Consolidated Films

Film Producing Changes In The Digital Age

Price Jaccobi — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:38:23 -0500

Films have been made the same way for a long time. Since 1926 the combination of sight, sound, and general running time have become a de facto for feature films that most aspiring filmmakers aim for. The days of movie theaters being the only place to see films are over, as are the days of television as the only way to watch episodic and serial stories. The internet has taken over and with this change in distribution comes a corresponding need to change or expand the concept of filmmaking.

Image by chris.bryant

Upon reading Scott Kirsner's new book Fans, Friends and Followers (amazon) it becomes readily apparent that filmmakers can no longer just make one big movie and expect the internet to save them. Not to say feature-length films are passe or not worthy of your efforts, but the nature of the internet and digital communication is not built to showcase feature films. Kirsner's book illustrates many ways of finding an audience online, but these opportunities affect how and what films you make.

First Start Small

The internet is great at promoting short videos, but not good at helping an unknown filmmaker find thousands to watch a two-hour opus. Although you may have ambitions to do feature-length films, your audience might not be ready to accept it from you yet. Instead of putting maximum effort on one big project, start with shorter films and slowly build up to a feature once you have found fans.

Release Frequently

Great filmmakers often go years between films, but you do not the resources that sustain such a luxury. You will not have millions to waste on restarting a fire you should have kept going the whole time. The internet forgets and jogging its memory after a long time is much harder than just staying on their radar every so often. To make maximum use of the internet's capabilities you need to consider how you are going to be able to release content on a consistent basis. It does not have to be daily but it should be often enough to keep people engaged.

Customize For Influencers

Though no authorities exist on the internet that can anoint you like studios used to, there are sites that get a lot of attention and can lend you some. These sites have an existing base of users and you might be able to find some new fans there. The problem is each site has particular requirements and you need to customize some of what you do to be able to participate. Some sites are edited by a cadre of contributors: instead of just sending them whatever you have, put together content especially geared toward their taste. On message boards conversation is the thing valued most: on these sites you cannot just drop a link or embed a video, you need to join in and give them something they care about.

Reach Assembled People

People already congregate on the internet and some of these places may be ripe for finding new fans. These gathering places are often around a subject or passion the users all share. If you are creating a film or storyworld that includes characters with a passion or set in certain sub-culture, you may find a ready audience at one of these sites. If possible create a film from scratch with a deep connection to a certain subject since films broad in subject-matter will be less likely to effectively harness these communities.

These are not rules, these are just ways the internet works. Once a filmmaker has begun a career they become a subject unto themselves, once a filmmaker garners an audience crafting their productions to fit the nature of the internet might not be necessary. Up and coming filmmakers ought heed these guidelines, though. Instead of just making what you want, remember the internet cannot be changed as easily as you, what you make, and how you make it.

More Movie Versions, Easier Film Marketing

Julian Perrera — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:14:00 -0500

Filmmakers have often been afforded the luxury of only having one version of their film released. There are the anomalous films like Star Wars that have had multiple versions released long after the original and sometimes there are the movies with both a studio and director version, like Blade Runner, but for the most part films have a single definitive version set in stone.

As an independent filmmaker you are wise to be wary of any Hollywood tradition, the idea of a single version of a film being best is no exception. Just because it has always been done that way does not mean it is the right way for you. When you tell a story to someone, they retell it to others in their own way. Far from bastardizing the content they personalize it and can even add something extra that makes it a little better. As a low budget filmmaker you can use letting other people make their own version of your film to help get the word out about you original version.

Image by andso

More Participants, More Supporters

The more the merrier, indeed. The more people you can get to participate, the more people are given a reason to talk about your movie in general and each person's version in particular. For every new person you allow to use your film to make some art with, you will gain many more supporters in their social network. Not every person that joins in will bring a windfall of friends and family who become fans, but with each new participant comes exposure you would not have gotten otherwise.

More Storyworld Context

Many filmmakers feel they are the authority on what is what in their storyworld. No matter how much these filmmakers want to package or mold the experience, there are many things they cannot control. Opinions can often be just as catchy as a film's plot and speculation can sometimes be more compelling than the lines characters say. Each person that participates adds complexity to the story and context for people to better be able to place your film in their existing fictional world memory bank. The more people are immersed in your storyworld, the more invested, and thus diehard, they become.

