As a filmmaker, it's not enough to be creative; you must be strategic. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around, does it make a sound? If a filmmaker makes a movie but nobody sees it, does it make a difference?
Yes, you should tell stories that you find entertaining or meaningful, but do take a moment to look to the market to see if the idea would be something that others would find interesting enough to plunk down some of their hard-earned money to see. It takes a lot of work to make a movie and once it's in the can, another whole process begins - marketing the film.
There's a reason it's called show business. Just like any other business you need to get people to buy your product. In today's world, it's getting easier and easier to make a film, and more distribution channels are opening up. However, this just means that many more films being made that are also vying for the viewer's attention.
So what's an indie filmmaker to do? There are the usual suspects - Facebook, Twitter, blogs, film festivals. But having some knowledge of marketing will be a benefit. It all starts with identifying your target market.
Once you know your audience, start with the most common-used online channels, but also look for other off-line channels. Have someone on your team write a press release and try to get in local publications, online and off-line. You could go beyond your network and buy a mailing list to send invitations to your screening. Depending on your budget, this may be an affordable option to get the word out. (And if you want to try to earn a free mailing list, you can enter the giveaway by ConsumerBase - bit.ly/18VzAA9).
The biggest thing is to find ways to connect with your audience. If you can find a way to establish a relationship with some influencers, they can help you do the job of marketing the film.
What have you found to be successful in marketing your film?
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