$10,000 for Marketing

[DeJager]

The forum is full of comments like these: "market your film..." "spend at least such and such % of your budget on marketing" "you have to drive traffic to the VOD company" but I really don't know how I should spend my money on MARKETING.

Say the movie is finished. Decent product.

How would or should one spend $10,000 to market their film?? I know it's not a lot but it's all I have available.

And don't give me this "Twitter and Facebook" crap. (I'll market through FB but not twitter)

I want to spend money in the right places. But WHERE? (e.g., paying a sales rep? google ads, youtube, i have no clue)

I hope you all can give me some serious advice! I'm hoping the IT forums as a collective can come up with a pretty stellar and unique ideas! A lot of you are an amazing pot of knowledge I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Utopia]

I've seen press conferences with the actors of films done for as little as $800. This got their story into a syndicated press link (a la AP, etc.) and got their story on the front page of about 12 different print and internet ads.

It took connections, though. And big star power. What type of actors are in your film? Would they draw something like the above?

 

[DeJager]

I have no big named actors in my movie however one of the lead actresses is a singer who has music on i-tunes, MTV, VH1 and was just contacted by the producers of the Voice for next season. But other than that I don't have any big names that would help, unfortunately.

 

[NickClapper]

I have no big named actors in my movie however one of the lead actresses is a singer who has music on i-tunes, MTV, VH1 and was just contacted by the producers of the Voice for next season. But other than that I don't have any big names that would help, unfortunately.

Go through a PR company. If you're willing to spend the cash then they'll arrange for your film to get exposure in some of the right places.

 

[Kholi]

Go through a PR company. If you're willing to spend the cash then they'll arrange for your film to get exposure in some of the right places.

Yes.

 

[DeJager]

Okay thank you! I will research some PR companies but in the mean time... any suggestions ?

 

[Kholi]

Completely dependent on your movie. Although you're already sort of down on people advising facebook/twitter, the reality of it is that without seeing your movie, or even a trailer, nobody can tell you where and how to target and you're likely to get generic answers like that.

When you go to a PR company, you'll have to show them your movie and materials.

If you had a trailer, some stills, a pitch package then I wager a few people here could comment.

 

[rayw]

The forum is full of comments like these: "market your film..." "spend at least such and such % of your budget on marketing" "you have to drive traffic to the VOD company" but I really don't know how I should spend my money on MARKETING.

Hey, DeJager
I recognize that reference!

"Re Marketing.
Oh, H3LLL, YEAH!
Anyone pretty sure they ain't getting someone else to foot the distro bill might as well cut their production budget in half and earmark that for marketing."
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?p=248610#post248610


I appreciate you starting this thread!
Whenever I was going to get saturated with distribution info gathering I was going to start the very same inquiry.
You beat me to it. Saves time.
Thank you!

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-....,cf.osb&fp=1e0e72d07edee1f3&biw=1599&bih=815

Dumb stuff like THIS seems absolutely retarded - but I don't know.
Maybe it works better than I think.
Sure seems stupid, though.
Maybe that's why the PR firm route seems more... grown up? Less... juvenile?

GL.

 

[DeJager]

Thanks, Kholi. Definitely understandable. I haven't been releasing much since we finished as I don't want it to be premature. The trailer should be released though in a week or two. I'll have to post it here along with some of the other marketing stuff we have.

I did get a "graphic novel" version made that is selling for $4.50 haha. It was made to give people at least something before the movie is finished.

 

[DeJager]

Hey, DeJager
I recognize that reference!

"Re Marketing.
Oh, H3LLL, YEAH!
Anyone pretty sure they ain't getting someone else to foot the distro bill might as well cut their production budget in half and earmark that for marketing."
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?p=248610#post248610


I appreciate you starting this thread!
Whenever I was going to get saturated with distribution info gathering I was going to start the very same inquiry.
You beat me to it. Saves time.
Thank you!