More News Value From Each Release

There is only one premiere for a theatrical film and only one DVD release. Those are only two news opportunities to help spread the word through media. If you were to allow people to tinker with your film, you might find yourself with a load of releases of each version. For the release of each substantial new version you should expect people to want to spread the word which will not only promote that version but also the original which inspired it.

More Chances Of Finding Rabid Fans

Without a single take-it-or-leave-it version of the film, allowing people to have a say in how the story plays out, it might seem like it would confuse viewers and scare them away. It actually will offer your film more chances at wowing viewers. The director's cut might be a slow-burner that is not too impactful for the majority of people, but the more "fun" version that an amateur made may attract more attention. These new people would never have become a fan of the storyworld without the entree of the version that appealed to them so strongly and they may even come around to appreciating or loving the original version as well.

Instead of hogging all the fun, let others play. It might not seem worthwhile to give away so much of your hard work to people you do not know who could make fun of the story or do a horrible job, but with the internet people can do this without your permission anyway. Letting go and helping them along can reap benefits, trying to hold on to the way filmmaking was in the past is a sure way to not have much of a future. Embrace the way things are and it could come out in your favor, just not how you might have envisioned.

Fan-fiction is rampant in sci fi and fantasy. Do you know any examples in any other type of films?

Short Films Are Not Small Movies

Price Jaccobi — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:30:00 -0600

A common way for filmmakers to get into the movie game is with a short film. Many figure they can make a short film and then make it into a feature-length film, but a short film is not like a feature film only not as long.

Image by rpongsaj

Not to suggest making a short and making a feature film do not have overlapping skill sets, but rather the conception of short films is different than features. They will both be made with the camera in the same way, but they are not going to be of the same creative material.

Less Scrutiny

A short film is shorter and much easier to make a entertaining. Audience enjoyment is often inversely related to a film's length, so short films are easier to make compelling. Often a filmmaker might get the impression they can do what they did to make a short, but just make it longer. This mindset will not prove useful for making feature films, because keeping a viewer's attention for two hours is not as easy at two minutes.

Cannot Just Lengthen Shorts

When filmmakers speak of turning a short into a feature, it evokes an image of adding more stuff in between the beginning and end of the short. Rarely will this be the way a successful feature is made. A short is an enclosed story and will not be something you can just fill with more stuff to make a movie with. The only way a short can be used in a feature film is if it is used as a building block, starting point, or inspiration for the film rather than as something to be filled with more stuff to make it as long as a movie should be.

Movie Is A Series Of Shorts

Movies are not long shorts, they are a series of 40-60 shorts called scenes. You do not make movies by making a long scene, but by making many scenes that naturally flow from one to the other. Do not think in terms of lengthening a short film, but rather building upon it. The original short film could be the last scene in the film, the first scene of the third act, or if it's a long short it might be the whole first act. Whatever part this short does end up playing in the feature, it will likely not encompass the entire duration of the movie. It will be one of many scenes and not one big stretched out scene with new stuff in between.

No Single Great Short

When making a short a filmmaker wants it to have a punch of its own, to be able to stand on its feet without help. Making a really distinctive scene is great for making shorts, but not usually the way to make a compelling feature. A film is a series of scenes that in total makes a statement, but none of its parts should speak too much louder than any other part. The power in filmmaking is that it is a poem using the order and composition of scenes instead of words. A movie at its best will not have standout scenes, but rather be a standout movie. The film will be powerful not due to a single strong scene, but the relationship the scenes have with each other and the meaning that comes from it.

Shorts and feature films are different and take different creative capacities to create. Be careful when moving from shorts to features that you know the requirements of each and do not get the making of each confused. They are related but not in the way you might first expect.

Insulate Your Movie Marketing From Film Critics

Julian Perrera — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:18:10 -0600

Image by sarah_lincoln

Many indie filmmakers hold on to the hope of film critics being champions of their films and thus helping them find an audience. It is true that critics will often take on a pet film each year that they will talk about incessantly and sometimes bring the attention due it. The problem is that you will not be that film. There are too many films released each year and too few critics with the power to influence opinion. Relying on a critic to save your film is not a marketing plan, it's a gambling problem. The ideal position to be in is where critics not only cannot hurt you, but anything they say helps spread the word.

Build An Audience Beforehand

The thing you must do if you want what critics say to always be used in your favor is build a fanbase before the release of the film. You can do it with extra short films made featuring the characters, you can do it with diary blog posts from the characters, or you can do it with podcasts of improvised phone conversations the characters do with each other. Do whatever you want to build the fans, but you must have fans before you release the film if you really want to harness the power of the critics and shield yourself from possible negatives.

