It takes a village to make a film. From writer and director to production designer and costumes and editor, assembling a great crew can make or break a production. Every role is clearly defined and expectations are clear. If you’re head of costumes, you presumably will ensure that every cast member is dressed.

The role of film publicist is less tangible and, when budgets are already tight, can seem much more expendable. After all, what does a film publicist do that a filmmaker can’t just do themselves, right?

So much. So, so, so much.

As Kyle Henry, a Chicago-based Independent Spirit Award nominee put it, “When your film debuts on the circuit, you need a publicist to help fine tune your messaging and actually reach local press, who are often overwhelmed by options for review. A publicist is essential to emerging from the festival fray with publicity momentum that can carry your film through to distribution."

If you’re serious about distributing your film, about it reaching audiences beyond your living room, it’s in your best interest to advocate for a film publicist in your line budget. Though you might only see them managing a red carpet or chatting up journalists at a screening, publicists have a productive impact on every aspect of production. What, exactly, can a film publicist do that you can’t?

Identify the Angles

As the filmmaker, you may be too close to see all the various angles of your film, the ways the media may be interested in covering it. There are the basics like it being your debut feature or how it was produced on a microbudget. But what about how it’s the star’s big comeback movie, or how it’ll debut on the anniversary of that historical event?

A film publicist is trained to dig deeper, to get creative about all the ways a film is timely and relevant, and he or she may often be able to uncover ideas you’d never even dreamed of.

For instance, say your film is a triumphant coming of age story about a high school basketball team of misfits. A publicist worth their fee will pitch the film to sports writers and film journalists, in order to be sure no stone is left unturned. 

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Optimize the Press Kit

By being engaged early, a film publicist can make the most of the production phase of the film. They can offer insight on the kind of materials that will be helpful later, like on-set images and behind-the-scenes content. They can pitch making-of stories to local media (everyone loves when a movie films in their backyard!), and field interview requests. They can refine the press kit elements as the tone of the film comes into focus.

Why worry about this so early on in the process? Because the last thing you want to have to think about when you’re preparing for your world premiere is cobbling it together. There you are, scrounging for a few good images to send to the press. But since you didn’t have anyone looking out for you on set, you don’t actually have any good images. Coulda been you on the front page of the paper...if only.

Utilize Established Relationships

This is the key value any publicist worth their fee can offer. If they’re good at their job, they have a contact list a mile long and know exactly who to be in touch with about your film. They’ve spent years cultivating relationships with the film press, and they can use these relationships (professionally) to your advantage, opening doors you’ll never be able to get your foot through. Journalists are people too, and good publicists have a good rapport with them.

When you’re selected for a festival, you’re one of dozens of feature films the local press will hear about. You could spend your time sending emails to these strangers and hoping they get read. Or, you could hire a publicist who can cut through the clutter for you, picking up the phone to pitch a review to their friend the film critic. Et voila!

Get Early Exposure

If there’s potential to work with a distributor, a film publicist engaged with your film early on can create exposure around festival screenings and other milestones. This goes a long way with the team who’ll ultimately bring your film to the world. Presenting them with a built-in audience and a selection of early reviews and features means that there’s already a public interest (which means there are tickets to be sold). A film publicist can also strategize how and when to pull the trigger on this early exposure so that it doesn’t cannibalize future opportunities.

Regardless of where you are in your film’s production and release, chances are a film publicist can help. If you’ve got the resources, having a publicist on hand during filming is ideal, as they’ll start building the pieces - press kit, film stills, pitching angles - that will come in handy down the road. Once you’re accepted into a festival - even a mid-range regional one - a publicist on your team will ensure your film doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Hiring a film publicist may, at the outset, sound like money that could be better spent elsewhere. But there’s a reason publicists have their own branch at the Academy. The services that a seasoned, professional publicist can provide are invaluable, particularly because they can focus on what they do best while you focus on, you know, making your film.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

This is the fifth and final post in a series of articles by Lisa Trifone, a longtime veteran of film festivals and marketing for the independent film industry. Here's the full list of articles:

Part 1: Press Kit Essentials
Part 2: Five Reasons Your Press Release Sucks
Part 3: When to Start Marketing Your Film
Part 4: Film Festival Marketing Musts
Part 5: Do I Need a Film Publicist?

Need a film publicist for your latest project? Contact Lisa Trifone at Bright Iris Film Co.

Ok, maybe not. But there’s plenty to get excited about when you’re headed to a film festival. And there are plenty of ways to ensure you’ve checked every box on the Festival Marketing Musts checklist below. Covering these bases is the best way to get local audiences interested in your film and keep them in the loop for its future success, too.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Email Capture

In the world of digital marketing, the only dependable connection is an email address. All the Facebook fans and Twitter followers in the world could go away tomorrow if those services decided to start charging per post. But if you’ve got their email address, you can always reach them. Include an email capture field or pop-over on your website, and circulate a pen and sign-up form at every screening. Then, you know, use them. Send updates about screenings, great reviews, awards and any exciting news about the movie as it happens.

