{"id":7844,"date":"2011-04-07T16:14:14","date_gmt":"2011-04-08T00:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/?p=7844"},"modified":"2024-01-18T13:31:35","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T13:31:35","slug":"indie-film-maketing-reach-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/indie-film-maketing-reach-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Indie Film Maketing: How to Get the Most Reach for Your Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

For every dollar spent on producing a major film, the studios have been spending 51-58 cents to release and market it in the United States and Canada.<\/strong><\/p>\n

_______________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

Big studios behind Hollywood blockbusters put at least half and sometimes as much as twice their production budgets into grandiose marketing campaigns, and they handle all publicity. It must be nice, with the national TV ads, billboards, bus wraps, online contests, and corporate sponsorships\u2026 you just lay back and watch people flock to theatres.<\/p>\n

On the other end, there\u2019s the low-budget indie filmmaker out there trying to make some noise with a first feature length film. It\u2019s their job to produce (maybe direct, too) then figure how to distribute and market the final product in order to make money back. Unlike a blockbuster, the distributor that picks up the film probably expects the indie filmmaker to do a good chunk of the marketing and publicity. These days you\u2019re responsible for making your film and selling it too.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the message? Indie films, more so than blockbusters, should have a marketing and advertising budget that exceeds, doubles or even triples the production budget.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s okay if your budget won\u2019t stretch across all major cities and media outlets. Focus in on your niche audience and target your marketing efforts. A smaller movie marketed heavily to a highly specific audience segment is called a nichebuster. (source:\u00a0howstuffworks.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Who has $1,000,000 to market an indie film after making it for $1,000,000?<\/strong>Coming up with the first million is hard enough. The second million won\u2019t come to fruition unless you make it a necessity. Production can begin once the first million is raised, so often times the marketing budget fundraising falls to the wayside. Adding a lackluster 10% to the production budget as a marketing line item is not a satisfactory replacement. It\u2019s like building a house to sell and not telling anyone it exists or where it\u2019s located. Nobody is going to buy your house, or your film. You need a strategy to reach an audience and make a profit. You also need partners, some great marketing ideas, and investor money.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a major misconception that achieving distribution for indie films equals success.<\/strong>That\u2019s not the case. Aside from the major studios and the handful of 2nd tier distributors worldwide, the rest are small companies often with minimal resources and no ability to recoup expenses. I\u2019ve heard stories of small distributors picking up indie films, seizing all rights to the work, then pulling in a dismal return. Some approach the deal by telling the filmmaker it\u2019s their responsibility to push sales. It leaves you wondering, \u201cWhat do they bring to the table?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peter Broderick (film consultant) talks about the \u201cNew World\u201d of indie film distribution that\u2019s DIY (source:http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2010\/01\/17\/movies\/17dargis.html<\/a>). Profitable films will require a vast online community and innovative marketing to niche audiences, one friend and follower at a time. Here are some productive exercises to get you moving in the right direction:<\/p>\n

1.Find a niche for your film<\/strong>
\nDecide who is going to watch your film. Even more importantly, find out who is going to become a fan, tell all their friends, and blast your film across the online social universe.<\/p>\n

2. Research your audience\u2019s behaviors and hobbies<\/strong>
\nOnce you\u2019ve established your niche(s), figure out what your target market watches on TV, what and where they eat, what products they buy, and what websites they frequent. How else are you going to know where to market the film?<\/p>\n

My audience is\u2026 the techie couple that loves Apple products, surfs the web 2+ hours a day, loves ecommerce shopping and pays close attention to staying fit and eating healthy.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good start, but keep digging.<\/p>\n

3. Specify a marketing budget<\/strong>
\nFor our purposes, we\u2019ll say it\u2019s $1,000,000.<\/p>\n

4. Figure out how people will buy\/watch your film and how much it will cost<\/strong>
\nThis is your conversion. \u00a0Figure out how many conversions you\u2019ll need at the projected cost to make your money back. Investors will want to see this. For example, how many iTunes purchases at $2.99 will you need to make $1,000,000 back at a 70\/30 revenue share? Upwards of 478,000 downloads. Sounds pretty daunting, right? If you break that up between theatrical ticket sales, Netflix\/Blockbuster rentals, and DVD sales, maybe the number becomes a little less intimidating.<\/p>\n

5. Choose your channels, break down your spending<\/strong>
\nWith so many options, you really have to focus on finding your niche audience and getting the most reach for your budget. Blogging and social media initiatives have the most potential for generating buzz for the smallest payout, but they take discipline, a lot of great content, interest from your followers, and time to grow. Other mass media options call for a large initial buy-in for a big swooping impact, but the results may be spotty and less focused on exact geography and niche audience. A TV campaign, for example, can hit a massive audience, but it\u2019s typically the most expensive option, it\u2019s not highly targeted, and not built to engage your audience in two way conversation. Here\u2019s a short list of options (by no means all) to get you started:<\/p>\n

Brand Marketing<\/em> \u2013 Website. mobile website, mobile app
\nOnline Marketing<\/em> \u2013 Search (text\/image ads), online display, rich media, video ads, social ads (Facebook)
\nTraditional\/Offline Marketing<\/em> \u2013 Print (magazine and newspaper ads), outdoor (billboards, digital signage, bus wraps, etc), TV, Radio
\nEvent\/Sponsorship Marketing<\/em> \u2013 Event screenings, event sponsorship (advertise to a built in audience)
\nPR\/Content Marketing<\/em> \u2013 Blogging, affiliate blogging (incentivize outside bloggers), SEO, social media (Facebook, Twitter)<\/p>\n

