In separate threads, it's been discussed that one of the biggest difficulties for any indie filmmaker is gaining an audience, and that's something I very much agree with. It has also been stated that the simplest way to gain an audience is simply to make a superb movie, and that is also a sentiment I very much agree with. But that's not the point of this thread.
If it were possible for me to go back in time and tell the former me what things he should change, in preparation for Antihero, I would only tell him to do two things differently (he did more than two things wrong, but these are the big ones).
First, I would tell him to slow the F down. For personal reasons, he rushed production. He should've been patient and given it more time. Funny enough, some of the advice I received in this forum, and that I ignored, was that I should've slowed down. I wasn't given that advice until I was already in production, and there's no way I was gonna shut down production. But still. Moving forward, I now see the reason why an indie filmmaker needs to take their time (in one respect).
Mind you, I'm not one of those weekend-warrior filmmakers. That's just not my style, for many reasons. Once production starts, I want to finish it as fast as possible. But preproduction, and post, should be allowed to take as long as they need to take to get it right, no matter what that means.
I had to learn my lesson the hard way, and now I see the logic behind why I need to take more time. Hollywood and us indie types are very different from each other (duh). From a business perspective, when money is being invested, it makes the most sense to turn that investment into profit as fast as possible, so that you can re-invest the money more quickly, thereby giving yourself greater potential to make the most money possible. For them, it makes sense to do it fast.
I don't have any money to invest (not really, anyway). What do I have? Time. There's no need for this next feature to be out by any particular date. Hollywood has unlimited cash to invest. I have unlimited time. Which means I have the opportunity to really nail this movie.
The other thing I would tell my former me is that I need to start thinking about marketing before the film has even been made. But what does that mean? The former me, when people told him that he needs to think about marketing before the film is even made didn't understand what the hell they were talking about. In my former me's defense, I don't recall anybody ever giving any specifics of what that means. Like what, you wanted me to think about spending money I don't have? Okay, I'll think about that.
Finally, the light-bulb has gone off upstairs. Hollywood spends money on marketing. I don't have money. I have time. I've reached the conclusion that us little folk need to start spending time on marketing, long before you even have a screenplay. What exactly that means should be individualized, catering to the specific skills and personalities of whomever is involved. I've realized that I need to play so my strengths. What things am I already good at that I can exploit in order to gain an audience for my film, whenever it is finally ready to be seen by the public.
For me, the answer is youtube. I'm going to try my darndest to become a YouTube Personality. I've created a character, one whom I hope people will want to watch. If, over the next couple years, I'm able to gain a viewership, by the time I release the movie -- BOOM, instant audience.
There's actually going to be a few youtube channels, focusing on different things. There's definitely one main channel planned (this'll be the one I invest most of my time in), but I'm not yet prepared to share that one publicly. Hint - the "prolling" I've been doing lately is a setup for the channel, and I gotta say - step one was a resounding success. I need an arbitrary deadline though, so let's go ahead and say that the first episode is going to premiere on June 1st (though, knowing my habits, it'll probably be late at night, technically early morning June 2nd).
For the record, this is not the entirety of my zero-dollar marketing strategy. There are other aspects, some really important ones, mind you, that I'm not interested in sharing publicly at the moment. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of rambling, I guess I should finally get to the question I created this thread to ask.
Anybody care to spit-ball ideas for potential youtube channels that somebody might use to become a YouTube Personality?
Here's a few I'm contemplating (because they would play to my strengths)
World Record Holder of Meaningless World Records
Earlier today, on ESPN, I saw a story on some dude setting a World Record for the Most Hugs Ever Given in One Minute. He set a new World Record by hugging 79 people in 60 seconds. This requires zero skill. Literally anyone can do it. The whole thing was of course recorded, for proper documentation, but it was really boring. What if somebody (me) created a YT channel in which they make regular attempts to set new World Records, but specifically those that require no skill. And more importantly, what if the documentation of the attempts was made to be as entertaining as possible? Like, what if I dressed up in fancy costumes, a la WWF wrestlers in the 80's? And I talked shit to the camera, and the current holder of said World Record, in an exaggerated bravado manner, also like the aforementioned "wrestlers"? Not all of the attempts would be successful, and that'd make it all the more fun. Each episode would start with an interview of an "expert", then there's a silly training montage, followed by the attempt. Kinda like Man vs. Food, except Man vs. Meaningless World Record.
Any thoughts?
Music Mash-Ups
This one's been done before. But some of these channels get a lot of views, so why not throw my hat into the ring? This one is purely a play to my strengths. I happen to be kinda good at singing. The specific focus of this channel would be to do covers of popular songs, but switching up the beat. Not exactly unique, but whatev. It might work, no harm in trying, right?
