Trying to share some of my strategy to promote A Dark Souvenir now that it's complete. Before it was complete, I did set up website, email, twitter, and facebook accounts (all free, I use Weebly here for website and adarksouevnir@gmail.com for email). So for over a year I've had an online presence as A Dark Souvenir. From what I hear that helps with searches, helps with people knowing you, hearing about you. And more than anything, I started interacting with new people on twitter who got interested in the film. But because I was never sure it would actually get done-- we have such busy lives and this could not be a priority other than I needed to make it otherwise I'd go insane-- I didn't have full confidence on social media. It's also learn as I go. I learned twitter for my last movie, the political documentary Broken On All Sides, for for activism purposes. Still learning. And I've just set up my first instagram account for A Dark Souvenir, because I hear it's yet another way to freely promote (and unlike Facebook pages now, the posts will actually easily show up for people).
But our movie's done! And it's good! And it's proof of what filmmakers can do with a little gear, a little cast, no crew, and no budget to make a FEATURE FUCKING FILM. I think there's value just in that, and I'm hoping to be transparent as possible to let filmmakers and fans know about the process. I took some diary and some video and audio along the way, and will compile and post some of that here.
So, now that the movie's done, how can we market it? With very little money to spend on marketing (sort of saving that up for film festival entries, promo, and travel), and not wanting to beg for crowdfunding or go into debt, what is a filmmaker/artist left to do if they want to promote their movie? It's all about networking, social exchanges, and (to use a legal term) quid pro quo (giving something for getting something). I'm trying to figure out how to get more people involved with promoting, and so they can get something out of it too.
I have hired for $400 artist Jay McPhillips to make the cover art, and I'm loving his designs so far, soon to be released). For Jay, it's a cool new project that he can hopefully spread around to all his art followers. Maybe it will get him some new design business, or other films interested in his design work. He's getting something out of it, beyond measly pay, and he'll help promote it.
I'm also reaching out to online bloggers and movie reviewers to see if they'll write about it. I'll send them a free screener, they can write whatever they want, and I'll promote their blog when it's done. More eyes for them, more eyes for me. Search among your network-- our first review is done by a college acquaintance who I reconnected with through Facebook, he's into horror and does horror reviews on his blog, and he's a good writer.
Here's an audio recording I made, in the car on my commute home from work one day-- some rambling thoughts about how I made the movie, some things right and something things wrong, trying to build audience, marketing on no budget, and what's been my process behind the scenes! 10min, hope you enjoy my ramble:
https://soundcloud.com/user570419471/a-dark-souvenir-diary
-MJP
But our movie's done! And it's good! And it's proof of what filmmakers can do with a little gear, a little cast, no crew, and no budget to make a FEATURE FUCKING FILM. I think there's value just in that, and I'm hoping to be transparent as possible to let filmmakers and fans know about the process. I took some diary and some video and audio along the way, and will compile and post some of that here.
So, now that the movie's done, how can we market it? With very little money to spend on marketing (sort of saving that up for film festival entries, promo, and travel), and not wanting to beg for crowdfunding or go into debt, what is a filmmaker/artist left to do if they want to promote their movie? It's all about networking, social exchanges, and (to use a legal term) quid pro quo (giving something for getting something). I'm trying to figure out how to get more people involved with promoting, and so they can get something out of it too.
I have hired for $400 artist Jay McPhillips to make the cover art, and I'm loving his designs so far, soon to be released). For Jay, it's a cool new project that he can hopefully spread around to all his art followers. Maybe it will get him some new design business, or other films interested in his design work. He's getting something out of it, beyond measly pay, and he'll help promote it.
I'm also reaching out to online bloggers and movie reviewers to see if they'll write about it. I'll send them a free screener, they can write whatever they want, and I'll promote their blog when it's done. More eyes for them, more eyes for me. Search among your network-- our first review is done by a college acquaintance who I reconnected with through Facebook, he's into horror and does horror reviews on his blog, and he's a good writer.
Here's an audio recording I made, in the car on my commute home from work one day-- some rambling thoughts about how I made the movie, some things right and something things wrong, trying to build audience, marketing on no budget, and what's been my process behind the scenes! 10min, hope you enjoy my ramble:
https://soundcloud.com/user570419471/a-dark-souvenir-diary
-MJP
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