Guys ... I've talked a lot about viral advertising for a while now and I'm planning to do a serious campaign for my next movie ... which I'm currently planning ... both the film and the campaign.

Now it's time to put the theory into practice.

So, I'd like to practice on someone else's film.

I'm offering to work with someone who has a feature that is ready to go and who wants to try viral advertising to promote it. I'm prepared to do this for free for the right project. It maybe that the collaboration goes no futher than me offering my services as a consultant, but if required I may get involved in the actual viral production.

All I want in return is a copy of the final viral, if I don't produce it, and some feedback on how it worked.

Just so you know what I'm offering - before I got into film-making I won fourteen London International Advertising Awards for my work as a writer and producer.

PM me if you're interested.

Must, edit, faster!
Don't know that I'll be done in the time frame you're looking for, but I'd love to talk!

If you're cutting I'm ready to talk. I'm just not looking at anything that's still in development, becasue chances are that by the time it's ready to start looking at the virals my own project will be in post.

do you have skype or ichat/aim running...or would you like to schedule a time in the chat here? I'm not sure what our post schedule is yet...I am a hobbyist after all. ;)

.I am a hobbyist after all.

That's not an issue. This is more about me moving from an academic to a pratical understanding of viral advertising.

Advertising I understand ... virals are masively demanding creatively. So, really I'm just looking for the right project where I can apply my skills to the problem of marketing a film this way.

It's the marketing equivalent of doing a test shoot on a new format. I want to get the technique down pat and test it before using it on my film.

I'll pm you about the other stuff.

I read this thread with interest. I'm in post-production for my first short film, and I also have years of experience in advertising and theatre. I'd like to learn a bit more about viral advertising - don't know much right now - but if you're looking for/needing help with any aspect of this adventure and need help, contact me. Though I don't have a great deal of technical computer-type skills, my background in advertising (copy) and other creative endeavors may be of service in someway.

Send me a pm if you like, or best of luck if you're moving ahead on your own.

Maggie Patton
shootersfilm.net

I'd like to learn a bit more about viral advertising - don't know much right now - but if you're looking for/needing help with any aspect of this adventure and need help, contact me. Though I don't have a great deal of technical computer-type skills, my background in advertising (copy) and other creative endeavors may be of service in someway.

OK. That's good. The more people there are playing with this the better chance we have of cracking the techniques.

This is what I know, and because you're familiar with advertising the easiest way to explain virals is to talk about how they differ from normal advertising. The best parallels would be tv or radio spots.

When you're writing a conventional campaign you want to create something that's memorable, but you pay for the spots to drive the message home. Virals are sent out in an e-mail and only gain an audience if people then send them on to friends because they're entertaining.

When you're writing a viral you have to forget all about creating an advert and put entertainment at the top of the list. But, and here's the tricky part ... the entertainment needs to carry a message within it about the product that you're creating the viral for. (I know all the best commercials have always done this, but actually those kind of commercials are rare.

Here's one of the most famous example.

Just after the London bombing a viral comapny created an advert where a suicide bomber drives a VW and parks it outside a London railway station. The bomb goes off, but everyone is safe because the VW is sucha strong car. (This wasn't commissioned by VW, the viral company was using it to demonstrate what they were capable of)

Another sucessful viral campaign was the original Blair Witch Project marketing where they convinced hundreds of thousands of people on the net that three film-makers really had disappeared and that the footage from their trip had just been discovered.

The basic method of distribution is by mailing out a very small, short movie file attached to an email, and then backing that up by hosting the viral on google video and any other place where people browes for entertaining video clips. There are also some newsgroups who pull together the best stuff every week and e-mail out sheets to over 120,000 people. The best know of these is beta. A listing in beta's newssheet is almost guaranteed mass viewing, but they are smart guys and don't push commercials.

Anyhow ... what this means is that the art of writing a viral is the art of writing a commercial that is entertaining, doesn't appear to be a commercial and is so good that people want to distribute it.

