkStarPictures/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarkStarPics
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9F5sa7uMQaQy_i5wFttIQ/videos

Image Credits:
Dark Star Pictures, LLC