How do you know if you’ve found a Joe Amodei—or a predatory film distributor?

That’s the question Christian Taylor explores in this episode of Documentary First: The Deep Dive, after her conversation with Joe Amodei—filmmaker, 40-year industry veteran, and owner of Virgil Films Entertainment (Supersize Me, Restrepo, Forks Over Knives). What struck her wasn’t just what Joe said about Cat Fest 2026—it was the warmth and trust in their conversation. In her experience, that kind of rapport between filmmaker and distributor is genuinely rare.

So she did some digging. What she found was both infuriating and clarifying: there’s no Better Business Bureau for film distribution. No government agency protecting filmmakers. No licensing board. The system that exists is word of mouth, peer networks, and a few dedicated nonprofits trying to shine a light in the darkness.

What You’ll Learn: - The 5 essential steps for vetting a film distributor before signing - Red flags that should make you walk away from any distribution deal - Why The Film Collaborative’s Distributor ReportCard is the closest thing to “Yelp for distributors” - What filmmakers really say about predatory distributors (anonymous quotes) - Christian’s own distribution horror story—and how she got her film back

The Framework for Finding the Good Guys: 1. Talk to other filmmakers (not the distributor’s references) 2. Check The Film Collaborative’s Distributor ReportCard 3. Watch for red flags (15-year contracts, Netflix promises, no expense caps) 4. Get an entertainment attorney who specializes in distribution 5. Know the system is broken—community is the safety net

Plus: A powerful story from Minnesota about pizza shops and doughnut shops becoming the safety net when no infrastructure exists—and what it teaches us about looking out for each other.

Featured Guest: Joe Amodei—Owner of Virgil Films Entertainment, with 40+ years in distribution. His company has distributed Supersize Me, Restrepo, and Forks Over Knives. According to The Film Collaborative, Virgil Films is “one of the more positively reviewed distributors.”

Resources Mentioned: - The Film Collaborative Distributor ReportCard: The Film Collaborative - IMDb Pro for contacting filmmakers directly - Alex Ferrari / Indie Film Hustle: Indie Film Hustle® - Thrive & Survive in the Film Industry (podcasts, courses, and filmmaker protection resources) - Entertainment attorney Anne Easton: My Lawyer Friend Podcast

About The Deep Dive: This companion podcast airs on alternate weeks from the main Documentary First podcast. Every other week, Christian takes one powerful idea from a recent conversation and explores it more deeply—examining what it means, why it matters, and what to do about it.

Hear the full interview: Listen to Episode 271 of Documentary First for Christian’s complete conversation with Joe Amodei about theatrical distribution, VOD strategies, and why Cat Fest might be the future of cinema.

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