Resource: MailChimp is the clear leader in this space, with easy-to-use features and loads of integrations. Also, free!

Social Media

A no-brainer, you’re probably already on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Also consider Tumblr, Pinterest, YouTube and any channel that makes sense for your film (though don’t overdo it - you have to keep up all those accounts!). Go the extra mile and establish a content strategy, a plan you’ll be grateful for when screenings and events really start to pick up. Use a simple spreadsheet to plan out the kinds of content you can share - behind-the-scenes images, teaser clips, press coverage - and when. 

And don't forget to include your social media profiles on all your marketing materials! Like the film website's URL, you'll want to always make sure people know where to find the film on their favorite platform.

Resource: Use this handy Editorial Calendar Template to help plan out your social media strategy.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Niche Outreach

Once your screenings are scheduled, get to work researching the region for niche organizations and media outlets that align with your film. Every movie has a niche, and tapping into it to find local audiences can make all the difference. Art documentary? Contact the local art museums. Coming of age story about a Polish immigrant? Reach out to the Polish-American groups in the area. A simple email making them aware of the film festival and your film can open the door to extra promotion and new audiences.

Your outreach would look something like this:

• Festival selection! Celebrate!

• Research, research, research. You’re looking for local organizations, community groups, even stores and restaurants that fit with the themes and subject of your film

• First contact, including a simple introduction, a link to the trailer and social profiles, plus festival showtimes if you have them.

• Second contact, probably when tickets are on sale. Ask if they’ll let you come by with postcards or a mini-poster.

• Third contact, just before the screening. Don’t pester, but send a friendly reminder that it’s the last chance to see a film they’re sure to enjoy!

Resource: Google, plus the local film office.

Group Sales

With that door open, go in for the kill. That is, the sale. First confirm with the festival their group sales policies, and then put them to work with your outreach. Single ticket sales are amazing, but promoting the discounts included in bringing a group is a win/win: they get the break on tickets, you get more butts in seats. (And don’t forget to pass around that email sign-up sheet!)

Resource: Your festival contact for policy info, and a great sales pitch (see above).

Community Calendars

When you’re screening in a new city, Google is your new best friend. A quick search for “[city name] community calendar” will reveal a laundry list of options for listing your film screenings with tourism offices, local news stations and micro-local websites. Some may require a simple sign-up to post your listing, but it’s worth it. The more places you can share that your film is screening, the better.

Resource: Patch.com has sites for communities all over the country.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Postcards and Mini-Posters

If you plan on being at the festival a day or two before your screening, consider using an online service to get a quantity of postcards and mini-posters (11x14) printed and distribute them to coffee shops, book stores, libraries and other public venues near the festival. These can also always go out at the theater, but remember, the goal is to get people to the film. Once they’re there, shift your focus to the long-term connection so they’ll tell their friends in the next town to check you out.

Resource: Use Canva to create a great piece, then a site like VistaPrint to print on a budget.

These ideas just scratch the surface of the marketing potential at film festivals. There’s always more that can be done, and creative ways to do it. Think about what makes your film unique and play off that. Got a story about a washed-up jazz musician getting back in the game? Launch a pop-up free concert at a spot near the theater to generate buzz.

A solid strategy takes advantage of the many layers available even on a budget, since it’s the combination of all of them that makes an impact. For instance, email address capture is always integrated into the most effective campaigns, from the website to your mini-posters and everything in between. If you keep at it, before you know it, you’ll have thousands of actual, real-life people who want to hear from you when you have news about your film.

Incorporating these marketing musts is a sure-fire way to get the ball rolling and fill the theaters where your film is headed.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

This is the fourth in a series of articles by Lisa Trifone, a longtime veteran of film festivals and marketing for the independent film industry. Here's the full list of articles:

Part 1: Press Kit Essentials
Part 2: Five Reasons Your Press Release Sucks
Part 3: When to Start Marketing Your Film
Part 4: Film Festival Marketing Musts
Part 5: Do I Need a Film Publicist?

Looking for custom marketing ideas for your film? Contact Lisa Trifone at Bright Iris Film Co.
 

Got a script? Time to start marketing it.

Got a rough cut? Yep, it’s time.

Got a date for your world premiere? Definitely time to start marketing the thing.

Wherever you are in the production or release of your film, you should already be marketing it. Build your audience now so when you announce that first screening, they’re all clamoring to buy tickets. After all, making a film is only half the battle. The other half is finding people who want to see it.

Below are various stages of production and a few ideas for how you can get word out about your film.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR.

