Marketing a Self Published Film

So now that you’ve decided to go the route of self-publishing, how will anyone know about your product? Because you are an independent filmmaker, you probably wont have the biggest budget to work with. That’s okay! Use the resources that the internet and modern technology has provided. Here are some ways to market your film with a minimum budget: 

Tell Everybody! Before you get all worked up about not affording TV or radio time, start by just telling the people you know. You have way more connections than you think you have. Email everyone in your contacts!

Make a Trailer! If you are distributing a film that you produced, creating a trailer for it shouldn’t cost much at all. Once the trailer is created, you can then put it on sites like Vimeo and YouTube. Once the trailer is posted to YouTube, it’s now easier than ever to share. In just about every place you post the link, a video box will appear and people can watch it from whatever site they are on.

Social Networking! Use the power of Facebook. Yes, I said power. There will be groups with similar interests as you. Find out who’s all in your demographics. Since you have created a trailer you can post it in all the groups with similar interests. You can also post the link of where your DVD or download can be purchased.

Demographics! If you are making a documentary on inner city injustice, then you may think you only have one specific target audience. If you really break your topic down then more people will be on your consumer list. With inner city injustice, you can target the minority races, people from inner city environments, people involved in the justice system which includes, lawyers, police officers, politicians etc. You can also target minority activist groups who have a similar passion. This kind of break down can be done with any topic if you just take the time to think about it!

Create a Website! The great thing about your own website is you can put whatever you want on it! Need I say more?

Magazines and Blogs! Have industry experts review your work. Send them a copy of it and a letter asking for a review. The worst they can do is say, “No.” If they do comply, you’ve just opened the door to all their readers, and anyone who may stumble across what they are doing. (Make sure your content is good, and do your best to choose people who will give a review in your favor so this wont backfire.)

There are other opportunities out there if you just think about it. Contact people who are involved in similar projects and they may sell your product for you for a small commission. If people admire your work then they will spread the word and start to market for you! There are so many things you can do spread the word and get people interested in your product even with a small budget. So get out there and find opportunities to market and network! 

Self Publishing Video Production

As the years go by, we are having more and more access to technology. Because of this, there is more opportunity to create. This is not just true for those who create films and documentaries, but in every creative genre. It is now easier to write books, produce music, games, and useful applications than it ever was. Most of us who are serious in our industry have figured out ways to create our content, but most of us are still struggling because we don’t know how to distribute our content.

Until recently, it would have been easier for me to figure out how I would create my content as a filmmaker, and get all the equipment and resources for it, then it would be for me to figure out what I would do once it was created. First thought, “Uh… put it on YouTube.” Yes, and make zero money. Thanks to my current Full Sail professor Kimberly Craft, I now know better ways to monetize my product without traditional distribution channels.

The first thing anyone should do is to obtain a copyright for their work. Do this by registering with the copyright office on copyright.gov. If anyone infringes your work, you will then be able to sue them. If you do not register your work, anyone who has access to it can do whatever they want with it. They may even use it to get money for it themselves. After you obtain a copyright for you product, you must then get the correct codes to sell it in retail locations.  The codes needed for DVDs are ISBN (International Standard Book Number) and the UPC (Universal Product Code).

There are several ways to distribute a film, video, or documentary. The way I am suggesting is self publishing with the use of a POD (print on demand). The way this works is that you submit your product to one of the POD sites, such as createspace.com. Then, when a customer chooses to purchase your product, they will send them a newly published copy of the DVD. You may have the option to package it however you would like, depending on the POD, and send it directly to the customer. These PODs make your product available in several different places. For example, if you put it on CreateSpace, your product is automatically put on Amazon and eStore. You may even be able to set it up where someone can pay you to download the entire film. Once you have set this up, you have to market the product so that it will be easy for potential customers to find it.