Identifying Your Audience
This weeks TOTBO Episode concerns the first steps of audience engagement. To do that you must evaluate your audience – which I propose in three steps: 1. Who is your audience (s)? 2. Where do they receive information and recommendations? 3. How do they consume media? In the episode I then talk about the importance […]
Creating a Unique Strategy For Your Film
Today’s video concerns the fundamental principle of how every film is different and needs a unique marketing and distribution plan. To create this plan, filmmakers need to examine: 1. Their Goals 2. Their Film 3. Their Audience 4. Their resources. I spend a little extra time on goals again talking about “Ride the Divide” and […]
Launching New TOTBO Workshop Webclips
I am kicking off a series of excerpts from my Think Outside the Box Office Master Classes today on my new YouTube Channel TheJonReiss. I am rebooting my YouTube channel because even though I had some decent views on YouTube.com/jfilm1 – it didn’t feel like that accurate or searchable. Since I am going to start […]
Excerpt: Insiders Guide To Independent Film Distribution
Excerpt from “Insiders Guide To Independent Film Distribution” (2nd Edition, Focal Press) by Stacey Parks. Available in paperback and kindle versions at www.FilmSpecific.com/Book. Interview With Filmmaker Jon Reiss On Target Audience Q: Tell us about Target Audience and what will happen if a filmmaker doesn’t identify this early on in the process? A: To me […]
Keys to a Successful Film Launch Pt 1
Keys to a Successful Film Launch Pt 1 By Jon Reiss and Sheri Candler For the past six months, my company, Hybrid Cinema, has been working on the release of Bob Hercules’s new documentary film Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance,about the history of the Joffrey ballet. This is a capsule post to explain the highlights of launching […]
Guest Post: Susan Youssef Crowdfunding Habibi on Kickstarter
In honor of the IFP Filmmaker Labs going on this week, today’s guest post is from Susan Youssef who was in the Narrative labs last year at IFP. She learned about Kickstarter in the lab and decided to use it to raise money to finish her film. She has generously outlined her story indicating what […]
Guest post by Lila Yomtoob: The Added Value of Blogging
The Added Value of Blogging – by Lila Yomtoob Lila contacted me via the web – introducing herself and I asked if she would like to write a blog post – and she offered to write a post about: blog posting! Not only the importance of it – but how to do it effectively. […]
Guest Post by Jon Fougner: Cinema Profitability
I had the fortune of meeting Jon Fougner, who is the Principal, Product Marketing Monetization at Facebook at Sundance this year (he was showing filmmakers how best to use Facebook to connect with audiences). He works with the ads engineers and Product Managers to define products that will be successful in the marketplace. I mentioned […]
Back to Writing – 3 More Books
I have embarked on writing again and have two new books in the works and one more on the horizon. First off, I am writing a book on the Producer of Marketing and Distribution or PMD.
How to Self-distribute Online: Using E-junkie to Create an Automated Business Part 1
We’ve been exploring alternatives to fulfillment for filmmakers in the last month or two. Many filmmakers are actually doing self fulfillment when their numbers are low – and using a shopping cart such as E-Junkie. J.X. Carrera is a PMD who specializes in online media and international entertainment, particularly in regards to China and Japan. […]