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-....,cf.osb&fp=1e0e72d07edee1f3&biw=1599&bih=815

Dumb stuff like THIS seems absolutely retarded -but I don't know. Maybe it works better than I think.
Sure seems stupid, though.
Maybe that's why the PR firm route seems more... grown up? Less... juvenile?

GL.

Thanks, Ray!

I'm glad you decided to get on board with this thread. I think a lot of IT members will have good ideas and can contribute a lot.

The thing that keeps playing in my head is this: If my movie doesn't get seen by the general public then that is my fault. It's my job to accomplish that and if it doesn't happen then I failed.

 

[DeJager]

.. double post... my apologies.

 

[rayw]

1- Thanks, Ray!

2 - I'm glad you decided to get on board with this thread.

3 - I think a lot of IT members will have good ideas and can contribute a lot.

4 - The thing that keeps playing in my head is this: If my movie doesn't get seen by the general public then that is my fault. It's my job to accomplish that and if it doesn't happen then I failed.

1 - You'rrrre welcome!

2 - Yessir.
I sincerely appreciate the overwhelmingly constructive "community workshop" attributes this site has amazingly managed to cultivate.
(Some other sites are... not quite so "charming").
Mi casa es su casa.
Quid pro quo.
What goes around comes around.
Karma, and all that jazz.
Lettuce help each other.

3 - H3ll YEAH!

4 - I agree.
There's nothing on the shelves of WalMart or HoDePo that got there because some guy sat in his garage and designed some groovy product, told his buddies at work and church about it, and then retired in Aruba on the proceeds.
Um... no.

I think the overwhelming majority of products on store shelves are there because someone hustled their asterisks off - and then - didn't sit on their assets, but hustled attention to their product some more.
Some products more than others.
Some products are more like commodities: I don't care if Rubbermaid or Sparco makes the trashcan I'm looking for, "this one here on the shelf" looks fine by me.
But sometimes I'm looking for something specific: My kids want the real BeyBlades they see on the TV show, not some knockoff that comes out of a Happy Meal box.

That latter incidence arises from promotion and advertising (P&A, to use the industry shorthand).

Whatever gets us the most bang for the buck I'm all ears for since my daddy ain't no deep pocket fool.



EDIT:
Honestly, this info is somewhere between both marketing and distribution, but the expense aspect could be more relevant to this thread, so here goes:
"The film will debut on DirecTV at $X, and will then be released (likely at a cheaper price) on VOD, Blu-ray, and digital download in the summer.
There will be a one-night premiere in 10 theaters with a live Q&A broadcast after the film, but there are no other plans for a U.S. theatrical release...
This model seems to be the perfect way to get the film out to [the] fanbase without going through the expense of theatrical distribution."
http://moviebuzzers.com/2012/02/01/...ance-deals-snagfilms-mel-gibsons-vod-venture/

Okay, so how does the following sound?:
- make your film.
- spend money to four wall it.
- GET AUDIENCE FEEDBACK then for minor tweaks.
- go home, make "informed" tweaks.
- then VOD/DigiDownload, whatever.

Good? Bad? Sorta?

EDIT II:
Okay. Since I posted that question it looks like four walling is the WRONG thing to do because it's so expensive.
Ideally, a distributor or marketer will find a few select theaters to foot the bill for showing it, then...
Problem is is that I don't know if it's kosher to tweak the editing after it's been shown under that premise.

 

[JakeSully]

Overhere, 10k would do quite a lot.

Let's say action/mystery/conspiracy movie.

I would go with low budget massive viral, with half the budget (ie: Paying people to tag a certain logo, or saying, with a webpage; radio hijacking; street banners, paper leaflets on bar bathrooms).
Later, I would buy short air time on two or three tv stations, at the same time. (don't even now if it's posible, to get somthing as short as 10 seconds on.)
With whatever I have left, go big. Maybe a big prop/inflatable thing somewhere public, or small mysterious objects appearing around the city.

Send something to newspaper/TV stations. Maybe a creepy note, directing them to a website, attached to a fake journal.