Pre-production / Kickstarter

If you’ve just started sharing your idea with producers, you’re already marketing. Every time you’re sharing the concept, you’re refining how you talk about it and how you sell it. You’re convincing people to want to see the movie. Take note of what works and what doesn’t, and plan on incorporating this into your future marketing materials, like your press kit and the film’s website.

Planning a Kickstarter to help fund your project? Great! That’s a built in audience, people who've raised their hand and opened their wallet to actually invest, they’re so excited about your movie. Be consistent and informative with your updates, and use this engagement to encourage followers on Facebook, Twitter and any other social media platform you plan to use. These backers are also your the start of your email marketing list, audiences you can reach directly via their inbox.

Production

Whether it’s you, a producer or your brother-in-law, assign someone to be your social media eyes and ears during production. Their main task? Snap the super cool behind-the-scenes stories and happenings on set to share with those early adopters already interested in the film. Tease out character photos, storyboards, anything that might be of interest to people who don’t spend their time on film sets.

BONUS: Social Media Hot Tips

• Pick a hashtag, and make it unique. #doomsday could mean anything. #doomsdayfilm is better. #ddayhorrorfilm is unique enough that you can be sure anyone using it is part of your conversation.

• Become a social media pro with a few fast tools, including a business page for Facebook (which offers scheduling and insight capabilities), Tweetdeck to schedule and monitor tweets and Later to plan out Instagram posts.

• Draft a simple editorial calendar and plan out what you’d like to post. Here’s a template in Google Sheets.

• Set aside a few hundred bucks for promoting your Facebook page and key Tweets. These days, it's pay-to-play on these platforms, and by focusing your advertising audience and budget, you can drum up some great exposure for not a lot of coin.

• Canva is a free, user-friendly design website perfect for crafting sharp and shareable social images and graphics.

It’s also smart to think about future marketing during production. Review your shooting schedule and select a few days to bring in a photographer, ideally during key scenes. Having great film stills will go a long way in promotions down the road. If you’re planning any kind of digital or physical release (Blu-ray or DVD), consider setting aside time for cast and crew interviews to use later as bonus material.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR.

Post-production

Once the film is coming together, work on the look and feel of the marketing. What will the title treatment look like? The film poster? Will you use a tagline? Draft up your press kit, and use that exercise as your time to refine the tone of the film, whether it’s “a nuanced dark comedy infused with a modern sensibility” or “a hilarious romp through the world of competitive coin-flipping.” This tone should permeate every piece of your marketing, including the trailer, which you should be cutting at this point, too. Keep your existing audience engaged with timely updates on your progress (“Finished color correction today!”).

As you build out these materials, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Sometimes the way you plan to talk about your film doesn’t work with audiences, and it’s better to find out sooner rather than later. In my work with the Oscar-shortlisted documentary Meru, we went through several iterations of the key art before we found something that balanced the scale of the film (about a team of climbers who are the first to summit the titular mountain) with its humanity. It wasn’t until we started getting input from others that we knew we had to keep refining.

World Premiere

Your first public screening is a huge deal. Don’t let poor marketing keep it from being anything but amazing. As soon as the screening is confirmed, hit the ground running with announcements and outreach. If you’ve hired a film publicist, they’ll alert the press and start securing reviews and interviews. Consider creating a content calendar that leads up to the big day with countdowns, special content and even giveaways for sharing or reaching a milestone with followers.

Purchasing ads in local media can be expensive and, honestly, not always effective. Instead, use an online printer to create postcards and mini-posters you can distribute at coffee shops, libraries and other public spaces near the premiere venue. Check out a more exhaustive list of marketing musts here for even more ways to get the word out about your film.

Being an independent filmmaker often means wearing many hats at once. You’re director, producer, script supervisor, caterer...and you’ve got to be great at all of them. In the controlled chaos, don’t forget to put on your marketing hat. Every stage of making your film is a chance to connect with and build your audience, and it’s never too early to start.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR.

This is the third in a series of articles by Lisa Trifone, a longtime veteran of film festivals and marketing for the independent film industry. Here's the full list of articles:

Part 1: Press Kit Essentials
Part 2: Five Reasons Your Press Release Sucks
Part 3: When to Start Marketing Your Film
Part 4: Film Festival Marketing Musts
Part 5: Do I Need a Film Publicist?

Want a custom marketing plan for your film? Contact Lisa Trifone at Bright Iris Film Co.

Thing is, in order to get that coverage, the press release has to pass the smell test. Not getting the coverage you want? Could be that what you’re pitching isn’t newsworthy (the truth hurts). Could be the way you're pitching it, too. While there's not much to do about the former, there's a lot of ways to fix the latter.

