The world around us is filled with video content. Thanks to the fast and high development of cameras many of us can make a few videos these days. But, for more serious projects you need some serious equipment.
Of course, some of the best films out there were made on a tight budget. Also, you have some amateur movies worth watching. But these days, one could argue that the movie market is saturated. Yes, Hollywood is once again running on full steam after the COVID-19 pandemic, while other parts of the world are also catching up. Are you into making films?
Let’s say you’re a young filmmaker who wants to make strides on the big screen. It’s possible why not. The quality will always find a way to reach the top. But, in the world of the internet and social media platforms, one thing matters, all the same, the quality of the film. We are talking about marketing.
If you want to have a successful movie with your name behind it promotion matters the most. But, it’s not easy to do this the right way. By a long shot, your film doesn’t stand a chance in today’s see of marketing sharks if you’re not advertising it the right way.
But, what is the right way? It’s not always easy to see. But, marketing is a highly developed field and some people know how to do their jobs. Some of them were even kind enough to share their experience and expertise with us. That’s why we were able to write this article.
In this text, we are going to talk about the best film marketing strategies out there. Of course, it’s a broad subject and we can’t cover it all, but we’ll focus on the primary issues in this domain.
Also, if you already have the project ready, and don’t have time to read this piece, we got you covered. If you have something to share, you can contact professionals from Gruvi and they can help you spread your creation to the world. That’s one way to do it. But, if you have the time and willpower, stick with us for a couple of hundred more words.
1. Plan Everything
You’re not making a film out of the blue. You have the script, you know how to film it, how to produce it, and everything else that goes into making a movie. The situation is similar to marketing. You need to have a plan.
It doesn’t matter if you’re not an expert. Planning is at the core of every project and movie marketing is no different. Set landmarks and set goals. Have one ultimate goal regarding the marketing of your film, and reach it by getting done with the landmarks you set on the way.
Marketing itself, and the goal of your project need to be aligned from start to finish. Find its theme and stick to it. Even the smallest of plans can bring big victories. You don’t need to revolutionize anything, it’s not like you need to reinvent the Trojan Horse.
2. Try a Stunt
What type of movie you’re making? We hope it’s one with a lot of action. This requires stunts. And guess what can be an inspiration? Well, stunts. As we already mentioned, we are living in the world of social media platforms and viral videos. You should attempt to make the promotion of your film go viral.
This is best done by creating a publicity stunt. Have you given any idea about this? Yes, it’s an extreme approach, but it’s doable. We are not telling you to be a copycat, but drawing inspiration from the project such as Game of Thrones with their Dorset dragon head or Dracula billboard is no shame. Give it a thought.
3. Target Your Audience
In essence, every filmmaker is an artist. They make projects for themselves. But, movies need to be sold. We’re not talking about money. You need to have an audience for it. This is important.
A film that no one has seen holds no value, neither to the world nor to its creator. Yes, we know about the 100 Years film by John Malkovich, but most projects are made today for today. That’s why you need to have the targeted audience o your mind both when making the film, and later on when you start the marketing campaign.
Once you know which audience you want to target, the company you hire to handle your promotion will know how to properly design a campaign. If you don’t have this part covered your film might not reach the intended or deserved heights because the marketing campaign missed the audience it needed to target.
4. Focus on The Trailer
One of the main ways to promote a film is by releasing its trailer. Today, this can be done in so many ways. You have YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. All of them can do the work. But, making a film is one thing, but making a proper trailer is another.
The majority of your campaign needs to be focused on trailers and teasers. You need to draw the audience in, but without revealing too much about the film. The mystique here matters a lot. Many trailers reveal too much of the story and it makes people lose interest in the film. This is why you must focus your efforts on this domain.
Many movies were a success because the marketing revolving around teasers and trailers did wonders to pull people in and generate interest in films that were average at the end of the day.
5. Explore Mainstream Media
Yes, social media platforms are good, and you can make strides there. But, the mainstream media is still going strong too. When you’re promoting a film you need to have all the outlets covered. We’re talking about local TV and radio stations. Also, go national, why not? Cover the newspapers.
Today, the world is starving for content. You might have a good chance to push what you’re offering to the national stage. TV stations are always interested in having their hands first on a project. Yours might be the one to attract their attention. You just need to make them aware that you exist.
In the world of TikTok and Instagram, people often forget about the media that holds our attention to this day and it’s the TV. Who knows, your film might become a cable TV classic, and that’s something to brag about to your friends too.