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The hardest parts of filmmaking are raising money and getting the film shown to the public. Without the backing of a studio, the independent filmmaker usually has to do all this on their own. Doing it yourself should be familiar by now, so turning yourself into a PR department should be just another hurdle.
Festivals
There are over 1,000 film and video festivals around the world, so make sure you do your research before sending off random application forms. Most festivals have some kind of restrictions; features only, shorts only, time limits, specific genres and subjects, first time directors only, experienced directors only, etc, etc. Make sure you find festivals that suit your film. Major festivals and festivals with respected awards usually offer the best exposure. If you’re trying to get your feature shown, remember that you only have one world premiere; so choose wisely. Once you get to the festivals, make sure you supply up to date contact information for the festival catalogue, so those big shot producers can get in touch. See the Screaming Reels festival directory.
Internet
The Blair Witch Project has shown us all how effective the internet can be. However, unless you have something as clever as the Blair Witch website, most people aren’t going to care about another badly designed, paper-thin independent filmmakers site. Instead, you may want to use your website as an extension of your business card. Add your websites URL to your contact details and people can then find out about you and your work at their leisure, and if you have the money and the know-how, they can even see a short showreel. But be sure to design a compact, informative site, as the aim of your site is to communicate information, and you should not let design and attractive features get in the way.
The internet can also be used to show your film. While technology and the viewers’ patience aren’t quite up to handling your two-hour epic, there are dozens of sites (many listed here) willing and eager to show your 10-minute short (several of them are listed here). Of course, this means converting it to, or filming it on digital, but the exposure could well be worth the effort. There are also several sites where you can tell people about you and your projects (such as this one - profiles).
Graphic Design
When you get to festivals and meetings with distributors, professional looking postcards, posters, flyers and box covers can make the difference between looking like an amateur, bedroom filmmaker and a professional bedroom filmmaker. However, amateur attempts at these will often do more harm than an absence of them would. If you do (somehow) have a bit of spare cash and it is a saleable feature you’re pushing rather than a short, looking for cheap professional designers and printers might be a good idea.
Screening Society
The number of independent film societies is also growing. Joining a society is a great way of getting your work shown and making contacts with other filmmakers.
Private Screenings
No matter how many people you can persuade to see your film, there are only a handful who have the power to do anything to further your career. Screening rooms at places like the BFI are surprisingly cheap. Rope in a few friends to make an appreciative audience and invite the people who count to come and see your feature, such as FilmFour, BBC Films, Sky Movies and the numerous UK production companies. Make it as much of an event as possible; professional looking invitations and a few bottles of wine to persuade people to hang around after the screening.
TV, Magazines and Websites
Thanks to the recent boom in indie filmmaking, there are always people on the look out for a good story. Professional looking photos will also do wonders.
Showreels
This should include your very best work and be tailored to the particular viewer. Don’t just pad it out; make it concise and effective. Whenever you send one out, put yourself in the shoes of the receiver; what do they want to see, and what do they not want to see.
Selling Your Film - what you'll need
- Good production stills. Make sure you asssign someone with some photographic skill to the task before the shoot. Don't bother blowing up stills from the film print, they look terrible.
- An up-to-date press kit. This should include basic specs: year made, running time, format, genre, location, legal representation or producers rep if applicable, stills, a one-page synopsis, a one-line synopsis, complete list of cast and their characters, cast and principal crew bios, director's filmography, production notes (the story of how the film came about and was made), reviews/press and lists of awards, and contact information.
- A good title for the film. The title is very important and should capture the spirit of the film.
- A supply of videotape copies of your film to send out at a moment's notice.
- Posters to put up when your film plays in festivals. Leave a blank space at the bottom to write in where and when the film's playing.
- An Electronic Press Kit - videotape of edited interviews with principal cast and director, behind the scenes footage and clips from the film.
- A strong sense of the film's target audience. If the film has a natural audience (around a specific passion, ethnicity, life experience etc.) you will need to capture its interest and harness its word-of-mouth support. Build awareness in your natural audience through its own channels, including meetings, conventions, restaurants, cafes, film festivals, neighbourhoods, newspapers etc.
- Respect the importance of word-of-mouth. A film with high marketability has recognizable elements that help pre-sell it easily: stars, high-concept story line, special effects, clear genre. Independent films are usually weak in these areas (not necessarily bad in an "art" film, but if you want it to make millions...) and need to please the audiences who get to see the film in order to create good word-of-mouth.
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A Short History of Film
Pt. 1: Silent Cinema 1895-1927
Pt. 2: Studio System 1927-1945
Pt. 3: Post-War 1945-1959
Pt. 4: New Waves 1959-1975
Pt. 5: Blockbusters 1975-2002