Good Reviews May Bring More

Once you have a fanbase, critics will be your friend. If they love your film it will clearly bring your more fans. This may have also happened even if you had not built a fanbase already, but the thing that would not have been in place is a way to keep these new fans and a way to keep them involved while time passes and your movie is actually available for them to buy or at least watch. If you have put effort into making a community that loves your work, then these new fans that are curious due to a critic's persuasive review can simply join the tribe and there will be no problem keeping in touch with them.

Bad Reviews Galvanize Fans, Increase Exposure

Inevitably, if you are making a great movie somebody is going to hate it. It hurts to think that something so good could bring about any negativity whatsoever, but this happens to everyone. If you have a bad review and no fanbase, than you have nothing but a bad review. If also you have a fanbase you have an army that will deluge this reviewer with rebuttals. They will leave comments on blogs and poster counter-reviews. All the fan web sites combined will be there to balance this one critic's opinion. When people google your film this bad review will come up, but so will all the community web sites built by and for your fans that will help temper decisions about your film's quality. A bad review is better than no reviews, but if you have the community component already in place you can get the best of both worlds.

Don't just rely on your movie to speak for itself, give it some help. Come up with a way to get people into your film before it comes out and then let them help welcome new fans and counter any naysayers.

Why Filmmakers Remake Movies So Often

Price Jaccobi — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:14:11 -0600

Image by shinnygogo

Indie filmmakers tend to disregard any Hollywood practice as shallow and never look into it further. Hollywood does a lot of things indie filmmakers should disregard but that doesn't mean they should not dig deeper to see what the intent is and whether it is something they might want to pursue in their own way. Hollywood remakes movies, independent movie makers condemn it and move on without considering why they do that. Everyone assumes it is just because it is easy to make money, but there are many underlying reasons why an audience would want to see a remake and some lessons for you as a filmmaker.

Familiar and Unfamiliar

People do not like complete surprises, they like pleasant surprises. A pleasant surprise is breakfast in bed, a bad surprise is a breakfast of bran muffins when you are used to eggs and bacon. By patronizing these movie remakes audiences are telling us that they want things to be familiar and at the same time new. They are not able to justify gambling on an unknown quantity with all the sure-bet entertainment options these days. This does not mean you have to make remakes, but maybe you ought help audiences get familiar with your storyworld instead releasing the movie to them cold.

A Mini-Genre

It is clear people like genres, that is why they are around. People like movies that are nearly guaranteed to have certain values in them. A remake is like a genre of two. If they have seen the original they will have in their head a notion that the best parts will also be in the new one but in a new form. They know that the story will be similar but different in a way that should be entertaining. You could mimic the building of positive expectations for your movie by releasing additional material that has a similar tone, similar character emphasis, and stories that are close to what will be in the movie.

Story Does Not Matter As Much

These remake movies are often not as good as the original and everyone knows that. Still people flock to see the remakes because they enjoy being with the characters and in the world. The story becomes secondary to the event that it becomes. So critics may sneer at the weak plot and lack of logic but people might still have a great time. They like being in that world and will forgive a poor story as long as they get to spend more time there. This can work in your favor if you create a storyworld before releasing your film to help your fans build a taste for the world and characters so that they are more lenient with other elements. I do not mean this as an excuse or reason to make bad movies, it just gives you more room to experiment and creates an better overall experience for audience and filmmaker alike.

Audiences Want More Of Favorite Characters

Along with remakes are the seemingly ubiquitous sequels and sequels of sequels. Movie franchises and remakes show the extent to which audiences love and want to be with familiar characters. It shows they want to not only be around them more often but want to get to know them better. Compelling characters hold your attention and make you want to know what makes them tick. So one movie is never enough if it is full of truly great characters. The lesson for you is that if your movie has great characters people are going to want to see more of them and you should deliver. You can do it before the movie is released, you can do it with sequels or a remake, or you can do it with an episodic series after the movie is already out. People want more and if you make truly compelling characters you owe it to them to give as much as you can.

Remakes are not just an indication that Hollywood is greedy, it tells you something about audiences. Audiences want more of the same and that does not have to be a creatively bankrupt proposition. It is your task to feed this hunger for more of the same (only different) and if you do it right it can even work in a promotional capacity to market the film.