Even if you do everything right, remember that journalists are busy and, like all of us, are lazy from time to time. Expect that anything you put in a press release will be published as is, so fine-tune your phrasing and stick to the facts.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

As Film Festival Secrets founder Chris Holland puts it, “You should be writing the article you want written about your film. Once you learn that trick, drafting up a press release that will actually be used becomes a lot easier.”

If your press release isn’t getting the traction you’d expect, it could be that it just sucks and is costing you the attention you deserve. Below are the top five mistakes a bad press release makes. And, more importantly, how to fix them.

Mistake #1 - Typos and Poor Grammar

Like a resume that spells “experience” wrong, a typo in your press release will spell immediate disregard. Editors are crazy busy, these days tasked with more work than ever as reporting staffs shrink. A typo or poor grammar is an easy way to pass on something they don’t really have time for anyways.

How to fix it: Have someone else read it! So easy, it’s inexcusable if you skip this step.

Mistake #2 - Way Too Much Info

There may be a million things you want writers - and their readers - to know about your film, but here, focus is your friend. A casting announcement. A world premiere. A theatrical opening. Each of these is a single release, not one big one. When you try to include too much, the person on the other side of the email has no idea where to begin, and will likely just move on rather than try to figure it out.

How to fix it: Pick a priority announcement and stick with it.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Mistake #3 - Way Too Long

A solid press release is succinct and to the point. It includes contact information, a headline and sub-head, body copy and an about paragraph with background info. And it should be one page, max. Again, consider the reader. There’s no time to read a three-page missive about your film premiering in Topeka. Get to the point, partner.

How to fix it: Edit, edit, edit. Then edit again.

Mistake #4 - No Call To Action

Sending a press release announcing you locked picture can be tempting - it’s a huge accomplishment! But what will the editor do with that news, exactly? Make sure your press release includes something for readers to do: visit your website, follow you on social media or, even better, buy tickets to a screening or rent the film on iTunes. It’s also a great idea to include your availability for interviews in case anyone wants to be in touch for their story.

How to fix it: Give the reader something to do.

Mistake #5 - Sent to the Wrong People

This one is a killer, but is sometimes impossible to know until the release is out in the world. There’s nothing worse than being on the receiving end of a press release with news you don’t even cover. Do your due diligence and research the specific editors and writers at each publication who are likely to cover your news. Check out what they’ve covered recently to confirm if it’s a good fit.

How to fix it: Hire a film publicist who already knows the right people.

Sending a press release can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Taking some extra time to craft a few well-written, information-packed paragraphs will help elevate you out of the email inbox wasteland and into news coverage you can brag about.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

This is the second in a series of articles by Lisa Trifone, a longtime veteran of film festivals and marketing for the independent film industry. Here's the full list of articles:

Part 1: Press Kit Essentials
Part 2: Five Reasons Your Press Release Sucks
Part 3: When to Start Marketing Your Film
Part 4: Film Festival Marketing Musts
Part 5: Do I Need a Film Publicist?

Need a super-slick press release for your latest news? Contact Lisa Trifone at Bright Iris Film Co.

But what IS a press kit? What does a good press kit include? When should you have one ready to go, and how often should you update it?

A film press puts function over fashion; it's a straightforward document that’s easy to read. There’s no need for a fancy, over-designed marketing piece here.

Create a press kit as soon as the film is wrapped and you start submitting to festivals. It’s a great resource to have on hand that includes all the information they’re going to request upon selection. Most of the kit should be static, but if you get a great award or awesome review, by all means, add it in!

Here are the basics for a solid film press kit, plus a few ways to level-up this crucial piece.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Cover Page

The first page of your press kit is like the cover page of a school book report: tell us the title, the director, and the basics like runtime and languages (especially if not in English). The cover page should also include contact information. Include a film contact and, if you’ve hired someone specific, the media contact (phone and email are sufficient).

Level Up: Include your one sheet (film poster) or a film still on this page to liven it up a bit, the way Shooting War, a Tribeca Film Festival official selection, does here.

Accolades

If you have them, including a few film festival laurels, awards and/or pull quotes at the beginning of your press kit can really help set the tone. The key here is to not go overboard. Your mom might be very excited that your film was selected for the Small Town USA Film Festival, but generally speaking, no one else is (sorry, it’s true). Only include laurels, accolades and quotes with a little street cred, and if you don’t have those yet, better to leave this portion out.

It can be tempting to include all the praise and positive feedback your film has received, but resist the urge! Your producer’s nanny’s agent might’ve loved it, but a quote from them is just a waste of space here. Half a page full of obscure laurels will never be as impactful as one or two from your best festivals.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Synopsis

Perhaps the most important part of the press kit, the synopsis you include here will be the primary text that film festivals and journalists use to reference your film. So, you know, no pressure. A well-written synopsis - generally a paragraph or two - balances exposition with a little flair. You need to tell us the basic plot line, but don’t be afraid to editorialize a bit (adjectives are your friend!).

