Summary

Breaking into the world of independent filmmaking is one thing - getting your film seen is another.

In this essential guide, you'll discover how to navigate the often overlooked, yet critical, aspects of marketing and distribution, ensuring your project reaches the audience it deserves.

From crafting an effective publicity campaign on a tight budget to understanding the evolving digital landscape of VOD platforms, this book is packed with real-world insights and practical advice. Learn the importance of securing optimal cinema support, leveraging festival circuits strategically and mastering the art of audience engagement in a competitive market.

Featuring expert interviews with filmmakers and industry professionals, Film Marketing & Distribution: An Independent Filmmaker's Guide offers a candid look at the challenges and opportunities awaiting independent filmmakers. Whether you're releasing your first feature or your third, fourth or fifth, this guide provides you with the tools to stand out in a crowded industry.

If you've poured your heart into making your film, this is the book that will help you get it seen.

Author Biography

Jonathan Sadler has been marketing filmed entertainment content since 1999, first at Universal Pictures as a senior product manager, before spending over 5 years at Momentum Pictures as home entertainment marketing director. He has since headed up marketing & PR at Revolver Entertainment, Warner Music International and Arrow Films, as well as spending 2 years within creative agencies serving the entertainment industry. Sadler has launched iconic films such as Amelie, American Beauty, The Mummy, Lost in Translation, Cinema Paradiso, Heathers, Anuvahood, Edie, The Hunt and Donnie Darko.

CONTENTS: CONTRIBUTORS INTRODUCTION 1 STARTING OUT ADOPT A MARKETING MINDSET CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARTNERS THE LONG GAME 2 THE STATE OF THE MARKET THE BIRTH OF DIGITAL THE RISE OF DVD – DIGITAL VERSATILE DISC THE MARKET OF TODAY CURRENT HOME ENTERTAINMENT DATA 3 PRODUCING WITH THE MARKET IN MIND THE DRAFT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND OTHER ADVANTAGES, REAL LIFE - TRUE STORIES IN-BUILT AUDIENCES CROWDFUNDING UNDERSTANDING DISTRIBUTORS NEEDS KNOW THY AUDIENCE RUNNING TIME MAKING TOUGH CHOICES WRITING TO THE MARKET, GENRE 4 INCORPORATING MARKETING THINKING PITCHING WRITING, SYNOPSES PRESENTATION AND DESIGN TIPS BUILDING AN ASSET LIBRARY STILLS PHOTOGRAPHY ASSET CHECKLIST PUBLICITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA BRAND AND MARKETING ASSETS LOVE SARAH, A CASE IN POINT PUTTING YOUR ASSETS INTO PRACTICE 5 WINNING THE TITLE THE SEARCH FOR ORIGINALITY TIME FOR A CHANGE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES CONFIDENCE IS KEY 6 CASTING DOUBT WHO'S IN IT? BANKABILITY LACK OF AVAILABILITY THE SURPRISING ADVANTAGES OF LOWER BUDGETS IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING THE DO IT YOURSELF APPROACH HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? COMING UP, SHORTS CONNECTIONS AND REPUTATIONS NAVIGATING EXPECTATIONS AND REALITIES CHALLENGES IN THE CASTING PROCESS CHALLENGES FOR EMERGING TALENT INDUSTRY-WIDE BARRIERS A FRUSTRATING LANDSCAPE MIND THE AGE GAP INTERNATIONAL MARKETS THE VALUE OF CAMEOS WHEN CASTE DOESN'T STACK UP AN ENSEMBLE APPROACH OVER FAMILIARITY CASTING CONCLUSIONS ANYONE BUT YOU, A CASE IN POINT, A QUICK REALITY CHECK UNRELIABLE FANS MOVIE STARS 7 FILM MARKETING OPINIONS ARE LIKE IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM TEST IT THE FILM MARKETING MIX PRODUCT OR PACKAGING GASSED UP, A CASE IN POINT. IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE SCRIPT PROMOTION TARGETING AND POSITIONING - TARGET AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS OTHER FACTORS POSITIONING LOG LINES TAG LINES COLLABORATING WITH FILMMAKERS, CREATIVE COLLABORATION 8 PUBLICITY THE VALUE OF PR AND EARNED MEDIA THE RISE OF INFLUENCER MARKETING IN FILM PUBLICITY OVERVIEW CRAFTING A PR STRATEGY FOR YOUR FILM TIMING PUBLICITY TO PROTECT YOUR FILM'S REPUTATION PUBLICITY VERSUS ADVERTISING KEY COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TARGETED MEDIA OUTREACH EVALUATING THE RESULTS UNIT PUBLICITY UTILISING CAST CRITICS AND REVIEWS FESTIVAL PUBLICITY AWARDS, PUBLICITY PRESS RELEASES PRODUCTION NOTES OTHER ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS MEDIA TRAINING MEDIA OUTLETS BROADCAST MEDIA ONLINE RESOURCES INDUSTRY AND TRADE PUBLICATIONS SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES CONCLUSION 9 PAID MEDIA FROM LEGACY TO DIGITAL OUT OF HOME FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE SOCIAL MEDIA PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER BUDGETING FOR THEATRICAL SPEND - THE HOLDOVER EFFECT A STAB IN THE DARK SHOWS BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING THE EVOLUTION OF SOCIAL ADVERTISING THE METEORIC RISE OF FACEBOOK, META X, FORMERLY TWITTER TIKTOK, THE SOCIAL POWERHOUSE INSTAGRAM, THE VISUAL STORYTELLER SNAPCHAT, THE INNOVATOR HOW THESE PLATFORMS SHAPE MARKETING YOUTUBE THREADS, INSTAGRAM'S TEXT BASED COMPANIION BLUESKY, THE BLUE FRONTIER A CONVERSATION WITH SPINNAKER’ S REBECCA COLE 10 TRADE MARKETING LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS 2 BUSINESS POSTERS, STANDEES AND OTHER PARAPHERNALIA OTHER B 2 B INITIATIVES TRADE MARKETING TIPS FROM PICTUREHOUSE CINEMAS’ SAM CLEMENTS 11 BRAND PARTNERSHIPS THE ROLE OF BRAND PARTNERSHIPS IN INDEPENDENT FILM MARKETING EXAMPLES OF PARTNERSHIPS A CONVERSATION WITH LIME’ S CO FOUNDER, ALEX WARD 12 GRASSROOTS PROMOTIONS GRASSROOTS ORGANISATIONS AND INITIATIVES ESCAPES INTO FILM KEY ELEMENTS OF GRASSROOTS PROMOTION FLYERING AND LOCAL OUTREACH FAN GENERATED CONTENT OTHER GRASSROOTS STRATEGIES BENEFITS OF GRASSROOTS PROMOTION 13 UNLOCKING KEY ART GIVE THEM ENOUGH TROPES POSTER ESSENTIALS ESSENTIAL ASSETS DON’ T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF SUPPLIED ASSETS AND LOCALISATION FIXING PROBLEMS DESIGN COUNTS ACTION POINTS SUMMARY KNOWING WHO’ S BOSS HOW MANY POSTERS IS TOO MANY? OBJECTIVITY VERSUS SUBJECTIV

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