Marketing: Where to Spend the $$$

[DeJager]

Hello!!

As a lot of you know I'm just finishing up production on my sci-fi flick. We'll soon be going into the cutting room.

As far as marketing goes... where is the best place to spend money on?

DVD design/cover?
Movie website?
Ads? (web/tv/etc)
__________(fill in the blank)
Paying a viral marketing firm?

[that1guyy]

If possible, all of the above?

[NickClapper]

Web ads (see signature for further details)

Jokes aside, I really recommend putting a decent portion of your budget behind getting a professionally designed website. A good, clean design will facilitate marketing the film online (even to festivals and reviewers) whereas a bad website can actually be detrimental.

There are no such things as 'viral marketing firms'. You cannot create a viral video, you can simply create a video and then see if it goes viral. I'm suspicious of all these companies who throw around terms like 'viral videos' when viral is down to the audience rather than the creator.

But honestly I think it really depends where you want the project to go. Getting a good trailer cut, a good website up and then trying to get word of mouth from festivals and review websites is a pretty good idea. There's no point spending much money on t-shirts and posters and things (beyond the stuff you need for personal promotion). I'd be inclined to say use any available money to focus your resources on social media: make sure you have accessible, thriving platforms on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, Vimeo...etc. They don't cost much (or anything) but if you take them seriously that's probably a good and relatively inexpensive way to spend a bit of cash.

[DeJager]

All good ideas! Thank you. When I mentioned viral marketing firms, I was referring to the marketing firms that develop ideas to get your "product" out there to the masses. I guess I shouldn't have said viral because you are right.. you can't create viral. It simply happens! Haha.

Has anybody seen those apps that allows you to customize your facebook page (such as a movie page) into a unique design?

[PaulGriffith]

Definitely good artwork. A still image is probably the first thing people see so why not hook them there so they're more likely to watch a trailer or similar. Your artwork should look better than any DVD cover on retail shelves or movie posters in a theater lobby that had a several million dollar promo budget, they're the competition.

Those indie films with artwork that looks like it's done in MS Paint or someone's 12 year old kid with Photoshop and an affinity for Comic Sans and Papyrus typefaces.... I stay away from those haha.

Once you have a marketable product, then go social. Pay someone who knows it if needed. At least to get you going.

[GuerrillaAngel]

You're going about it in the wrong way, you can't afford to BUY an audience like the big boys. Getting people talking about your film is the key -- get your film reviewed, send out press releases, get publications and blogs to write about your movie . . . whole books have been written on how to PR your film.

Buying ads is a total waste of your money. Ad work ONLY if either a) you've got an expensive item: ie: a $25,000 automobile or b) you're able to sell hundreds of thousands low cost items (ie: Happy Meals).

I know of no app that allows you to customize your FB page (a la MySpace). Facebook doesn't allow that kind of individualism. However, FB IS a place to market your movie. If you're smart you'll figure out how do generate sales there even though its not technically allowed on personal pages.

My consultation fee for FB marketing is $200/hr.

Good luck!

Good luck.

[Blade_Jones]

DVD design/cover?
Movie website?
Ads? (web/tv/etc)

Spend nothing on advertising. Nobody advertises indie films. Those who do throw away 99% of their money.

If you want any chance at getting brick & mortar distribution (what's left of it) then you need a top notch box cover. This can be hit and miss though. While I wouldn't cut corners, you might pay a pro a lot of money for something that is done professionally but in the end just doesn't stand out.

As far as websites I think you can cut corners. One great looking image with great looking text is all you need for a main page. From there it's the trailer that will make or break it with the potential buyer.

Having said all of this, most filmmakers do not get brick and mortar distribution any more. It's becoming all Internet these days. If you don't have something really top notch then having a great looking website and box cover can be futile. You really have to be honest with yourself before pouring money into a movie. People expect big budget looking movies. Good luck!

[Papertwinproductions]

Start now.

That's the best advice I can offer, if I could offer just one.

[CamVader]

Marketing is where art meets reality. I won't bore you with the details, but this is what they are teaching in media schools. It doesn't exist if people don't know about it. The bane of indie filmmakers.

Solutions? None, really. The people with the money have the power, same as anything else.

[Papertwinproductions]

Originally Posted by CamVader

Solutions? None, really. The people with the money have the power, same as anything else.

Power that is unrivaled, or purely superior?

Superiority is not the be all and end all.

All brands have to establish an audience. They've all been in the same situation Indies find themselves in when attempting to market their product. It's more a factor of Indies neglecting the "business" side of the industry, than it is a lack of solution.

[DeJager]

All excellent and insightful advice it seems! I'll pick up a few PR books and go from there.

I actually miss having to go down to Hollywood Video or Blockbuster, walk around the store looking at DVDs, then selecting the ones I wanted! More expensive but was a good time.

[NickClapper]

Originally Posted by GuerrillaAngel

I know of no app that allows you to customize your FB page (a la MySpace). Facebook doesn't allow that kind of individualism. However, FB IS a place to market your movie. If you're smart you'll figure out how do generate sales there even though its not technically allowed on personal pages.

Actually you can customise Facebook pages, to an extent, but I find it kind of irritating and it's usually done in conjunction with some promotion or other- for example check out the gross Cowboys and Aliens page on Facebook.

Not sure what I'd recommend other than to network, network, network. If you're not already on Twitter, get on and start chatting up the people who can give you a leg up.

[Lcaz]

Your largest gun is the social media. This might be me talking because I work with it but seriously it's your best tool if you don't do the biggest mistake people do.
The think it won't cost a thing and then asks why it didn't work you need to spend to win. Sure you can do it for 0$ but you need to be really good at marketing then. So look into effective social media marketing!

[wheatgrinder]

Social media is networking.
Define your target viewer
Invite and encourage participation, NOW, even if it means SLOWING the work, start building momentum and participation in the effort before its finished..

The new media concept of fan-dom is different. People want to be PART of whats going on. Tweeting, FB interacting with potential fans prior to release will build some momentum..

Its like this, people want to be PART of your story, no matter how small. Imagine getting a personal tweet from your favorite actor, you would be like.. "Hey thats cool, I sorta KNOW Mr. So and So.. "

[GuerrillaAngel]

Originally Posted by NickClapper

Actually you can customise Facebook pages, to an extent, but I find it kind of irritating and it's usually done in conjunction with some promotion or other- for example check out the gross Cowboys and Aliens page on Facebook.

I see what you mean. To an extent. You're right.