If you're like most filmmakers, you wear many hats including writer, director and cinematographer. But when it comes to marketing a movie, you feel like a doofus. This makes sense. I'm sure your Hollywood dreams never included hours spent on Twitter trying to get people to buy your film.
These days it can seem like nobody wants to take a risk with a new filmmaker. Big Hollywood studios are sticking with A-list celebrities, recycling old ideas and making sequels. And on the indie side, competition to find a deal (that actually makes sense) is fierce. This means you need to take control of your own motion picture business.
The Necessity Of Marketing A Movie
To rise above the noise and get your film notices, you need to accept that marketing a movie is just as important as making a movie. The good news is, your movie marketing plan does not have to be overly complex. By following some classic
- Define your target audience: What type of people care about your film? Think in terms of age, gender and interests. Who would find it most enjoyable? For example, a graphic horror film may not be the best fit for grandmothers. Make sense? If you don't take time to define your target audience, you might throw money into a marketing black hole.
- Identify where to reach your target audience: Think about where your target audience congregates. What magazines would they read? What websites and forums would they frequently visit? Knowing how you get in front of your people will help make efficient use of your resources.
- Know where they watch movies: Does your target audience frequently shop on Amazon? A key component of marketing a movie is getting your title into the appropriate marketplace. If you are looking for more help with this, consider distributing your film directly on Amazon.
- Continually track and measure your efforts: Once you have established your film in the appropriate marketplace, set some marketing goals like sales, email sign ups and social media mentions. Then continually evaluate how well your efforts are working. Are you targeting the appropriate publications, websites, and forums?
- Build a relationship with your audience: Connecting with your audience will make them more inclined to follow your work.
If you are looking for more information regarding marketing your movie, join Filmmaking Stuff HQ today. The site was created to provide greater detail and help you achieve success producing and marketing a movie.