Bad: Two Days in Miami is a film filled with director Joe Schmoe’s vision, a heartfelt and humorous journey over two days in Miami and the way relationships are forged and tied together and destroyed.

Good: With heart and humor, Two Days In Miami explores the ties that bind us and the forces that conspire to break them.

Level Up: Instead of a single synopsis, include a one-sentence logline, a short (200 words) and long (400 words) synopsis.

Filmmaker’s Statement

Here’s your chance to really put your filmmaking story out there. This is your space to shine. Tell us how the story came about, how the pieces came together, how all the stars aligned. Include the kind of anecdotes you’d want covered in a feature story on the film - how you got that one great actor to join the cast; what it was like working with that Oscar-winning editor, what getting to make the film means to you.

For example, check out filmmaker Sam Voutas’s solid statement in the press kit for King of Peking (page 3, here). It’s a well-written, concise few paragraphs that gets to the heart of how the film came to be. You can practically see young Sam watching movies outdoor and falling in love with them, dreaming of being a filmmaker. Kinda makes you want to see the film, doesn’t it?

Level Up: Include a simple interview - you can interview yourself! - and answer a few of the most common questions about your film. Journalists will thank you for the ready-made quotes for their stories!

Film Stills / Headshots

Anyone who writes about your film is going to want an image or two to go with their reporting. You or your publicist can share these images via email or post a few on the film’s website, but embedding them directly in the press kit can be a great way to add a visual to this piece and make images readily available to anyone who needs them.

The key to including images is to keep the size down (go lo-res here; your press kit can’t come in at 20MB!) and keep the selection solid. The film stills should feature your main cast and/or a key scene or location from the movie. They should be embedded in-line (like the image from La La Land below), and not with text all wrapped around them cluttering up the page.

It’s also acceptable - though not necessary - to include headshots next to filmmaker bios (see below). Like film stills, these should be small enough files that they don’t overwhelm the final file size. If you don’t have a headshot or don’t want to include yours in the press kit, that’s fine.

Level Up: create an open shared folder via Dropbox or Google Drive where your hi-res images are available for download, and include that link on your cover page (use bit.ly to make it a simple one!).

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

Bios and Credits

Filmmaking is the ultimate collaborative art, so it’s imperative that the press kit give credit where it’s due. Include a few key cast and crew bios (stars, director, writer and any above-the-line crew with killer IMDb credits); a simple paragraph, a filmography and maybe a headshot. The credits, which should be the last piece of the kit, is the authoritative reference for your crew list and the go-to for anyone covering the film; like the scroll on screen, they should read exactly as everyone wants them published.

Fine Tuning

Once you have all the pieces of your press kit together, review it a few times with an eye to refine it. Of course, proofread the thing with a fine-toothed comb. Then, go over it once for tone and again for formatting.

Your press kit should match the overall tone of the film; a kit for a documentary about HIV is going to sound very different from an ensemble comedy set during two wacky weeks at summer camp. Pay attention to how your synopsis, your statement, even your bios play into this tone, and make sure they’re all consistent. 

A quick once-over for formatting consistency is imperative. Make sure your cover page is just that: one page. Ensure that sections don’t break across pages in awkward places, that paragraphs are kept to clean sections. Ideally, each section starts at the top of a new page. This may leave some white space, which is totally fine. If there’s room, you can fill the space with a film still.

These simple steps to refining your press kit will give it a polish that makes it easier to use, and that means it’s easier for press to cover and promote your film.

Distribution

Once it’s final (seriously, have someone proofread it!), save the press kit as a PDF, keeping a close eye on file size. Anything larger than 5MB or so is going to be way too large to email when someone requests it. Link to it from your film’s website (usually the Press or Materials section), so it’s easily accessible to anyone who might need it. And soon as your film is the massive success we all know it will be, they definitely will need it.

Chances are a digital version of your new, professional press kit will suffice, but consider having a few printed copies (color, if you’ve included images!) ready at any press screenings a festival might organize for you, and on hand at industry networking events during the festival, too.

In the end, a successful press kit focuses more on what the people using it will need than on what you want to include in it. Though it’s tempting to pack the piece full of extra information, overdoing it can actually turn journalists and others off. Make it crisp and clean with easy to navigate section headings and only the most relevant information. In this way, you’ll ensure anyone who plans to talk about your film knows exactly how to do so, and in a manner that is consistent with your vision of the film and its intended reception.

Ready for more? Lisa has a free 45-minute webinar on Publicity Essentials for Independent Films, a deep-dive into all things PR, plus a bonus PR checklist.

This is the first in a series of articles by Lisa Trifone, a longtime veteran of film festivals and marketing for the independent film industry. Here's the full list of articles:

Part 1: Press Kit Essentials
Part 2: Five Reasons Your Press Release Sucks
Part 3: When to Start Marketing Your Film
Part 4: Film Festival Marketing Musts
Part 5: Do I Need a Film Publicist?

