How can you align marketing and distribution strategies with the overall vision of a film project?

1 Know your audience

Before you plan your marketing and distribution strategies, you need to identify and understand your target audience. Who are they, what are their preferences, needs, and motivations, and how do they consume media? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your message, tone, style, and channels to appeal to them and connect with them emotionally. It will also help you avoid wasting time and money on ineffective or inappropriate methods that do not resonate with your audience or match your vision.

2 Define your goals

Another important step is to define your goals and objectives for your film project. What do you want to achieve, how do you measure your success, and what are the challenges and opportunities you face? Your goals can be artistic, social, educational, or financial, or a combination of them. They can also vary depending on the stage of your film project, from development to production to distribution. Having clear and realistic goals will help you align your marketing and distribution strategies with your vision and prioritize your actions and resources.

3 Choose your platforms

Depending on your audience, goals, and budget, you can choose from a variety of platforms and formats to market and distribute your film. These can include theatrical releases, festivals, online streaming, video on demand, DVD, TV, or social media. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as its own requirements and expectations. You need to weigh the pros and cons of each option and decide which ones best suit your vision and your audience. You also need to consider the timing, frequency, and duration of your releases, as well as the exclusivity and availability of your film.

4 Create your content

Once you have chosen your platforms, you need to create compelling and engaging content to market and distribute your film. This can include trailers, posters, press kits, interviews, behind-the-scenes videos, reviews, testimonials, or social media posts. Your content should reflect your vision, highlight your unique selling points, and showcase your film's quality and value. It should also be consistent, coherent, and relevant across all platforms and formats. You need to create content that attracts attention, sparks curiosity, and builds trust and loyalty among your audience.

5 Monitor and adjust

Finally, you need to monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of your marketing and distribution strategies. You can use various tools and metrics to track and analyze the data and feedback from your audience, such as views, downloads, ratings, comments, shares, or sales. You can also use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or case studies to gain deeper insights and learn from your successes and failures. Based on the results, you can adjust and improve your strategies to align them with your vision and your audience's needs and expectations.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?