Distribution Strategy: All Rights Aggregator vs. Territory-by-Territory for Smaller Films?

Hey everyone,

I'm Haley Bergstrom, a screenwriter, and my first indie feature just premiered at a smaller festival. We're now looking at distribution, and honestly, it feels like navigating a minefield. The 'ideal' strategy I always hear about involves meticulous territory-by-territory sales, carving up rights for maximum revenue.

However, for a film like ours (a low-budget psychological thriller with a niche audience) that approach seems incredibly daunting. We're a small team, and the time and resources required to manage multiple international deals, track payments, and enforce contracts across different territories feels overwhelming. We've explored a few direct sales ourselves, and it's been a massive learning curve.

At what point does the complexity of a granular sales strategy outweigh its potential benefits for an indie film? When does a simpler 'all rights' deal with a single aggregator or platform become the more practical, smarter choice, even if it means potentially leaving some money on the table? I'm genuinely trying to understand this trade-off.