Movie director, Elliot Grove, tells us why all film makers have to be on top of marketing, just like authors.
You've hung out at film festivals, attended enough screenwriting classes to pick up the lingo, 'liked' the right people on Twitter and Facebook, and decided to have a go at independent filmmaking. Then to the astonishment of your friends and family you make the 'announcement' that you are ditching your day job to follow your dreams. With your last paycheck in the regular world you buy a digital camera and some suitably cool clothes.
What next?
If only it were that simple. The traditions of the film industry have become challenged by the new digital and social media world. Like the music and publishing industry, film has had to adapt to the post www.youtube.com world.
There are three ways that independent filmmakers can benefit from the changing patterns in media. Understand how the paradigms of the film industry have changed:
1) The definition of creativity
Until now, the corporate film industry has defined creatives and limited creative boundaries by what has been sanctioned by copious audience research. Hollywood has made film after film based on the metrics and analytics of countless customer surveys, and then pressed the "Movie" button to create a product that ticks all the right boxes.
What social media has done is to allow filmmakers to engage directly with audiences and learn first hand what people want.2) Marketing and publicity
Until now, in order to get a movie made, Hollywood had to vault the marketing hurdle. The only way to do this is with huge marketing budgets out of the reach of independent filmmakers.
Social media of course enables filmmakers to market directly to their audience. Filmmakers are able to build up a following of their fans, of people who are interested in their work and what they have to say. Upon completion of a project – the filmmaker will have a built in audience to sell to.
3) Storytelling techniques
The traditional two hour cinema movie is very nearly dead. The movies of the future will start with the purchase of an app or game allowing viewers (or gamers) to build up a series of points or vouchers which they can then choose to cash in at the cinema box office, meaning that the cinema experience will become the penultimate point in an experience that last several days or weeks. The advantages of digital technology will allow for the multi faceted story nodes, currently employed by the gaming industry, with off line experiences as well.
Social media will also enable filmmakers and storytellers to work on stories together with their audiences.
Where does that leave a newcomer trying to break into the film industry?
First and foremost, new filmmaker need to learn and specialize in a craft or skill.
Secondly they need to understand how the money flows in this very changeable marketplace.
Thirdly, astute filmmakers use social awareness to raise their personal profile and build a community of admires (and potential customers) This delicate task of building yourself up is akin to marketeers who try and build up a product, only as an individual one needs to build a personal brand.
Building a personal brand involves excellence (as above) but also involves developing a strong individual voice as well as knowing how to engage in the fine art of self-promotion.
And lastly, they need to make great movies with storylines and concepts which are bold, fresh and original - stories that no one else has thought of before, and stories and films that everyone wants.
Finally, if you want to break into the film industry and call yourself a filmmaker, you have to maker films instead of talking about making films.
With today’s inexpensive filmmaking gear, anyone with something to say can say it.
Go forth and multiply
Elliot Grove Elliot Grove has worked intensively with writers at Raindance since 1992. He explains the tricks of the trade from practical experience and reveals some of the latest paradigms through lecture, exercises and video clips.
Elliot Grove founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993, the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, and Raindance.TV in 2007.
He has produced over 150 short films, and 5 feature films. He has written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-production. His first feature film, TABLE 5 was shot on 35mm and completed for a total of £278.38. He teaches writers and producers in the UK, Europe. Japan and America.
He has written three books which have become industry standards: RAINDANCE WRITERS LAB 2nd Edition (Focal Press 2008), RAINDANCE PRODUCERS LAB (Focal Press 2004) and 130 PROJECTS TO GET YOU INTO FILMMAKING (Barrons 2009). His first novel THE BANDIT QUEEN is scheduled for publication next year.
Open University awarded Elliot and Honourary Doctorate for services to film education in 2009.
Authoright Co-Sponsors the AuthorLounge at LBF 2011
Authoright PR is very excited to be part of the AuthorLounge for third year running. This year, we have been asked to co-sponsor the AuthorLounge, which are delighted to be doing.
‘The AuthorLounge has been a fantastic new addition to the traditionally business-biased London Book Fair,’ says Authoright CEO, Gareth Howard. ‘This is an area specifically for authors. The aim of the AuthorLounge is to bring book publishing and marketing professionals together with authors that are looking to publish and promote their own books. The LBF realised that the number of authors attending the LBF is increasing year on year, and the AuthorLounge caters exclusively for authors.’
The AuthorLounge is a place where authors can come relax amidst the mayhem of the stands, informally discuss their projects with leading companies such as Authoright PR and listen to specialist lectures on a variety of subjects such as Why Self-Publish? and The Importance of Book Marketing.
We really hope you will join us if you are attending the LBF. Do come along and say hello and tell us about your book.
The AuthorLounge is in EC2 at P545.
A map can be found here: http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/files/ec2_21.02.11.pdf
We look forward to welcoming you at the AuthorLounge.