 

[DeJager]

* UPDATE *

A very popular drive-in theater has agreed to premiere my movie on it's very own night right before memorial day. It's a huge drive-in and gets packed on a nightly basis throughout summer.

I'm planning on putting a lot of time and effort into sending out unique invitations (including various free tickets) to businesses and people for the premiere. What about handing out say 100 posters and t-shirts to the first 100 people that come to the premiere? I'd really like to make it a fun community event...

But then again this is all local.. which makes me wonder if it has to start local and then gain steam or do you go big right away and shoot for the stars?! Does premiering at a local theater hurt festival entrees at the bigger fests?

I'm liking Jake's ideas!! They seem very creative!! I can definitely do those things. My film is a sci-fi / action / mystery.

 

[Kholi]

But then again this is all local.. which makes me wonder if it has to start local and then gain steam or do you go big right away and shoot for the stars?! Does premiering at a local theater hurt festival entrees at the bigger fests?
.

The fests that it would hurt you probably wouldn't get into, anyway; wouldn't worry about it. And I say that because the likelyhood of getting into a huge festival is just small, not because I think you have a good or bad product.

The other ones really won't care one way or another.

A local premiere is a great way to grab press etc, and if you do some ticket shares or profit shares then you'll recover a little cash. You already have the greenlight to do so, take advantage of it.

My advice to you is very basic: you should be putting together the kind of trailer that gets onto major film and geek blogs asap. And you ought to get your official poster sewn up sooner than later (like yesterday) so that you can promote the peepee out of your screening.

You also ought to have a few people street teaming at the drive in with iPhones or something recording reactions, the entire thing.

 

[Kholi]

Also... this is why I'm jealous of filmmakers outside of LA: you have it made. And, it's also why we're probably going to fly out to our hometowns to do screenings. Easier crowds.

 

[JakeSully]

* UPDATE *

A very popular drive-in theater has agreed to premiere my movie on it's very own night right before memorial day. It's a huge drive-in and gets packed on a nightly basis throughout summer.

I'm planning on putting a lot of time and effort into sending out unique invitations (including various free tickets) to businesses and people for the premiere. What about handing out say 100 posters and t-shirts to the first 100 people that come to the premiere? I'd really like to make it a fun community event...

But then again this is all local.. which makes me wonder if it has to start local and then gain steam or do you go big right away and shoot for the stars?! Does premiering at a local theater hurt festival entrees at the bigger fests?

I'm liking Jake's ideas!! They seem very creative!! I can definitely do those things. My film is a sci-fi / action / mystery.

Glad you liked the ideas!

Now, premiering will disqualify you from some festivals, as they want the exclusive. At least that's what I read around here.

The invitations and tickets could be themed to match your movie. Let's say it features... Alpha Squad, badass mo-fo alien pony hunters Send them recruitment forms (obviously fake) and attach the tickets for the premiere.
Remember, T-shirts might not fit anyone, I would go with baseball hats and stuff, and the poster.

What kind of turn up are you expecting?

 

[DeJager]

Yes! The trailer has been going through revisions for a couple of months now. I just wanted to make it as good as I could. The last thing I want to do is release something when it's not ready. The DVD Cover and poster will be finished soon as well then I'll hit the marketing as much as I can.


It's tough juggling graduate school and finishing up this movie.

I'm just hoping to recoup some funds through ticket sale sharing and whatnot! That'd be the coolest!!

 

[JoshL]

* UPDATE *

A very popular drive-in theater has agreed to premiere my movie on it's very own night right before memorial day. It's a huge drive-in and gets packed on a nightly basis throughout summer.

This is the coolest damn thing I've heard! As you said, only really good for local promotion, but REALLY good locally!

 

[DeJager]

* ANNOUNCEMENT *

I forgot to announce that JoshL is tackling the film's SCORE as lead composer!

He's really putting together some KILLER tunes for the trailer!!

He's got mad skills!


P.S - Josh, you HAVE to make it back for the Premiere!!