Marketing Your Film By Finding Actors

Julian Perrera — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:00:08 -0600

Image by xiaming

As indie filmmakers you can't turn away any opportunity to market your film. In every process you go through to make the film you should give some consideration to what you can do make it more compelling and/or involve more people. Most films need actors and the process of finding these actors can also serve valid marketing functions.

More Actors, More Supporters

When you are putting together a project you might consider including lots of small roles for people. Instead of treating people as extras that are hauled in, shepherded to the set, and returned to pasture, make the extra parts special and cast for them. With some strategic placement of people throughout the film and careful choosing of who should fill those roles you will not only gain good extras, but people who will want to tell their friends about the movie. Actors can be great evangelists for your film because they want to be seen and in that process will tell others about your movie. You might even consider adding more small speaking parts so actors have even more incentive to tell others about the movie.

Generate Word Of Mouth By Casting Wide

Instead of treating casting as a burden that needs to get done ASAP, use it as a platform to spread word about the film. Don't only hold casting sessions. Deputize volunteer casting directors that go and recruit people that might be interesting to have in the film. The more people you meet, the more people will know about your movie, and the more likely you'll find the right fans for the movie as well as actors. Even if people don't actually want to be considered for casting it's likely something that they would mention to their friends. Your goal as marketer of the film is to give people a reason to talk to others about your movie.

Unique Audition Experience

Once you start casting your net wide to include all kinds of people you might make the audition process something that people will want to tell their friends about. Where is the casting session going to take place? Is there a fun process to find the place, like a treasure hunt of sorts? Is it a group casting session that is part social gathering? Rather than making it a grueling cattle call make it a cool get together with people that like what you are about. Meet and greet people and tell them about what you guys are planning, maybe videotape all the scenes you do in the audition and put them on YouTube. Or make a reality type documentary that you will put up online somewhere.

Lots of filmmaking tasks can be tweaked to serve the movie in other ways. Don't think just in terms of casting people that want to be in the movie, come up with more ways to talk to people and get them to talk to others where your movie is a part of the conversation and your marketing will be done for you.

The Four Possible Filmmaker Careers In Movies

Price Jaccobi — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:00:52 -0600

Image by Ed Yourdon

I've seen a pattern emerge in regards to what a filmmaker's career looks like and how it got that way. The film maker you start out as may not be the one you end up as or you may just keep doing what you did the first time for the rest of your life. There are four basic filmmaking career types and they each will appeal to a certain type of filmmaker.

1. Sell Out

Many filmmakers start out edgy and interesting, but once they smell money to turn to the dark side. These filmmakers flout film conventions to get the initial attention and use it to gain the trust of a fan base, but once they reach a certain level of success they follow mainstream convention in an attempt to create a real cash cow. They exchange their indie cred for mainstream success. George Lucas?

2. Become An Artist

Artists do what they want to do with their films and money is only important to keep going, but not all artists start out that way. This type of artist begins his or her career making normal, conventional films but slowly gets more and more idiosyncratic with their work. They master the fundamentals and then veer off into unexplored territory. Some of it still attracts the same audience and some of it falls flat, but they do what's important to them and don't let the market dictate to them. Ingmar Bergman?

3. Remain An Artist

The second type of film artist is idiosyncratic from the beginning and never changes much. They find they want to do a certain type of movie and never get tired of it. They may at times gain success and be offered opportunities to make bigger and more lucrative films, but they are happy doing whatever they started out doing. This is the hardest career to start and maintain because each film is a struggle, but in the end the artist has the most satisfaction from it. Jim Jarmusch?

4. Just Entertain

Not every filmmaker wants to express themselves. Some feel they have nothing to say or are so private they don't want to share. They begin their career with mainstream entertainment and continue that way for the rest of their career. There is a certain level of respect that other film artists have for these types given their commitment to what they do. These film makers want to make movies that make money and please the audience, nothing more artistic is desired by them. Steven Spielberg?

Time will only tell what kind of filmmaker you will be. You may see yourself as one filmmaker and end up being a different kind in the end. Don't fear your fate, you can only be the best you can be... if you're going to sell out do it well, I guess.

Downsides of Marketing Movies With Word Of Mouth

Julian Perrera — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:15:22 -0600

Image by Telstar Logistics

The idea behind a movie producer making a film remarkable is that people will tell others about it for you. The filmmaker won't have to use marketing as a trick to hoodwink people into watching the film, rather let fans make other fans. Once a movie is remarkable and people see it, they will tell other people and make your marketing easier. Unfortunately, there are other unintended consequences you may encounter that are not so fun.

