Frequently Asked Questions About Heaven Adores You

::last updated July 13, 2014::

Question: “Do you plan to release the movie?” 

Answer: This answer is a huge YES. We plan to release the movie to the broadest audience possible, in as many formats as possible, so that everyone, everywhere can see it. The goal is to make this film available.

Question: “When will it be released?” 

Answer: It’s currently showing at film festivals and we’ll be announcing more screenings soon. We don’t have a release date for broadcast, digital downloads or DVDs yet, but that’s something that will almost certainly happen. We want this film to be available to everyone around the world and we’re working on making that happen – it takes time!

Question: “Why can’t I get a copy of the movie right now! Now! Gimme, Gimme!” 

Answer: There are a few reasons for this. We currently have the music rights to show the film at film festivals, i.e. “festival rights”. As we prepare to release Heaven Adores You in multiple formats, in multiple countries, one of our obligations is to pay greater licensing fees. This is called “step licensing” – essentially you get and pay license fees for each “step” and it gets more expensive as the use gets bigger and broader (theatrical, DVD release, etc). Since we used so much music in the movie (40+ tracks!), the cost for the music rights is fairly substantial. If and when the project partners with a distributor, we will be in a position to acquire the appropriate licensing for the broader use of the music in the film which will enable us to release it in different formats around the world. So the short answer is: we can’t give you a DVD right now because we haven’t secured the music rights (yet) to do so.

 Question: “Why don’t you release it like Louie CK did recently and offer it as a download per Pay Pal?” 

Answer: We love Louie CK and what he did was great, but it’s not something everyone can do. He likely owns the rights to his own likeness, he probably had a hand in filming the performance, and/or has easy access to obtain licenses for everything that he might’ve used (music, title fonts, etc). So because he likely owns the rights to everything, it’s easy (and awesome) for him to be able to release his own production directly for sale to you. The nature of our project doesn’t allow for this kind of release. We have media partners and music licensors (did we mention they have fees?) that we are beholden to, so we must seek a partner to help us distribute Heaven Adores You. Plus, we would really like this project to introduce Elliott’s music to people who may have never heard of him and having a distribution partner will allow us to do that.

Question: “I would love for this to leak to the internet. I don’t even care.” 

Answer: That hurts us to hear you say that since we, and a lot of people close to Elliott, have put a lot of time and love into this project. We’ve also invested a lot of our own time, not to mention funds, for third party media and music licensing, and if this movie leaks, no distributor will want to pick it up for wider release – if it’s available for free, it loses the potential business opportunity. I know what you’re thinking – who cares about the business side? Well, if a leak should happen, everyone loses and here’s why: it will show that Elliott Smith projects can’t be done, that corporate entities shouldn’t even bother, and it will further prevent any other cool Elliott projects from happening. If we can’t show the corporate suits that an Elliott Smith project can make them money, then they have no incentive to do more projects like this later, like release albums full of music, or greenlight similar projects.

Bottom line, you leak the project, you ruin it for everyone.

Question: “You’ve convinced me. I know I just need to be a bit more patient. But I can’t wait. What are my options NOW NOW NOW?” 

Answer: If you want to see it now, please consider coming to see it with us at one of the many festival screenings. We’re there and we’d love to say hello, plus this film is so amazing to see in a theater environment – the dark theater, the huge screen, and the great sound systems – sitting amongst like-minded fans. It really is a special experience and worth the trip if you can make it.

Question: “Seeing it in the theater would be great. How do festivals work? How do you decide where the screenings will happen? How do I know if it is going to play near me?” 

Answer: The festival circuit is beneficial to filmmakers for three primary reasons – 1) to build buzz for a film; 2) to bring a film to the fans before it has distribution; and 3) to meet with potential partners and distributors who will help get the film to a wider audience, more quickly – i.e. get it to YOU! It is our intention to bring Heaven Adores You to as many festivals as possible but all of them are in different locations and on different schedules, so we’re at their mercy as to when and where. And it’s not as easy as just appearing at all of them because first we have to be invited and/or accepted, and on top of that they all have different requirements for eligibility. The best way to learn about upcoming screenings is to visit our site heavenadoresyou.com, and follow us on Twitter @heaveandoresyou and Facebook.