1st Edition
Behind the Scenes of Indie Film Marketing A FilmSnobbery Field Guide
This book provides current and incoming filmmakers with a comprehensive overview of how to create business and marketing plans to prepare their movies for distribution. Nicholas LaRue combines experienced insights into aesthetics and creativity with logical data-driven conclusions to provide an analysis of independent film promotion.
The book first presents a view of sales and marketing in the independent film industry, as well as exploring the new digital tools available to filmmakers and tried-and-true methods that have served industry professionals well for years in promoting their films. This is then complemented by a wide array of testimonials from veteran filmmakers (Kevin Smith, Brea Grant, Joe Lynch, Roger Corman, and more) as well as interviews from film festival directors, publicists, film critics, and other industry professionals, who provide insights into working within the independent film industry.
Given this diversity of perspective, this text will be an integral resource for new indie filmmakers, as well as those wishing to perfect their craft in whatever facet of independent filmmaking promotion they choose to pursue.
Preface
About the Author
Introduction
How To Use This Book
1. Basic Concepts of Marketing
1.1 The Difference Between Marketing and Advertising
1.2 Why Your Film is Failing to Find an Audience
1.3 Why Should You Have a Business Plan?
1.4 Marketing Plan and Strategy vs Business Plan
2. Putting A Plan Together
2.1 The Sections of a Business Plan
2.2 Elements of a Marketing Strategy
2.3 Things I Didn’t Learn In Film School
3. Implementing Your Marketing Strategy
3.1 Traditional Marketing Methods
3.2 Digital Marketing
3.3 Social Media
3.4 Email Marketing
3.5 Setting Yourself Up for Success
4. Power to the Pixel
4.1 Embrace Digital Tools
4.2 Your Website
4.3 Google and SEO
4.4 HubSpot and Other CRM Tools
4.5 Pixels Everywhere!
5. Identifying Your Audience
5.1 Your Film Might Not Be For Everyone, But It Might Be Right For Someone
5.2 How to Cut Through the Noise
5.3 Finding and Owning Your Niche
6. The Sales Process
6.1 The Psychology of Sales
6.2 The Customer Journey
6.3 The Five Point Process
6.4 The Importance of WHY
6.5 Why Most Sales Opportunities Fail
7. You Are the Product
7.1 You Can Sell Your Film Once, But Yourself Multiple Times
8. SWAG and Branding
8.1 Staying on Brand
8.2 The Kevin Smith Approach
8.3 Old Marketing Methods that Still Work
8.4 Be Your Own Sweatshop
9. Podcast Your Way to Success
9.1 Reach New Audiences by Booking Yourself on Podcasts
10. Public Relations
10.1 A Brief Introduction to PR (Public Relations)
10.2 Engaging With A PR Consultant or Publicist
11. Film Festivals
11.1 Taking Advantage of the Festival Circuit
11.2 The Importance of Networking
11.3 The Red Carpet and Beyond
12. Film Critics
12.1 What’s A Film Critic’s Job Really?
12.2 Working With Film Critics
12.3 Understanding The Film Critic Ecosystem
13. That’s A Wrap
13.1 What Have We Learned?
14. Contributors
14.1 Filmmakers
14.2 Industry Professionals
Appendix
A - Glossary of Common Business Terms
B - Glossary of Common Film Terms
Index
Biography
Nicholas LaRue is an author, screenwriter, film critic, and Founder of FilmSnobbery.com, a website dedicated to being a voice for the indie film community. Nic has worked in the Hollywood studio system as the Head of Post-Production for Raleigh Studios, served as the Director of Marketing for Miglionico Design, and is currently the CEO of LaRue Entertainment Group, LLC which serves as the holding company and entertainment industry consulting arm of FilmSnobbery.
