The project has to work theatrically for us. I can't describe the criteria for picking up any film. There are too many factors. Ultimately it's gut instinct. John Roche stirred things up the most with first-hand tales of target marketing his Bible video series.
Theatrical release is about egotism.
You just can't get enough bottoms in the seats to make it pay. The best thing is if you can figure out how to target your market really specifically. Find people who can get excited about target marketing, then go out into the grassroots and find the people who really care about your particular subject. Every single topic requires finding a different niche. There was much discussion, too, about how long is the natural life of documentary programming.