Need help drafting a kick-ass press kit? Contact Lisa at Bright Iris Film Co.

You can play this podcast episode using the player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes or your favorite podcatcher with this RSS link.

The Film Festival Secrets Podcast is listener supported. Ensure the creation of new episodes of the show, get access to a treasure trove of festival knowledge, and join a community of film festival veterans for as little as $6 a month.  Join the Film Festival Secrets Vault now.

Brad Wilke (@jbwilke) is an award-winning filmmaker, produced feature-length screenwriter, and film programmer for the Seattle International Film Festival. 

At his company Smarthouse Creative, Brad designs and executes digital and social media strategies for films and filmmakers, as well as film festivals and brands.

In this episode I talk with Brad about about his passion for discovering new talent and we answer some burning filmmaker questions about the film selection process at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Seattle International Film Festival
• Smarthouse Creative
• Brad Wilke on Twitter
• Film Festival Secrets Vault

You can play this podcast episode using the player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes or your favorite podcatcher with this RSS link.

Veteran filmmaker, teacher, and fundraiser Mark Stolaroff takes a pause in the middle of the Kickstarter campaign for his new film “DriverX” to reflect on his filmmaking career and the psychology of asking friends and strangers for money. Mark is the creator of the "No Budget Film School” seminars and a role model to many indie filmmakers.

Links:

• DriverXMovie.com (links to the Kickstarter campaign at this writing)
• No Budget Film School 
• PIG - Mark’s sci-fi movie 
• True Love
• The House that Jack Built
• Farah Goes Bang
• Patrick Fabian, star of DriverX and Better Call Saul
• Saved by the Bell: The College Years
• The Kickstarter Guy
• Kickstarter Better! at No Budget Film School
• Kickstarter Redux at No Budget Film School

This episode sponsored by Filmmaker’s Crowdfunding Blueprint.

You can play this podcast episode using the player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

Are you being offered the “festival rights” to the music in your film at a discount? It’s a trap! Find out why the deal you’re being offered might not be the best option for you.

Links:

• Written version of this episode (includes a link to the PDF version of the original “Festival Rights” article)
• Film Festival Hacks - submit to film festivals like a pro
• Podcast page on iTunes - please leave a positive rating and review of the show to help me find new listeners!

Prefer listening to reading? You can hear the audio podcast version of this article in the player above. 

Author's note: You can learn more about music rights in independent film (in particular how closely festivals pay attention to such things) in the first chapter of Film Festival Secrets: A Handbook for Independent Filmmakers. 

When licensing music for their projects, sometimes filmmakers will ask whether it's advisable to purchase only the "festival rights." Sometimes it's possible to save money on music licensing by obtaining permission to use a song in a film limited to play at festivals. 

The thinking here is that you can go back and acquire additional rights for public exhibition (on home video and theatrically) when you have a distributor lined up. Why pay for those rights before you know you have to, right?

All too often, however, this is a trap. When you come back to the music's rights holder, you may find that the price for those expanded rights has increased to something significantly higher than it would have been had you acquired them at the outset. 

The publisher knows that the only reason you would come back for those rights is because someone is interested in buying the film and you have to have those rights or go through the painful process of replacing the song. This gives them leverage over you to charge more. 

(And contrary to what some filmmakers think, most distributors won’t pay for those rights as part of your deal with them.)

For this reason, obviously, I recommend getting rights to the music in your film that are as long-term and all-inclusive as you can afford from the beginning. That way the rights holder will be motivated to sell them at a better price. 

Even if your film simply ends up on YouTube, purchasing “universal” rights means you won’t have to worry about legal issues that will keep you from sharing your film with the world.

There are a number of confusing terms around the different kinds of rights you can obtain (sync rights, master use rights, mechanical rights, and more) and I don't pretend to understand all the subtleties. So unless you're composing all the music yourself, it's probably worth consulting with an attorney or music supervisor who has experience in entertainment and/or intellectual property to make sure you're making the best decisions. 

Do you have a story about music rights in film you'd like to share with other readers? Leave it in the comments below.

A few days after filmmakers sign up for my free "Film Festival Readiness" course, they get an email that asks them to send me a question, or to articulate their #1 challenge when it comes to the festival circuit. 

The email below came in recently from a filmmaker named Allison. The frustration she expresses is so common that I've posted both her email and my answer below. (I've cleaned up my answer a bit for grammar and clarity.) 

Hey Chris.

#1 challenge: GETTING IN!

I feel like many of the slots are handed to films with a celebrity - ANY celebrity - in them. Next time I make a movie, you can bet there'll be a celebrity in it.

Last year I made a feature adaptation of Macbeth that's just not getting any traction. Too niche? I guess. No celebrities... and it was the first film for my partner, who directed.

