After putting all of their focus, effort, mental energy, and (on many occasions) money into making a movie, most filmmakers would like to just let their work speak for itself. But a movie’s marketing is just as important as its writing, directing, and acting when it comes to getting folks to watch it.
“You need to make sure you have both the personal stamina and budget for marketing a movie,” says film producer Drea Clark. “You need to be planning your marketing and social media campaign as much as your casting.”
But what steps can filmmakers take to ensure their project stands out? What materials do they need to entice viewers? And how should they even approach marketing their movie?
Know your audience
Rather than insisting their movie is for everyone, filmmakers need to pinpoint exactly who their audience is. “The idea that your film is for everybody is absolutely a losing battle,” says Brandon Jones, founder and CEO of the marketing company FilmFrog. “You want your film to be for the audience that you intended, and then go market it to that audience. You need to be very specific and intentional about it.” Jones believes that by appealing directly to the core audience of a film, there’s a better chance of attracting other viewers.
Filmmakers should examine the marketing of similar projects, especially those that have recently had success. “See how they built their audience from the very beginning,” says Ben Johnson, head of the film advertising agency Gruvi. Rather than pouring over reams of data, Johnson suggests looking at Google Trends and box-office reports to determine which projects audiences most interacted with.
For Danielle Garnier, who runs the agency Garnier Public Relations, filmmakers need to consider how they can create an “emotional response, stimulate curiosity, and stand out” with their marketing strategy. “You want participation from the audience and you need to make them feel they’re connected to the movie,” she says.
Start early
“Too often, directors will tell me that their film is going to be in theaters next month, then ask what they should do for publicity. I’m like, ‘You’re too late!’ ” Jones says. Instead, filmmakers should have their marketing strategy in place before they start filming.
“They should be asking themselves: Why am I making this movie? How am I making this movie? Who are the crew, cast, director, editor, composer, et cetera? What locations am I going to use? What’s my logline? Is my synopsis as tight as it should be?” he explains. The answers to all of these questions can then be used to form the film’s production notes and inspire its poster, advertising materials, social media campaign, website, and trailer.
Garnier notes that there should always be a photographer on set, because polished, behind-the-scenes images will really help to sell the professionalism of the production and movie.
“You should always be looking at how you can connect viewers with the movie, its themes, and characters,” she says. If viewers feel disconnected from the story, or if any of the promotional material looks cheap, rushed, or fake, they’re very unlikely to give the film a chance.
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Know what to create
Garnier says all of the content being made for your film should be consistent in its tone and style: “The more content that you create, and the more engaging it is, the more interested people will be.”
Key to this strategy is your trailer. Johnson explains that a “three-minute-long trailer and the right poster” can do the heavy lifting for getting people interested in actively going to see the film. Garnier also suggests releasing a shorter teaser trailer a few months prior to the film’s release, then creating two different versions of longer trailers. Then, pick up the pace of your marketing across social media the closer you get to your release date.
It’s important that the people marketing, promoting, and selling your film really believe in the movie. Otherwise, directors are usually left disappointed by the campaign, as it can be made to look like “just another movie out there,” says Garnier. She adds that while a distributor can help, the filmmaker has to do just as much work.
This includes scrolling through social media and commenting on the pages of other filmmakers, telling them that you loved their movie, especially if your film is similar to theirs in genre, tone, and themes, says Jones. Actors, particularly those who have a strong social media following, are also key to attracting more interest. “They’re the biggest audience magnet,” Garnier says. “They can help you stand out. Get them on the red carpet and get their pictures taken. It’s all about sell, sell, sell.”
Build an audience on the ground
When marketing a film at a festival, Jones suggests looking at the local market and working to boost interest there as early as possible. “You can’t just expect that the film festival screening will sell out. You need to go out there and promote,” he says. “Use the local film communities, and find people who are into your type of movie. Look for ambassadors and collaborators in different cities.”
Finding your audience can take a while, so it’s important for filmmakers to play the long game and not get frustrated. If a screening only gets four attendees, focus on the people in the room, not those that aren’t there.
Jones says that filmmakers need to consistently mention their project on social media. If the film is streaming, they can do a live commentary or Q&A, or organize a watch party on YouTube Live. “People might see that later, become interested, and go to watch the movie,” he says. “By being engaged, you can keep up the momentum.”
