ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXLooking for collaborators to create a documentary about the hilariously tragic world of "Multi-Level Marketing"
7 years, 8 months ago - Tom Lemmon
I've got no experience in making films, but am really interested and want to give it a shot! I've been doing a lot of research on Multi-Level Marketing schemes (MLMs) ever since my cousin joined them, left Uni a few weeks before completion and became a Flat-Earther...
I've made a few expert contacts and have the opportunity to get a glimpse into my cousins weird, sad world which obviously I can go into more detail later.
What I'm looking for is someone with the technical knowledge to capture beautiful shots, but also someone with wider documentary production knowledge so that we can secure funding and get our eventual creation to be seen by a mainstream audience.
I can't offer any financial incentives right now, but I believe I've got the ideas, humour and access to make something awesome. If you're interested please send me a message. Based in London.
Tom
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7 years, 8 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
I can't help with your shoot I'm afraid, but you may not have come across this https://archive.org/details/MerchantsOfDeception from a former AmWay "Diamond" - it's a better expose of the system than many.
Response from 7 years, 8 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
7 years, 8 months ago - Alan Fleet
Tom,
I had direct experience of MLM in the late eighties and early nineties which led me to write my first novel, Pyramid Players. It is of course about a huge con and the machinations of one particular company. You can download it as an ebook and the business plan I used for the scam is the genuine article, so it may be a useful read for your documentary. I have adapted the novel into a screenplay with a current twist and it is presently under consideration with a production company, which shows there is interest in the subject matter. I am sure there will be a demand for your documentary once completed.
Response from 7 years, 8 months ago - Alan Fleet SHOW
7 years, 8 months ago - Marlom Tander
I had a go at MLM many years ago.
For some types of high margin products - dietary and food supplements, perfumes - it's a valid distribution model which some people turn into a decent business.
But for most people, they try it, it doesn't work for them, and they bail, some money and a lot of hours down. Me included, but you know what - it was probably the best value for money business course going because it was basically "this is not rocket science - IF you focus on the practical day to day stuff and put in the time then your business can succeed". And that is a truth that many people in employment, dreaming of running their own biz, don't quite get.
There are many biz ops out there with a higher cost of playing and equally rubbish odds of success - professional film maker anyone :-)
OTOH the internal hype machine is hilarious. But not much more so than the pitch of all those film industry courses that basically say "do our course, for £oodles, and next stop, HOLLYWOOOODDDD!"
My main beef with MLM is when people tried to make it work for goods without the inherent high margins. Those schemes were very much "buy lots of stock and then sell it". The one I was with was very much "SELL IT FIRST and then buy what you need to fulfill the orders".
Response from 7 years, 8 months ago - Marlom Tander SHOW
7 years, 8 months ago - Josh Hughes
Hi Tom, I'm a documentary filmmaker and cameraman. Sounds like an interesting potential film, I'm currently on the look out for new projects. Can you send me more details?
Response from 7 years, 8 months ago - Josh Hughes SHOW