Streaming services, social media, and digitally focused consumer habits have meant that independent filmmakers now have more opportunities than ever to reach new people. As a result, competition is at an all-time high.
Digital Marketing is Undergoing a Rapid Transformation
Independent film isn’t the only sector that’s adapting to changing consumer behavior. Across a number of industries, businesses are replacing more traditional marketing methods with personalized experiences
Retail brands launch products via livestream shopping events, and social media influencers are being used more than television adverts. Musicians take the time to build TikTok and Instagram audiences before releasing albums.
Estate agents offer virtual tours before arranging a physical viewing, and restaurants have also embraced digital apps for loyalty schemes and personalized offers that keep people coming back. The online casinos sector has undergone a similar transformation.
Sky Vegas current promotions include welcome bonuses, free spins, and other digital offers. Players can claim them instantly through websites or mobile apps, but traditional land casinos, by comparison, rarely offer incentives.
With so many entertainment verticals shifting their focus to digital marketing formats, it makes perfect sense that the indie film market is slowly doing the same, which is leading to some interesting trends.
Marketing Begins Way Before Filming Starts
For a lot of indie promotions, marketing isn’t something that starts when the editing is done. It begins months before the filming starts. Writers and producers often tease elements like concept art or teaser clips, or simple lines from the script to drum up hype
If the audience responds in a positive way, it’s evidence that there is an interest in the movie. Rather than keeping the production a secret, filmmakers tend to document rehearsals while showing images of people location scouting.
New Opportunity to Start Full-time Filmmaking with Patreon!
This helps to turn the whole production journey into a story that keeps people engaged throughout the entire development. Even though social media algorithms sometimes limit how many people see a post, email newsletters give people a line of communication, with Patreon used to give people access to content that would have otherwise been unavailable.
Patreon is a viable platform to secure recurring crowdfunding, as it helps filmmakers to independently distribute projects that don’t have any studio backing. Joe Burke and Blake Ridder are just a few examples of people who use it for these reasons.
What happens with a project in Acquisitions, Festivals and Four Walling Distribution
Pop-up theaters are also being used to showcase independent movies. Four-walling is another strategy, where filmmakers use social media and digital marketing avenues to raise awareness of an upcoming movie.
VideoMaker explains the concept well. The filmmaker keeps all the ticket sales, but the cinema takes the money from the concessions.
For indie filmmakers who have a lot of faith in their online audience to show up, this can be a valuable way to not only provide people with a solid screening experience, but also to host Q&A sessions, meet-and-greets, and even merchandise sales after.
This provides indie filmmakers with a competitive advantage over streaming, and allows them to build audiences that are loyal long after the movie run ends.
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