Well I know how much work it takes to come up with a great idea. But it can be a lot of fun.

So, once you pick a film to use as a test, you plan to come up with a creative viral marketing plan. Then do you plan to implement the whole thing? Wow. If so, there's one lucky filmmaker who gets aboard that train. Lucky still if you simply pass the creative on, no strings. Nice. I'm in if you need brain power. Sounds like fun.

Maggie

Thanks

I've already pitched one campaign to one film-maker and we're waiting to see whether they can pull it together. It's time sensitive, so it's touch and go. But I'm also talking to someone else, so I might bounce some ideas your way.

Are you thinking bulk e-mails or targeted e-mails? BTW clive...I'm GMT + 5

Clive, when you have something ready to viral out... I'd love to help out.

I wonder if my show "dark crimes" would interest you?

I wonder if my show "dark crimes" would interest you?

Rik, email me about it.

Clive, when you have something ready to viral out... I'd love to help out.

No probs. Once I've got something ready to go I'll be looking for people who would like to e-mail it out to their mates.

Are you thinking bulk e-mails or targeted e-mails? BTW clive...I'm GMT + 5

Depends on on the viral. That's the part of the process that I'm trying get my head around with this practice campaign.

Clive, I am on board with any of the help you need emailing. I am very interested in how something like this turns out and would like to know the process.

Clive, I am on board with any of the help you need emailing. I am very interested in how something like this turns out and would like to know the process.

Cool, I will take you up on that.

I just got confirmation that a major London PR company will also send anything that I'm happy with out on their mailing list as well. With the connections that I've set up so far we're looking at several thousand people on the first pass.

If I get the creative and execution right, that could fairly rapidly get up to hundreds of thousands.

Pretty cool. Keep me posted when/if I can help. Is there any where I can go - a website that you recommend - to learn more about executing viral? Case studies? Any info on the topic is good. Love to research...

Pretty cool. Keep me posted when/if I can help. Is there any where I can go - a website that you recommend - to learn more about executing viral? Case studies? Any info on the topic is good. Love to research...

I haven't found anything yet. There are a lot of people out there claiming to be viral experts, but all they're doing is turning out TV commercials and spamming them out. That isn't viral marketing.

I've been getting all my information from friends in the industry. They run London based PR companies which specialise in organising large scale public stunts, and they are looking to get into virals. They've been consulting with me about the creative and production side.

The truth is that there are very, very few good virals. You're in the business, so you'll understand that virals for a advertising creative are the equivalent of extreme sports - if you're into pushing yourself as a creative director there is no greater challenge. I've always been that kind of copywriter - and as I stepped out of the industry six years ago, I've missed the rush.

There is a site called the viral chart (google it) but that's just a company that inserts a sprite into a viral for price for tracking purposes.

I'll do some checking around and see what I can find out.

I'd like to put it through the IndieFlics podcast too!

I'd like to put it through the IndieFlics podcast too!

Nice offer, plus it serves to promote indieflicks at the same time. A plan with no drawbacks.

Let's just hope that this first film-maker can pull the production together ... if not the whole thing will go on hold until I get another candidate that offers an obvious solution.

Let's just hope that this first film-maker can pull the production together.

If you're talking about me, I'm looking at my post schedule and thinking I'm not going to be done until early-mid spring this year (2006). Are you looking to generate early buzz as it goes on or a full on finished product release?

If you're talking about me

I wasn't.

I've got another film-maker I've been working with who has already had some creative from me, but it needed to get editied and out on the net by today at the latest for the campaign to work.

He had some scheduling problems, in that he was in the middle of another job, so it was looking like this opportunity might pass. If it doesn't come off, I'll ask him if it is OK to discuss the campaign idea here, because it was a pretty neat viral idea and had a lot of the key elements in place.

so if I understand correctly; you're going to give people Ebola unless they watch his film? :P

I wasn't.

fwew! Pressure's off.:sleep:

So, it looks like the first team I worked with couldn't get the viral made to meet the deadline ... pity, it was a cracker.

pity, it was a cracker.