More Detractors

For every new fan, you'll also make a new enemy. Your online fan message boards that were once friendly and filled with lovers of your work might suddenly become inundated with negative messages from people that don't like you. So while you are spreading the word to fans, you are also spreading it to the indifferent and contrary. You can't please everyone, so it's natural that as your film's profile rises it will attract those that want to tear you down.

More Critics

The more people that see your film, the more likely you will come across would-be critics that find it necessary to pick your film apart in print and put in online. So even if your fans overlook some rough parts of the movie, these critics will bring it to light and might even ridicule you. Even Oscar-winning movies have critics that disagree. No matter how great your film is, somebody will see it differently and try to convince others of their views.

Hunger For More

Just as with any person that makes friends that really like them, these new friends will want to hang out more often. Once your film garners fans, they will want more and more from that storyworld. Though filmmakers often confuse this interest in their story with interest in them as filmmakers, the popularity of franchise movies made by different directors and writers proves it's the story and characters people care about most. There are countless Star Wars books written by different authors and only one of the original movies was directed by George Lucas, yet audiences still stay interested. People care about storyworlds that they like, not so much about filmmakers.

Knockoffs, Parodies

As your film gains in popularity, it's inevitable that someone will made a joke video about it. No movie is spared from this embarrassment and in the USA it's constitutionally protected speech; so there isn't much you can do about it. Whatever is interesting about your film will be used against it to make people laugh. Not only will people want to make fun of you, they'll want to copy what you did. If what you did gets results, people will try to mimic whatever elements they can to ride your coattails to success. Instead of waiting for parodies, you might make your own. Instead of letting others satisfy audience demand for similar productions, you could produce them yourself.

Nobody is going to feel bad for you when these things happen, but all the same they are not pleasant. Fame is a part a movie's success and it has a price. Some of these things can't be helped, but others can be mitigated with some effort. The important thing to understand is that you have no control over others and can only modify your own behavior. Take it in stride and consider it evidence of your work making an impact rather than slights against your person.

Movie Producing: Selling Tickets vs. Telling Stories

Price Jaccobi — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:34:19 -0600

Image by sfllaw

For some filmmakers there is some confusion as to what a movie is. Movie producers talk about elements that a movie needs, but many film makers aren't clear as to why these are necessary. A movie can be almost anything, really, but if you want people to pay money to see your movie there are some principles that will help out. This isn't an apology for the narrow-minded focus of Hollywood producers, rather an explanation of why they are thus.

Hook

A hook is a simple, easy to communicate encapsulation of the most appealing parts of the movie. A hook can be a simple as "it's Bambi meets Transformers but funnier" or as long as a sentence that explains the action in the film. "An alien comes to Earth and a little boy helps him get home". The reason why they want these hooks is that they don't have much time or attention of the potential consumer to generate their interest. In an environment where there are so many other possible entertainment outlets and a movie isn't based on a franchise this is the easiest way to interest movie goers.

Star

Some people see anything and everything a certain movie star is in. They don't hire actors because they are good at what they do on-screen, they hire them because people like to see them in movies. They are brand names that make people feel more confident paying for a product they aren't completely sure about. They feel at the very least they will get to watch this person the whole time no matter how stupid the movie is.

Genre

If you don't have a star or a hook, you can still garner attention by presenting the movie as belonging to an existing body of work that audiences like. In a way it's the simplest hook ever. For horror the hook would read: "you will get scared", for comedies: "you will laugh". For many people this is enough to get them to see the film. If they have come to develop a taste for thrillers or sci-fi, anything that falls within the conventions of those genres will give these audience members a certain threshold of pleasure.
Genre is the original franchise, in a sense.

Trailer Moments

More and more these days a hook, stars, and genre are not enough. Movies are about pictures and nothing convinces like images. As of late it's become common for movies to be constructed in such a way to be able to fill the trailer with arresting images that will hopefully attract eyeballs. The other elements are still important, but increasingly the money people are demanding five to six moments in a movie they can put in a trailer that make people say "wow".

This isn't the way to make a work of art or tell a good story, rather how to get people to pay money to sit in a seat and watch the movie. There are other ways, and your movie might not benefit from this advice. If you find yourself hearing people mention these things as something you should do with your film, you ought to be cautious because it means someone probably wants to get rich. Indie films often try to include these elements in their films but it doesn't have the same effect. Instead of following what Hollywood does, give thought to the basic thing each of these tactics tries to do. Then do it in a way that complements your film and would appeal to your audience rather than a faceless mass that Hollywood markets to.

