I would DEFINITELY go for the half of the 5000 over the 10% of the 50,000, if it cut out distributors and middlemen overselling and mismarketing the film to the wrong people. I've never had a return. Never. And I've not been defrauded for a sale or had a chargeback. Not once. It's been good.
I completely mixed you up mentally with someone in Austin I was talking to earlier today :-) I can't really make out your perspective that distributors and middle people are the enemy. I've never held it against someone if I watched their film and wasn't into it.
And it's Massachusetts, not Texas. :) Good try.