So. Maybe it's just not any good, or maybe I'm just missing something...!?

Allison

Hey Allison,

Most of the time repeated rejection comes down to a few things like:

• the film just isn’t good enough, usually because there was little test screening prior to beginning submissions

• picking festivals that are simply inappropriate for the film (shooting too high, not paying attention to subject matter requirements, etc)

• something controversial that disqualifies the film

• unprofessional behavior by the filmmaker

• consistently handicapping yourself by submitting late (when many decisions have already been made and a huge crush of entries come flooding in)

• film is too similar to something else currently on the circuit that has more notoriety or just got there first

In your case I think the last one might be getting you a little bit. Shakespeare adaptations are quite common and programmers kind of roll their eyes when they recognize that is what they’re watching. 

Of course the quality of a film (or the presence of something else “sellable” like name actors) can enable it to rise above this disadvantage, but it’s a tough place to start from. I had a client who made a film called Kitchen Hamlet and though I quite liked it, he had a heck of a time getting festivals to play it. 

I recommend that you read my “fundamentals” article, which touches on most of the rest of those bullet points. 

One last thought — given your own credentials, you might consider placing less emphasis on the festival circuit and “go to your base” of Shakespeare junkies to see if you can get play for the film at non-movie theaters. As you know, many stages have black box venues tucked away in their buildings that are perfect for specialty screenings.  

[Email reply ends here.]

As it turns out, Allison and the film's director already had a grassroots screening plan in mind to engage their core audience of Shakespeare buffs. I don't think they should give up on the festival circuit until they figure out whether they're just having an early run of bad luck, but every filmmaker needs to be aware that their film might not be destined for festivals. It pays to have a Plan B in the works even before you start submitting.

If you're looking for more insight into the minds of festival programmers, I cover this topic in detail in my video course Film Festival Hacks (with filmmaker Alex Ferrari asking pertinent questions along the way). Pay particular attention to sections 3 and 4 to find out what programmers want from the films they play.

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

Jen West and James Martin are partners in life, partners in filmmaking (they alternate between directing and producing on each film), and partners in a string of successful crowdfunding projects.

Now they face a new challenge -- distributing their most recent completed film (a doc short about a famous New Orleans cocktail) online and on the festival circuit while raising funds for the next film. The new project is their first feature, a musical fantasy called “Electric Bleau.” Listen in as they reveal their secrets to keeping all these balls in the air at once.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Bubble (short film)
• Little Cabbage (short film)
• The New Orleans Sazerac (short documentary film)
• Electric Bleau crowdfunding campaign
• Molly Coffee, production artist
• Seed and Spark Crowdfunding Platform 
• Oxford Film Festival

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

Excerpted from their online course “Film Festival Hacks,” Alex Ferrari (Indie Film Hustle) and host Chris Holland talk about the career building and networking opportunities to be found at film festivals.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Film Festival Hacks
Indie Film Hustle Podcast episode 46 

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

In this episode: Chris Holland talks about the legwork of creating a festival strategy, in particular the research you should be doing about the festivals you think you want to submit to. Things like:

* What things can tell me if the festival I'm looking at is legit or not? 
* How can I tell if this festival is appropriate for my film?
* How can I make the most of my time on the web? 
* What are the red flags that might make me think about spending my money elsewhere?

If you find this podcast useful please review the show on iTunes, your ratings and reviews really do help.

Also be on the lookout for my new online course, Film Festival Hacks - learn more at filmfestivalsecrets.com/hacks

1939, Disney / RKO Pictures.

When your 5-year old daughter looks up at you at 6 in the morning (before leaving for school) and asks "How do they make cartoons?" -- that's when you thank the heavens that YouTube exists. 

Of course, I didn't try to explain that cartoons aren't made like this today or the casual sexism in some of the narrator's remarks (especially around the 4 minute mark, right after women on screen are depicted as "expert chemists"). I was grateful, however, that rather than have to come up with a half-assed explanation ten minutes after waking up, I could just type the question verbatim into YouTube and bang -- instant, easy-to-understand answers.

I envy curious kids today. It's all out there, just waiting to be discovered in 10-minute chunks of entertainment.

The Hollywood Reporter, writing about the record-breaking sale of Birth of a Nation at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

The Sundance audience gave the slave-rebellion drama an extended standing ovation, which was followed by mostly enthusiastic reviews. By the next morning, Fox Searchlight had plunked down a jaw-dropping $17.5 million for worldwide rights to the film, the biggest sale in the fest’s history. It also marks the largest sum ever paid for a finished movie at any festival, including Cannes, Berlin and Toronto.

This, of course, is the dream scenario for any filmmaker – to play one’s passion project to rapturous applause, and then cap it off with a big sale to a distributor who will deliver that film to the audience waiting for it.

