“Decline III, I funded myself, from the studio money. That, and I sold a lot of d…” — Penelope Spheeris

Your best protection is to have an established agent make the contact.

When men have money and power they get turned on, sexually. They get horny as hell. Can't imagine why, though.

Those movies, Decline I and II and Suburbia, are dearly loved, but they never made any money. I didn't even have the rights for some of them.

There are thousands of directors in Hollywood.