That's all I got. I've had a few other ideas, but none that I currently like enough to seriously consider. Any thoughts on potential new channels, not just for me but anybody?
If it were possible for me to go back in time and tell the former me what things he should change, in preparation for Antihero, I would only tell him to do two things differently (he did more than two things wrong, but these are the big ones).
First, I would tell him to slow the F down. For personal reasons, he rushed production. He should've been patient and given it more time. Funny enough, some of the advice I received in this forum, and that I ignored, was that I should've slowed down. I wasn't given that advice until I was already in production, and there's no way I was gonna shut down production. But still. Moving forward, I now see the reason why an indie filmmaker needs to take their time (in one respect).
Mind you, I'm not one of those weekend-warrior filmmakers. That's just not my style, for many reasons. Once production starts, I want to finish it as fast as possible. But preproduction, and post, should be allowed to take as long as they need to take to get it right, no matter what that means.
I had to learn my lesson the hard way, and now I see the logic behind why I need to take more time. Hollywood and us indie types are very different from each other (duh). From a business perspective, when money is being invested, it makes the most sense to turn that investment into profit as fast as possible, so that you can re-invest the money more quickly, thereby giving yourself greater potential to make the most money possible. For them, it makes sense to do it fast.
I don't have any money to invest (not really, anyway). What do I have? Time. There's no need for this next feature to be out by any particular date. Hollywood has unlimited cash to invest. I have unlimited time. Which means I have the opportunity to really nail this movie.
The other thing I would tell my former me is that I need to start thinking about marketing before the film has even been made. But what does that mean? The former me, when people told him that he needs to think about marketing before the film is even made didn't understand what the hell they were talking about. In my former me's defense, I don't recall anybody ever giving any specifics of what that means. Like what, you wanted me to think about spending money I don't have? Okay, I'll think about that.
Finally, the light-bulb has gone off upstairs. Hollywood spends money on marketing. I don't have money. I have time. I've reached the conclusion that us little folk need to start spending time on marketing, long before you even have a screenplay. What exactly that means should be individualized, catering to the specific skills and personalities of whomever is involved. I've realized that I need to play so my strengths. What things am I already good at that I can exploit in order to gain an audience for my film, whenever it is finally ready to be seen by the public.
For me, the answer is youtube. I'm going to try my darndest to become a YouTube Personality. I've created a character, one whom I hope people will want to watch. If, over the next couple years, I'm able to gain a viewership, by the time I release the movie -- BOOM, instant audience.
There's actually going to be a few youtube channels, focusing on different things. There's definitely one main channel planned (this'll be the one I invest most of my time in), but I'm not yet prepared to share that one publicly. Hint - the "prolling" I've been doing lately is a setup for the channel, and I gotta say - step one was a resounding success. I need an arbitrary deadline though, so let's go ahead and say that the first episode is going to premiere on June 1st (though, knowing my habits, it'll probably be late at night, technically early morning June 2nd).
For the record, this is not the entirety of my zero-dollar marketing strategy. There are other aspects, some really important ones, mind you, that I'm not interested in sharing publicly at the moment. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of rambling, I guess I should finally get to the question I created this thread to ask.
Anybody care to spit-ball ideas for potential youtube channels that somebody might use to become a YouTube Personality?
Here's a few I'm contemplating (because they would play to my strengths)
World Record Holder of Meaningless World Records
Earlier today, on ESPN, I saw a story on some dude setting a World Record for the Most Hugs Ever Given in One Minute. He set a new World Record by hugging 79 people in 60 seconds. This requires zero skill. Literally anyone can do it. The whole thing was of course recorded, for proper documentation, but it was really boring. What if somebody (me) created a YT channel in which they make regular attempts to set new World Records, but specifically those that require no skill. And more importantly, what if the documentation of the attempts was made to be as entertaining as possible? Like, what if I dressed up in fancy costumes, a la WWF wrestlers in the 80's? And I talked shit to the camera, and the current holder of said World Record, in an exaggerated bravado manner, also like the aforementioned "wrestlers"? Not all of the attempts would be successful, and that'd make it all the more fun. Each episode would start with an interview of an "expert", then there's a silly training montage, followed by the attempt. Kinda like Man vs. Food, except Man vs. Meaningless World Record.
Any thoughts?
Music Mash-Ups
This one's been done before. But some of these channels get a lot of views, so why not throw my hat into the ring? This one is purely a play to my strengths. I happen to be kinda good at singing. The specific focus of this channel would be to do covers of popular songs, but switching up the beat. Not exactly unique, but whatev. It might work, no harm in trying, right?
That's all I got. I've had a few other ideas, but none that I currently like enough to seriously consider. Any thoughts on potential new channels, not just for me but anybody?