Let’s not lose sight, however, of what went into creating this festival success story in the first place. From that same THR story:

[Filmmaker and star Nate] Parker, 36, quit acting for two years to realize the passion project that he wrote, produced, directed and toplined. He put in $100,000 of his own money to fly around the country to talk to anyone who might want to finance it. A dozen investor groups — which included former NBA player Michael Finley and San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker — cobbled together the film’s $10 million budget.

Not to take anything away from Kevin Smith (one of the original Sundance whiz kids who was back at Sundance this year with a new movie), but this wasn’t a Clerks-type Cinderella story. Birth of a Nation’s festival screening and sale were the result of years of smart, careful planning, hard work, and big risks.

That makes it all the more impressive, but also more of an object lesson: unless you have the business acumen and resources to replicate what Parker and his team did – not to mention his storytelling ability – then a big win like this is likely out of reach.

Birth of a Nation’s big sale is a great source of inspiration, sure, and a sign that film festivals are as relevant as ever.

It is not, however, an indication that a large swath of indie filmmakers will soon see their films snapped up at premium prices by eager distributors. Despite the fact that Amazon and Netflix apparently threw some money around at Sundance this year, the underlying message remains the same: bring a big audience with you or DIY. (Distribute it yourself.)

To learn more about the current indie film distribution landscape from people who know what they’re talking about, I recommend the Indie Film Academy’s online course on distribution. If you want a brain dump of indie film distribution knowledge, listen to some very smart people with experience in the field lay it out for you in this course. (Affiliate link.)

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above orsubscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

After several hours of recording lectures for our new online course (more details in the show), filmmaker Alex Ferrari and I had a more casual conversation about his personal experience with festivals around the country and in industry towns like Los Angeles.

Alex is the creator of filmmaking site indiefilmhustle.com and his short films have played more than 200 film festivals. We talk about the relationships that can build between individual festivals and their alumni, the advantages of being nice, and the importance of buying new shirts.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Indie Film Hustle, Alex’s filmmaking site
• Hollyshorts Film Festival
• Twitter Hacks, Alex's course on growing your Twitter following in a hurry
• Filmmaking Hacks: Secrets to Shoot & Market Your Indie Film
• Film Festival Hacks, an upcoming online course Chris and Alex are creating together

This episode sponsored in part by the Newport Beach Film Festival, with an open call for entries that ends February 5, 2016.

Sometimes filmmakers face the classic "bird in the hand" problem. Case in point: my friend Amy's short film "Pickle" was accepted by one festival, but her "dream date" festival is still on the fence. That's a problem, because showing at the first festival to extend an offer might lessen the dream festival's interest. Should she go ahead with the sure thing, or wait for her dream festival to make up its mind?

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

Sometimes filmmakers face the classic "bird in the hand" problem. Case in point: my friend Amy's short film "Pickle" was accepted by one festival, but her "dream date" festival is still on the fence. That's a problem, because showing at the first festival to extend an offer might lessen the dream festival's interest. Should she go ahead with the sure thing, or wait for her dream festival to make up its mind?

Links from this week’s episode: 

• Web site for short documentary film Pickle 

This episode I'm joined by Richard Gale, creator of the short film "The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon," which is on its way to becoming a feature film thanks to a healthy festival run and a rabid YouTube fan base. Learn how Gale turned festival success into a cottage industry and a budget for a feature-length horror comedy. For show notes see http://www.filmfestivalsecrets.com/podcast/29

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

This episode I'm joined by Richard Gale, creator of the short film "The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon," which is on its way to becoming a feature film thanks to a healthy festival run and a rabid YouTube fan base. Learn how Gale turned festival success into a cottage industry and a budget for a feature-length horror comedy.

Links from this episode:

• The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon - original short film
• Ask Jack talk show sequel
• Save Jack interactive game
• Spoon vs Spoon
• Spoon Wars
• Paul Clemens (plays Jack)
• Brian Rohan (plays the Ginosaji)
• Richard Gale’s IMDB page
• Ginosaji feature film Kickstarter campaign
• Fantastic Fest, where “Horribly Slow” debuted.

You can play this podcast episode using the SoundCloud player above or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or your favorite podcatcher).

One of the most frequent questions I get from filmmakers is: how can I narrow the field of thousands of film fests to pick the right festivals for my film? This short podcast covers some basic steps to help you winnow those large lists down in a hurry by examining your film before you examine the festivals. 

In his Film Trooper podcast, Scott McMahon chronicles his journey as an actor and emerging filmmaker. Episode 92 features an interview with yours truly. 

I met Scott in Oregon during the Portland Film Festival and was impressed with his take on the overall business of filmmaking and distribution. Even if you don’t want to hear me gab about film festivals, the other episodes of his show are a treasure trove of info.