This week I’ve been mentoring at the IFP lab – 10 narrative and 10 doc projects all still in post. As you might know this is a first of its kind completion distribution and marketing lab to integrate these previously separate processes which I have been involved with since the spring. The lab continues through December. I was amazed with what some of the teams came up with, several of whom had PMDs. Some had full blown marketing plans. Nearly all had trailers, key art mock ups, ideas for their target audiences and how to reach them (or in process of connecting with them. Others were considering various forms of content and audience engagement as part of a larger release pattern. Some had innovative ideas for merchandise to sell with their or instead of their DVDs etc. (longer post next week) The world is changing one step at a time.
And Today:
September 23rd: Independent Filmmaker Conference of 2010, New York City – Panel “Cage Match: Am I Filmmaker or Brand?” Thursday, 4:30-5:30PM. I will be appearing at the Independent Filmmaker Conference which is being held at the Haft Auditorium at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. http://conference.ifp.org/
And Saturday:
September 25th: PhotoCine Expo, LA Film School, Hollywood, CA – Jon Reiss: Think Outside the Box Office Saturday, 11:30AM-12:30PM. The fundamental principles of the new landscape of film distribution and marketing: What is the new 50/50 and how does it affect me? How and why filmmakers need to be as concerned with audience connection as making films. Integrating audience connection into the filmmaking process. Reconceptualization of film rights from a filmmakers perspective into three basic categories: Live Event/Theatrical, Merchandise and Digital. http://photocinenews.com/
one thing I would encourage them to do, and I have started to do this recently myself, is start a content calendar. It is all well to connect with audience, but if you haven’t got a plan of what content you are releasing, when, how to keep attention from wandering while you are still in post, they will leave. A content strategy is the first step to a social networking strategy. If they only have pages set up, what will they be filled with? You have to know that and begin to create it and stockpile.
Search Google to find some templates or just make up an Excel sheet to map out months, topics of interest, links that have been found previously, blog schedule and topics, and think ultimately what are you trying to influence ppl to do? Spread the word, visit the website, see a screening, buy a copy, stay part of the community? All are valid goals.
Great idea Sheri – I’ll tell them today. I need to do that too!!!
Jon