Wondering why filmmakers spend thousands of dollars to shoot a film . And then don't want to spend money to market their film?
marketing Why do filmmakers hate spending money to market their film?
- Thread starter Seven Clubs TV
- Start date
If you don't want to reserve or spend money to market your film you are wasting your time and investors time. Whatever you spent to make your film you need 1/2 or 1/3 of the budget to market your movie. On average 8000 films are made each year by indies. In additional to all the titles that was created prior to 2022 are all available for licensing. The point of advertising is to get eyeballs on your film.
Marketing is very important if you have investors and you're trying to recoupe their money!
I've never had an investor. Many times I can't even get actors or a PA.
I made my last film without any crew cause nobody was willing to help and I can't afford to pay them.
Is it all a waste of time? Yeah probably.
It's doubtful I'd ever get investors or make a feature film - but i totally agree with you, people who have the money to make a feature should definitely invest in a marketing plan
I don't think anyone is arguing with you... But from my own humble experiences? Most of the indie filmmakers I've met are more passionate about their film than they are about eventually getting it out there to be seen. It's the HUMAN CONDITION to forge ahead and worry about everything else after you're done. LOL. It's always been that way and I don't see people changing anytime soon.
OVERALL.
Having said that... I'm pretty sure we all agree with you on the point of marketing. I won't talk percentages of budget but certainly, it makes more sense to have the marketing in mind ahead of time instead of not worrying about it at all until it's time to get eyeballs on the film. Dare I say even have a marketing plan IN PLACE before the film is completed.
OVERALL.
Having said that... I'm pretty sure we all agree with you on the point of marketing. I won't talk percentages of budget but certainly, it makes more sense to have the marketing in mind ahead of time instead of not worrying about it at all until it's time to get eyeballs on the film. Dare I say even have a marketing plan IN PLACE before the film is completed.
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With your own money sure, but I cannot imagine being that flippant with an investors bank account.
No offense but I've seen MORE than a handful of Indie films with decent budgets -- up to $30 Million -- where there was NOT a real marketing plan in place at the time the producers got the money to go into production. Everyone just ASSUMED because of who was directing and acting in the film would insure distribution.
It did not. Many of those films are languishing today.
I agree! Well put. I could not have said it better, and I've tried for many years..He he he....
I cannot speak for film makers, but, for myself, I hate spending money on overhead, like any businessman, and I have weak areas, like any businessman. I have finally hired a marketing agency to redo my website, and they will assist in marketing my law corporation.
What do you think about this marketing idea?
I could put a message to the audience at the end of the film that if they don't share it.... they'll be killed!!!!
Hey it worked for chain letters on myspace
I could put a message to the audience at the end of the film that if they don't share it.... they'll be killed!!!!
Hey it worked for chain letters on myspace
No offense taken; I didn't mean to imply that nobody on earth would behave flippantly, just that I could personally imagine doing it with my own money but not someone elses.
I knew that... LOL. I'm just too used to telling everyone UP FRONT that I'm not here to offend them. LOL. Everyone seems to get offended at SOMETHING these days that somehow I've reprogrammed my wiring to put that first. It's almost like breathing... LOL. WTF?
A provocative question for sure from Seven Clubs. I wonder if he is
just another drive-by. Time will tell.
I'm assuming we are talking about micro-budget films financed by
the filmmaker. Not $50,000 plus movies financed through investors.
I'm with sfoster on this one: filmmakers don't hate spending money
to market their films. Most filmmakers just don't have the money to
put into marketing. If I have five large to make a movie I can't hold
half of that for marketing and try to make my movie for $2,500.
I do agree with Seven Clubs that if a filmmaker isn't willing to put
some money into marketing then it can be seen as a waste of time.
As we all disused on another thread – marketing is essential but
rarely the passion of filmmakers.
just another drive-by. Time will tell.
I'm assuming we are talking about micro-budget films financed by
the filmmaker. Not $50,000 plus movies financed through investors.
I'm with sfoster on this one: filmmakers don't hate spending money
to market their films. Most filmmakers just don't have the money to
put into marketing. If I have five large to make a movie I can't hold
half of that for marketing and try to make my movie for $2,500.
I do agree with Seven Clubs that if a filmmaker isn't willing to put
some money into marketing then it can be seen as a waste of time.
As we all disused on another thread – marketing is essential but
rarely the passion of filmmakers.
it's very simple. most of us are battling to get our films completed on micro budgets and there simply is no money for marketing. on top of that comes the filmmakers mentality. creative people are rarely sales talented. what we need are people who can market but are prepared to take on films on commission. in other words do the marketing for us and take a percentage of the profit they make. people like this do exist. they're called distributors but they normally only take films which have won awards in major festivals. this is extremely restrictive. for short filmmakers. youtube is often our best option. so we need people who can grow a youtube channel and take a cut out of that. DUST is such a channel. unfortunately it will only accept sci fi short films. also DUST charges a submission fee of $ 15.
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