Who you call'n a cracker!!:hmm:


I couldn't resist. A friend and I are going to do a live bit with camera's all around but get live reactions from the crowd.:lol:

Who you call'n a cracker!!

You, you cracker!

Actually, wasn't there a famous Marx Brother's movie called Monkey Crackers ... the sequel to Monkey Danishes ... (damn ..wrong thread)

Scene 1: Int: 1926 - Dumont Bakery Ballroom: Day

It is the 100th Aniversary of the Dumont Bakery. The owner Margaret Dumont is expecting all of Montana's society to attend the celebration party. She fusses as waiters rush here and there, singing as they go.

"It's a fabulous party, it's a fabulous, and everyone who's a smartie ... will be here" Waiters exit.

Mrs Dumont's niece, Helena Loveinterest walks in dressed in a tennis outfit.

Mrs Dumont -"Ah, my niece Helen how wonderful that you are here from school to help me celebrate 100 years of the Dumont Bakery. I do hope everything goes well, I've heard that the big game hunter Archibold P Flywheel will be attending"

Groucho rides an ostrich across the shot. Mrs Dumont pretends that she hasn't seen it.

Mrs Dumont
And, I've invited the grandest people in Montana to meet him.

Groucho rides across the shot again, on the same ostrich, but this time he dismounts and hands the reins to Mrs Dumont.

Groucho - Park this in a good spot for me my good man and don't let it eat the Petunias. (Groucho grabs Helen and dips her, Tango style) Ah, the fabulously beautiful and wealthy Miss Dumont. Marry me. Can't you see we were made for each other. With my looks and your money ... well, wonderful things could happen.

Helen
I'm not Mrs Dumont. She is (pointing to Mrs Dumont).

Groucho drops her flat on her back and moves his attentions to Mrs Dumont, who is still holding the ostrich.

Groucho
That's a big bird you've got on that leash.

Mrs Dumont
It's yours.

Groucho (as if seeing her for the first time.)
Sorry Madam. I was talking to the ostrich.

Sorry guys ... it's another failing ... I am getting therapy for it.

Sorry guys ... it's another failing ... I am getting therapy for it.

Keep failing. ;)

Good news ... I've got another company on board for a test viral: we're working on creative and will probably have something ready to go in a few weeks. It's not a film, but it is an indie related product made by an indie film-maker.

So that gives anyone who wants to plug in and be part of the distribution network on this test a chance to think about it. I'll be asking for email addresses from anyone who wants act as a primary distribution point. Even if you can only e-mail it out to two other people I'll be happy. You also have my promise that you'll only get a viral from me if I've already asked you about it before hand.

If we can get a succesful distribution on this one, we've got a potential indie film marketing cartel (always wanted one of those) that could help all of us.

:woohoo:

Clive:
Great news. I'm on board. If you need additional help with creative, please let me know. I have capabilities that might be helpful. I'm very interested in this process. Keep me posted. Good luck!

Maggie

So that gives anyone who wants to plug in and be part of the distribution network on this test a chance to think about it. I'll be asking for email addresses from anyone who wants act as a primary distribution point. Even if you can only e-mail it out to two other people I'll be happy. You also have my promise that you'll only get a viral from me if I've already asked you about it before hand.

If we can get a succesful distribution on this one, we've got a potential indie film marketing cartel (always wanted one of those) that could help all of us.

:woohoo:

Hmm indie marketing cartel sounds like fun. Just say when and my email contacts are at your disposal.

you've got me on board... A group of friends and I pass virals around all the time. I'll make sure we all expand our list.

You want to talk about Viral?


http://www.break.com/index/ketchupeffect.html

Clive if your still looking I have a couple of films that would def suit this. PM or email me!

Phil, I'll get to you in a couple of days. But, yes in principle.

Hi

You can add me to your list of viral disseminators.

Cheers Clive

No probs .. us Brits need to stick together.

