Filmmakers looking to get their projects out to the world can take a number of different paths. For those looking to distribute film in Southeast Asia, China, or India, where the film industry is growing quickly, this article will cover basic distribution marketing tips that can help get your films made and into theaters.
Focus On The Audience
More and more people are choosing to go digital with their home videos. While there is still plenty of demand for physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays, online and mobile video content is far more accessible. It’s important to keep this in mind as you approach your film’s marketing and distribution strategy. Your film’s target audience will have different habits than the general population and, therefore, may use different platforms to access media content. This is particularly important if you are trying to grow an international audience since many countries have their own language barriers and digital accessibility issues that could get in the way of you reaching your audience.
Traditional Media Mix
The most traditional means of film distribution is still considered to be one of the most effective. This is largely due to the fact that films are often shown in cinema theaters, which allows audiences to physically experience the motion picture. While this may be an effective platform for certain types of films, like action or horror movies, it’s certainly not the only one. As we’ve seen in recent years with the rise of video on demand and Netflix, audiences now have more options than ever before when it comes to watching films. This means that, as a filmmaker, you need to make sure that you’re reaching your audience beyond the big screen. While it may be tempting to only focus on one platform like YouTube for your film’s content, it’s important to remember that these are all channels that your film could appear on and thus, all platforms that you could use to reach your audience.
The Growth Of Online And Social Media
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of online and social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube that allow creators to spread their content far and wide. This has largely supplanted the need for physical media like CDs or DVDs when it comes to distribution since it’s so easy to share and access content online. For those seeking to grow an international audience, this content can be viewed in real time and translated via subtitles if needed. This content is also often times shared through social media channels, which means that your film could end up in front of a much larger audience than you’d ever reach in theaters alone.
Blogs, Forum, And Other Online Media
Even beyond social media, creators can turn to online blogs and forums to gain insights, ideas, and feedback on their work. It’s important to note that these are just a few of the many options available to creators when it comes to getting their content out to the world. Online forums like Reddit are also a great place for creators to gain support and explain the backstory and rationale behind their work. This is especially important for those seeking to break into the Korean or Chinese markets, where they may face greater challenges in understanding the culture and the language barrier. Blogs, fora, and other forms of online media can serve as an important tool for gaining international support since many countries have different language restrictions and media content can be accessed easily through an online browser.
Importance Of Video Content In Today’s World
This is an area that the industry is continually shifting towards as video content continues to grow in popularity. Videos are easy to share and discover, as we’ve discussed, and can contain a lot of useful information. Many marketers and content creators are turning to videos to explain complicated topics in a simple and engaging manner. Creators can also use videos to show how products work in real life or demonstrate how certain methods of baking are safer or more efficient than others. While video content can be anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours long, audiences can quickly become distracted by shiny objects or features that draw their attention away from the informative content within the video.
Content Curation Tools
Videos don’t just have to be used to explain or demonstrate something, they can be used to highlight key content within a broader pool of videos. YouTube and other platforms offer content curation tools that can help creators discover and watch videos that focus on their niche. This may be a great option for those seeking to build an audience around a single topic or hobby.
Get In Shape
Video content isn’t just used to grab viewers’ attention, it’s also a great way to get in shape. Those seeking to promote their work can use videos to explain key plot points, showcase their acting ability, or simply document their daily workouts. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or just want to find an activity that you can use to work out, videos can help get you there faster than you’d imagine.
Making a film is both fun and exciting, but the stress of dealing with distribution can be a lot to handle. Hopefully, this article will help you develop some solid distribution strategies that will help you reach your audience and bring your film into the world.