The best film marketing begins in pre-production

I saw this post on LinkedIn and it’s not the only one. I felt compelled to write. I have to say, seeing this, it really hurt my heart.

If you spend all your time, effort, money, and use up good will from others, the least that can be done, is planning how you’ll get a return for these investments in good time.

Effective film marketing activities begin in pre-production and these can be done even with a tiny budget - especially if you don’t have any big(ish) names attached to your production (though there are arguments about the effectiveness of ‘big names’ in small-budgeted films - the jury's out on this one).?

Have a look below at some social media and marketing strategies that you could add to your pre-production marketing plans to help you make the best of your film and to do right by your team.?

1. Define Your Goals & Audience

• Identify what you want to achieve. So, will you be launching a crowdfunding campaign as a means of financing, or are you using a pathway for festival submissions, is it solely for audience building or gaining distributor interest? There may be more than one reason, just identify them.
• Get a hold of who you think your target audience will be. Begin to think about the audience from the themes of your film. Additionally you can break it down by age, interests and platforms they may use.
• Have a look at similar films to yours to understand successful marketing strategies. So, if you’re crowdfunding, have a look at those campaigns which are performing well. The science fiction genre has a good track record in marketing. Surprise hit independent films also have good marketing campaigns.
• Compile your promotional materials in an epk and/or media pack. Oh, and make sure you cut a trailer/s.

2. Develop Branding & Messaging

• Create a strong film identity (title, tagline, themes) and decide on key messages that reflect the film’s tone.
• Agree a visual style guide (logo, colour scheme, font etc.).

3. Establish Your Social Media Presence

• Choose the right platforms for you/your audience - look at where your audience uses their social media the most, not what you think they should use.?Most filmmakers I know love Vimeo, but are your audiences there too?
• Set up profiles with bios, banners, making sure that they're consistent across platforms.
• Create a website or landing page for your film. I’ve seen directors building their own brand and will have films sit on their existing websites - you could continue to do this.?

4. Build Anticipation with Pre-Production Content

• Announce the project with teaser posts and share BTS content i.e. script readings, location scouting, concept art.
• Introduce the team i.e. director, actors, crew, business you've worked with, especially if they're local businesses which have supported you in-kind.
• Engage, engage, engage online with audiences via polls, Q&As, and interactive posts. Keep them up to date with what you’re doing in terms of screenings and exhibitions. Entice/reward them to attend your screenings.??

5. Create a Content Calendar

• Plan social media posts leading up to production. Especially post in connection to themes in your film which link with specific times in the calendar, i.e. it’s now late February, we’ve just had Valentine’s Day; could you have linked any film theme/content to this date?
• Mix different content types (videos, images, carousels, text updates).
• Schedule regular updates to keep engagement consistent.

6. Leverage Influencers & Partnerships

• Identify influencers, ambassadors, spokespersons, or film-related pages to collaborate with. No, they don’t have to have massive followings or big platforms - what they need to be is consistent, dedicated and engaged with their audience.?
• Genuinely engage with film communities online.
• Reach out to film festivals (though festivals are another/additional kind of strategy), journalists, and bloggers to build anticipation.

8. Prepare for Paid Advertising (Optional)

• Research social media ads you’ve seen for other films to see what works and then budget for targeted promotions, tailoring your content to suit. Oh and check your data for performance analysis.
• Test early campaigns to see what works well with your audience.

9. Engage with Your Audience

• Respond to comments and DMs from the get-go.
• Begin to build an email list, this will be priceless.
• Use hashtags strategically to reach film communities.

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Your filmmaking story doesn’t stop once the cameras stop filming, it continues long afterwards. I’ve heard many stories where even when productions get distribution deals, the distribution companies are a little…let’s say...slow?on the promotion of the production.

Take charge of your marketing from the beginning to see the best returns on your investments that you can. No doubt, this is a long term plan, but with the right planning in place,?you're setting yourself up for long-term gains.

Did I miss anything out? Let me know.?