BTW, Clive, if you want to let the board know your idea for our film please go right ahead (as long as you don't reveal who gets shot ... but I don't think you know anyway). I'm back from Mexico ... all tanned and relaxed!

Not trying to hijack this thread but I came across an interesting article on Hollywood Reporter that might add to the thread a bit...

Feature Film Marketing (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/film/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525971)

EDIT:

Quote in the above article:

"It is now about looking at psychographics (rather than demographics)," Paramount marketing president Gerry Rich says. "More than ever, it's beyond just age and gender and about targeting audiences by their lifestyles."

Definition of psychographics:
Even though you may have determined your demographic group, people within that group still have very different perceptions about the benefits or value of your product and will be motivated for different reasons. These differences are known as psychographics. To further target your efforts, you've got to determine not only who buys (or will buy) your product, but what makes them want to buy it. Include as much psychographic information as you can dig up, such as what their spending patterns are, whether they are brand conscious when it comes to your product type, what influences their buying behavior, what promotional efforts they respond to most often, etc. You also want to know how they go about buying it and what you can do to encourage them to buy more. You need this information so you can, in effect, clone your best customers. It is important to really pick apart what motivates them to buy.

filmy

I'm bookmarking the article for later, but the clip you posted really made me laugh to my socks ... not because it's wrong but because when I first started work in advertising the guy who taught me said there are only three things you need to find out about a product from a client in order to sell anything:

1) Who are you talking to? ... (described not as a demographic but as a need - desire or problem)

2) What do you want them to do after they see/hear/read the spot?

3) Why should they do it?

If you identify a need and then demonstrate how the product pefectly fills that need, then the product is guaranteed to sell. I guess that means I've been doing psychographics for sixteen years now. LOL

Where this applies to film marketing is probably in two different areas (we called them briefs)

Brief One

Who are we talking too?
A large sales agent who makes his living by selling feature films to distributors for cinema and DVD releases, but whose main income comes from selling it into various international territories for TV showing. (You find this out by doing research)

What do I want him to do?
Buy ... Critical Mass, my new film about a film critic who accidently takes an experimental drug - a drug that forces him to double in weight every twenty-four hours

Why should they do it?
(this is the question that every film maker needs to ask in the script development phase if, they have a genuine intent to sell their film)

The important part is to remember that your product has to solve a problem for, or fill the need that the sales agent has .. so "because it's a great film" isn't the right answer.

We all know what most of the right answers are:

... because it's got Bruce Willis in it (names make a film an easy sell, a slam dunk for the sales agent even if the film is a turkey) .. this isn't about the quality fo the film it's about the sales agent knowing that a picture on the DVD cover that punters recognise from film or the TV will make people buy/rent

... because there it's in a genre that people will buy without having a name ... if you're not shooting horror the key here is probably the non US markets ... Give a sales agent who has contacts in Latin America a fairly macho, action flick with minimal nudity and limited dialogue - deliver it with the sound mixed so it can be easily dubbed (do your own research on this ... this is just me guessng the profile based on some time in Mexico) they might know exactly where they can pick up ten percent on it.

... because it won a shed load of awards at the festivals that the industry considers cool ... Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance

... because it has somehow generated a massive underground following and the day it is released the sales agent believes people will flock to buy it

The other brief relates to that and it's about defining your film's audience

Who
A person who rents films every week and likes to watch intelligent thought provoking movies with their young family

What
Watch my new movie ... Critical Mass

Why
Because it's the heart warming tale true story of how a Catholic Priest (Harvey Keitel) saves a village of Peruvian pygmies from an evil logging company who want to turn their beautiful rain-forest into more Ikea coffes tables and in the process overcomes his own personal demons ... co staring Kate Blanchett as the in your face doctor.

I know you guys already know this stuff ... it's just another way of reality checking your movie in the development stage and it also helps you plan your marketing strategy accordingly.

