Thorium: An Energy Solution - Top Documentary Films

Documentaries typically can be split into two camps. There are those designed to entertain — penguins in snow, Justin Bieber in concert — and sell tons of tickets. Then there are works — bleak stories about hunger, pollution, genocide — more intent on scoring partisan points than box-office records.

His release this weekend, an indictment on the war on drugs called "How to Make Money Selling Drugs," is Marcus' latest effort to prove that documentaries can do good on both the civic and fiscal bottom lines.

But the majority of documentaries never even receive a wide theatrical release.

how to make money selling drugs documentary on netflix

The year-old Marcus believes the problem is that most documentaries aren't made with the same attention to compelling storytelling typically found in narrative features. At the same time, he feels that documentaries are reflexively marketed to a small slice of the population, guaranteeing that they will never play beyond that same narrow niche of moviegoers.

The biggest goal of all is not reaching the indie audience but reaching people all over. He sites "Senna," a documentary about the Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna, as a good example of how a movie ostensibly tilted toward a discrete constituency could play far beyond its perceived borders.

Marcus' new release, "How to Make Money Selling Drugs," abandons the usual talking-head approach and is instead something of a primer on how ordinary people can become drug dealers.

Written, directed and narrated by Matthew Cooke, the movie is a how-to tale populated by former dealers and addicts and by current lawyers, law enforcement officials and advocates for reforming the nation's drug policies. Reviewing the film in the Los Angeles Times, Gary Goldstein said , "Though it begins as a slick, tongue-in-cheek guide to successful dope dealing … 'How to Make Money Selling Drugs' masterfully evolves into something far more vital, cogent and impressive.

More movie reviews by The Times. Marcus, who produced the film and used his Bert Marcus Productions fund to finance it, said he was as interested in the subject matter as Cooke's tongue-in-cheek filmmaking style.

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The two collaborated on Marcus' first documentary, 's "Teenage Paparazzo. Marcus is directing his company's next documentary, "Champs. The business of documentary film is about as uncertain as panning for gold.

Watch How to Make Money Selling Drugs - Trailer 1 Online | Hulu

The hits are rare, and distributors usually pay very little upfront to acquire a film's theatrical rights "Senna," in fact, was essentially self-distributed because the offers were so modest. Celebrities by The Times. But Paul Shimoff, an investor in Marcus' fund, said "How to Make Money Selling Drugs" should be profitable and have an effect on the debate over the war on drugs.

how to make money selling drugs documentary on netflix

He said he felt the film not only appealed to a different audience than most documentaries — "hip and cool," he said — but also was able to send a message without being heavy-handed. Marcus knows that documentaries don't generate a lot of mainstream awareness, but he is hopeful they can provide a worthwhile moviegoing alternative, especially in the middle of the summer movie season. PHOTOS AND MORE VIDEO: Upcoming summer films ENVELOPE: The latest awards buzz PHOTOS: Greatest box office flops.

June 29, By John Horn.

The documentary "How to Make Money Selling Drugs" is a look at… Tribeca Film. Hollywood backlot moments He sites "Senna," a documentary about the Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna, as a good example of how a movie ostensibly tilted toward a discrete constituency could play far beyond its perceived borders.

More movie reviews by The Times Marcus, who produced the film and used his Bert Marcus Productions fund to finance it, said he was as interested in the subject matter as Cooke's tongue-in-cheek filmmaking style. Celebrities by The Times But Paul Shimoff, an investor in Marcus' fund, said "How to Make Money Selling Drugs" should be profitable and have an effect on the debate over the war on drugs.

The Internet Must Go - Top Documentary Films

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