Hollywood Movies Don't Use Permission Marketing

Julian Perrera — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:10:32 -0600

Image by CyrenaZ

As I advise filmmakers on how to do film marketing I mention the principles of permission marketing. I go on and on about how it's important to not market movies to people that don't want to hear to be marketed to. Using permission marketing is simple: find fans, ask them if you can keep contacting them, and then keep in touch by giving them information of value and not just commercial offerings.

Some may be skeptical of my claims and cite mainstream movie marketing as a reason they shouldn't have to care about permission. Indie filmmakers are qualitatively different than Hollywood. They sell mainstream culture, we sell a sub-culture. By definition sub-cultures are more personal and relevant. They are smaller and more intimate. Hollywood has good reasons to not care about permission marketing that you don't.

Set In Their Ways

Movies have been marketed and sold the way they are now for a long time. Hollywood may be called a small town but it's full of large companies. Studios are huge and most are part of much bigger corporations that aren't naturally nimble. This corporate environment is an impediment to doing anything other than the status quo. They may approve a wild advertising campaign, but they will never get behind the idea of not advertising at all.

Audience Expects Ads

It's become expected that big mainstream movies will advertise. It's almost an indication of quality to much of the audience. Not only the substance of the ads, but how pervasive they are adds to the perception of a film. In certain industries there are marketing expectations that need to be met or else you will have a hard time competing. Big movies are advertised on TV and on billboards and in the newspaper, if you want to be in that game you have to follow suit.

Low Audience Trust

Even if the Hollywood studios decide to supplement their ads with a permission marketing campaign it's not clear that people would participate. People feel cheated by studios all the time when they are tricked into seeing a movie that is nothing like the trailer or the best parts were in the trailer. Bait and switch is a common tactic that big studios use to get people to watch their movie. Without trust permission marketing doesn't work.

They Would Abuse The Asset

With the quarterly profit expectations that corporations have they often cut corners in order to make their numbers and keep the stock price up. With a list of contact info for movie enthusiasts there would be too much pressure to monetize it. The asset of the list would be seen as a possible profit maker instead of the slow burning marketing vehicle it is. So even if one quarter they are able to muster up the courage to start a permission marketing campaign, they could ruin the whole proposition the next quarter when they need to add a couple million to the bottom line. They sell or rent the list or send spam to the list which makes the money, but kills the goose.

As an indie filmmaker you are making movies that can be confused with being in the same class as Hollywood movies, but they aren't. Instead of copying Hollywood marketing, treat your fans with respect by asking for permission to market to them. Show them that courtesy and they will stick with you throughout your career, burn them once and you will be lumped in with the rest of the profiteers.

Consolidated Films

Film Producing Changes In The Digital Age

First Start Small

Release Frequently

Customize For Influencers

Reach Assembled People

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

More Movie Versions, Easier Film Marketing

More Participants, More Supporters

More Storyworld Context

More News Value From Each Release

More Making-Of Stories For PR Use

More Chances Of Finding Rabid Fans

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Short Films Are Not Small Movies

Less Scrutiny

Cannot Just Lengthen Shorts

Movie Is A Series Of Shorts

No Single Great Short

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Insulate Your Movie Marketing From Film Critics

Build An Audience Beforehand

Good Reviews May Bring More

Bad Reviews Galvanize Fans, Increase Exposure

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Why Filmmakers Remake Movies So Often

Familiar and Unfamiliar

A Mini-Genre

Story Does Not Matter As Much

Audiences Want More Of Favorite Characters

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Marketing Your Film By Finding Actors

More Actors, More Supporters

Generate Word Of Mouth By Casting Wide

Unique Audition Experience

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

The Four Possible Filmmaker Careers In Movies

1. Sell Out

2. Become An Artist

3. Remain An Artist

4. Just Entertain

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Downsides of Marketing Movies With Word Of Mouth

More Detractors

More Critics

Hunger For More

Knockoffs, Parodies

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Movie Producing: Selling Tickets vs. Telling Stories

Hook

Star

Genre

Trailer Moments

Recommended Reading

Related Posts

Hollywood Movies Don't Use Permission Marketing

Set In Their Ways

Audience Expects Ads

Low Audience Trust

They Would Abuse The Asset

Recommended Reading

Related Posts