BTW, Clive, if you want to let the board know your idea for our film please go right ahead (as long as you don't reveal who gets shot ... but I don't think you know anyway). I'm back from Mexico ... all tanned and relaxed!

Thanks Alphie .. I will do, (I don't know who got shot, yet) not today though as I'm just writing this post as a way of avoiding getting started on the next script.

I'm out-a-here

I'm bookmarking the article for later, but the clip you posted really made me laugh to my socks ... not because it's wrong but because when I first started work in advertising the guy who taught me said there are only three things you need to find out about a product from a client in order to sell anything:

1) Who are you talking to? ... (described not as a demographic but as a need - desire or problem)

2) What do you want them to do after they see/hear/read the spot?

3) Why should they do it?

If you identify a need and then demonstrate how the product pefectly fills that need, then the product is guaranteed to sell. I guess that means I've been doing psychographics for sixteen years now. LOL

Where this applies to film marketing is probably in two different areas (we called them briefs)

Brief One

Who are we talking too?
A large sales agent who makes his living by selling feature films to distributors for cinema and DVD releases, but whose main income comes from selling it into various international territories for TV showing. (You find this out by doing research)

What do I want him to do?
Buy ... Critical Mass, my new film about a film critic who accidently takes an experimental drug - a drug that forces him to double in weight every twenty-four hours

Why should they do it?
(this is the question that every film maker needs to ask in the script development phase if, they have a genuine intent to sell their film)

The important part is to remember that your product has to solve a problem for, or fill the need that the sales agent has .. so "because it's a great film" isn't the right answer.

We all know what most of the right answers are:

... because it's got Bruce Willis in it (names make a film an easy sell, a slam dunk for the sales agent even if the film is a turkey) .. this isn't about the quality fo the film it's about the sales agent knowing that a picture on the DVD cover that punters recognise from film or the TV will make people buy/rent

... because there it's in a genre that people will buy without having a name ... if you're not shooting horror the key here is probably the non US markets ... Give a sales agent who has contacts in Latin America a fairly macho, action flick with minimal nudity and limited dialogue - deliver it with the sound mixed so it can be easily dubbed (do your own research on this ... this is just me guessng the profile based on some time in Mexico) they might know exactly where they can pick up ten percent on it.

... because it won a shed load of awards at the festivals that the industry considers cool ... Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance

... because it has somehow generated a massive underground following and the day it is released the sales agent believes people will flock to buy it

The other brief relates to that and it's about defining your film's audience

Who
A person who rents films every week and likes to watch intelligent thought provoking movies with their young family

What
Watch my new movie ... Critical Mass

Why
Because it's the heart warming tale true story of how a Catholic Priest (Harvey Keitel) saves a village of Peruvian pygmies from an evil logging company who want to turn their beautiful rain-forest into more Ikea coffes tables and in the process overcomes his own personal demons ... co staring Kate Blanchett as the in your face doctor.

I know you guys already know this stuff ... it's just another way of reality checking your movie in the development stage and it also helps you plan your marketing strategy accordingly.



Thanks Alphie .. I will do, (I don't know who got shot, yet) not today though as I'm just writing this post as a way of avoiding getting started on the next script.

I'm out-a-hereI've never heard the word before so I looked it up... I've been to both Xerox and GM sales training while I was in the Navy and never heard it at either place however, we were alway discussing ways to identify all those patterns that supposedly encompass "psychographics."

Interesting word... Gotta use it in a script.

filmy

we were alway discussing ways to identify all those patterns that supposedly encompass "psychographics."

Interesting word... Gotta use it in a script.


It's a great word for a buddy cop movie, especially if you're going down the geek cop/street cop route.

The two of them are going over the evidence from the series of murders that they're investigating, whilst a niave uniformed cop looks on.

Geek Cop
I want to try and work up a profile .... you know, I did my final thesis at Langley on applied psychographics

Uniformed Cop
Psychographics?

Street Cop
Yeah, it's when some whacko carves you open with a meat cleaver and uses your entrials to Jackson Pollack the lounge carpet.