6. Figure out who your advocates are and use them<\/strong>
\nThis should be something you consider before making your film. It\u2019s more than just what makes you different. You need to figure out how to use your talent and partners to become advocates, or spokespeople for your brand. In a conversation last year with a Philadelphia producer, Patricia Weisser, she explained how her interest in bringing\u00a0Neil Patrick Harris<\/a> to her filmThe Best and the Brightest<\/em>, went beyond his acting talent. Neil brings an extensive online following (over 670,000 on Twitter \u2013@actuallyNPH<\/a>). Patricia added, \u201cWe really considered the Internet following of our entire cast during casting process. In fact,John Hodgman<\/a> (PC from Apple\u2019s \u201cGet a Mac\u201d campaign) and\u00a0Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead) have an equally impressive number of followers. Other cast members including\u00a0Amy Sedaris,\u00a0Kate Mulgrew<\/a> and\u00a0Bridget Regan<\/a> have quite a rabid fan base as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other Indie films may choose to enlist the talent of an athlete or entertainer to add a recognizable face and a niche following. Hiring star power is expensive but extremely attractive to an investor or distributor.<\/p>\n

7. Target cross-promotional opportunities (think product placement)<\/strong>
\nIf all of your characters drink Pabst Blue Ribbon, maybe you need to call Pabst early on and pitch your film as an exciting sponsorship opportunity. Pabst, in an effort to promote their\u00a0Pabst Art brand agreed to sponsoring the recent Philadelphia premier of\u00a0Runner<\/em>, a short film by\u00a0Expressway Productions.<\/p>\n

Or think of it in reverse, as a co-branded partnership. Can you team up with a company that is releasing a new brand or product, and become a platform for their launch? It\u2019s certainly worth investigating.<\/p>\n

8. Create a contest or promotion<\/strong>
\nThere are many online contest platforms and compliance marketers out there who specialize in helping you reach your online fan base with a contest or promotion.\u00a0Realtime Media<\/a> (a compliance marketing agency) and\u00a0Yunno (an online contest engine) are two options in the Philadelphia region. Their solutions will integrate into your Facebook fan page and drive buzz once your followers start generating content, publishing their activity, and \u201cliking\u201d your contest. This can be a powerful vehicle for building your film community.<\/p>\n

9. Your film should have a life beyond the screen<\/strong>
\nIf it makes sense, consider creating an interactive website for your audience. This can be as simple as a forum or a social platform where audiences can delve deeper into the characters, interact with other fans, and view behind-the-scenes content.<\/p>\n

Sometimes films will go as far as to create games to create excitement for a movie. \u201cInception\u201d, the recent release starring Leonardo DiCaprio, launched a number of web games that start the audience on the mind-bending journey.\u00a0Read more about the viral campaign here.<\/p>\n

10. Consider what services and distribution outlets to utilize:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eventful.com<\/a> \u2013 Figure out where to screen your film based on audience demand<\/p>\n

Film Baby \u2013 Expose and sell your work to a world-wide audience while keeping an average of 80% of the sales<\/p>\n

CreateSpace<\/a> \u2013 Self-publish then sell your work through amazon.com and other sales channels<\/p>\n

FlickRocket<\/a> \u2013 Set up a fully-branded online movie shop<\/p>\n

iTunes \u2013 Become an iTunes content producer and open your film up to millions<\/p>\n

Netflix<\/a> \u2013 Submit your film to Netflix, DVD-by-mail and online streaming service<\/p>\n

Super D \u2013 Have access to retail outlets across the globe once you\u2019re a part of Super D\u2019s catalog of independent films.<\/p>\n

11. Establish goals and metrics<\/strong>
\nOnce you\u2019ve chosen your channels, figure out how you\u2019ll measure success. What are your online and offline goals and what are you measurement tools? Choose metrics for measurement (ex. page views, paid views, downloads, tickets sold, website impressions, Facebook fans & likes, Twitter mentions) and then define success as it relates to each metric.<\/p>\n

You will likely spend as many years in sales and marketing as you do planning and producing your film.<\/strong>If that turns your stomach, then be ready to pay a consultant or producer\u2019s agent to do the work for you. Even then, you should be the film\u2019s biggest advocate and publicist, and you\u2019ll have to champion the film with all your might to make it a success.<\/p>\n

You need to think like a blockbuster and grind like an indie.<\/strong> Assume you\u2019re going to have to do it yourself but utilize as many partners as you can in the process. It\u2019s going to take some smarts, some serious nichebusting and probably a crazy stunt or two.<\/p>\n

This article was written by Jason Brewer, CEO of Brolik Productions. Brolik Productions is a full-service branding and interactive agency in Philadelphia. Check their website ,www.brolik.com<\/a>, if you want to know more about their services.<\/p>\n

(source:\u00a0http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/idUSTRE65A13Q20100611<\/a>)<\/p>\n

____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

Unified Manufacturing<\/strong>\u00a0is an L.A. -based one-stop-shop that offers very affordable CD\/DVD\/USB replication, custom printing, promotional products, warehousing and fulfillment and many more. If you need an Instant Quote on a project and you want FREE SHIPPING, simply\u00a0CLICK HERE<\/a>. \t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For every dollar spent on producing a major film, the studios have been spending 51-58 cents to release and market it in the United States and Canada. _______________________________________________________________________ Big studios behind Hollywood blockbusters put at least half and sometimes as much as twice their production budgets into grandiose marketing campaigns, and they handle all publicity. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7846,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,14,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-music-marketing","category-film-distribution-news","category-unified-manufacturing-news"],"contentshake_article_id":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7844"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38582,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7844\/revisions\/38582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}