Jon Reiss TOTBO Tip of the Day 4 Setting Marketing Strategy
Two helpful ways to think about marketing: 1) Reaching the audience that already exists for your film and 2) thinking creatively of what audiences might be interested in your film. I recommend that you consider and conceive of a marketing strategy for your film early in the production process, even at inception. Who is its audience? How are you best going to reach them? Are there particular blogs, organizations, print media that they subscribe to? Who will you bring on to help you outreach to your audience? How does this audience consume media? Answering these questions will help to fashion your release strategy.
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You know what Jon? And I respect you a lot here. I’m a filmmaker and I really have a problem focusing on distribution. it’s like so totally a drag. Having said that, I have taken to heart a lot of the now conventional indie distribution wisdom such as that you impart to us so generously.
But really, Jon, are we filmmakers or distributors? At some point you just have to say, “What the fuck?” and make your move onto the next screenplay and film production. I mean if no one jumps up and screams “Yo baby! I got to see this film get distributed!” well then maybe you best move on to find the great thing you have yet to find in you.
Just a thought. And I realize I could very well be full of shit.
I hear you – that’s why I feel filmmakers need to partner with others and give them a proper position to do some of this work. To deal with this I created the concept of the Producer of Marketing and Distribution. Just as you have a line producer and AD – each film needs one of these. If we create the position – people will trin for it and seek positions in it.