Film Marketing

The marketing of a film release revolves around two key

questions: 'When?' and 'How?'

Film Fridays• In the UK, new films are released theatrically

on Fridays. Why?

• The schedule for forthcoming releases is coordinated and published by the Film Distributors Association. A distributor will assess this schedule to identify a Friday release date where there are only a few films scheduled for release. Why?

Also considered are...

• Seasonality of the film

• The distributor will try to position the film distinctively and avoid a release date occupied by other films with similar traits (story, subject, country of origin).

P+A• The costs of theatrical distribution, met by local

distributors, are often referred to as 'P&A', orPrints and Advertising.

• P&A are the nuts and bolts of marketing anddistributing films into cinemas, the tools used bythe distributor to create a public for its film.

• P&A also represent the bulk of the distributor'sinvestment.

Press materials, clips reels, images, press previews, screener tapes:

• For the majority of releases, favourable press response is a key factor in developing the profile and desirability of a film.

• Distributors consider both the quality and breadth of coverage, and this is often inscribed into the nature and scale of a press campaign.

• Screener tapes are a version of a movie sent to reviewers or 'screeners' prior to release into a theatre/cinema.

The design and printing of posters and other promotional artwork:

• The cinema poster - in the UK this means the standard 30" x 40" 'quad' format - is still the cornerstone of theatrical release campaigns. Distributors will also consider other poster campaigns, ranging from Underground advertising to billboards.

Advertising campaign - locations, ad size and frequency:

• For mainstream films, scale and high visibility is the key.

• In order to extend the reach of advertising and develop more effective communication with audiences at low cost, distributors are looking increasingly to 'viral marketing' - different forms of electronic word-of-mouth via the internet, email and mobile phones.

Press campaign / contracting a PR agency:

• Many independent distributors in particular do not have press departments, and will consequently hire a press agency to run a pre-release campaign. This is especially the case if the distributor brings over key talent for press interviews to support the release.

Arranging visit by talent from the film:

The use of talent - usually the director and/or lead actors - wins significant editorial coverage to support a release. The volume of coverage can far outweigh the cost of talent visits.

Other preview screenings:

• A distributor will consider the use of advance public screenings to create word-of-mouth and advance 'buzz' around a film.

Film Release Patterns

Wide Release

• The most common release pattern, in which the film is released nationally in all markets. This is the pattern used by the majors, since this type of release pattern requires a heavy investment in prints and national advertising, which while having reach into all markets, is expensive.

• With a wide release, the producers and distributors can gain revenues to recoup their investment in a shorter time period (provided that the film is successful).

• Finally, revenues from DVD sales can also be released faster from a quickly-executed theatrical release (the shorter the time period between the theatrical release and the videocassette/DVD release, the greater the potential for videocassette/DVD income).

The Modified Wide Release• The film will open in a few major markets and

expand week by week to build awareness and allow positive word-of-mouth reputation to develop.

• This type of release would initially be supported spot advertising (advertising in a specific geographical area, such as a city) and may move to national advertising once it expands to other markets.

Exclusive and Limited Runs

• Exclusive and limited runs begin with engagements at a limited number of screens, traditionally in large urban areas, such as Toronto. Based on favourable reviews and positive word-of-mouth, the film may move slowly to additional theatres.

• This release pattern is almost always used for upscale 'arthouse' or foreign films and may be part of a platforming strategy, where critical acclaim in an important market will assist in providing momentum for a wide release.

Territorial Saturation• Territorial saturation involves saturating a territory

with bookings, heavy advertising and promotion, before moving on to another territory. This method would be used for films tailored to specific markets.

• In Canada, this would be seen with French-language films, which primarily would be well-received only in Quebec. It is also used by independent distributors for exploitation or family movies.

Film trailers and their importance for distribution and marketing

Trailers• Quite simply film trailers ARE the most important part of a

marketing campaign undertaken by a film distributor.

The first thing you need to do is establish the type of film trailer you are analysing" Is it:

•a. A teaser?b. Theatrical trailer?c. A TV spot advertising the film on release?

You then need to be aware of the following:

• What is the film's USP? ( Its unique selling point?) In other words how are the distributors positioning the film in the marketplace?

Which elements in the film's genre is the distributor highlighting which sets the film aside from other films in its genre.

What are the messages in the film's trailer and what do they say about the film?

Remember that the type of release ( wide, limited, universal ) and the date of release will have been carefully planned to maximise potential audiences.

Genre (is the film animated, drama, documentary, comedy, sci-fi, adolescent, horror, etc.)

Narrative (how is the story told?)

Location (how does the trailer reveal location? what clues tell you so?)

Characters (describe the people portrayed in the trailer based on the info in the trailer)

Voice Over (who is the narrator? )

Theme (identify at least one theme based on the trailer)

Pacing (how is the trailer paced: fast, medium, slow? what impact might pacing have?)

On-screen graphics (what kind of info is revealed--be specific)

Editing & post production (can include special effects)

Music and other sound effects (what role do they play?)

Questions to consider:1. How does the trailer begin and end? Was it effectively edited?

2. What film studio is releasing the trailer? What might you know about them and their previously released films?

3. Why is this trailer being played before the specific film you are about to view?

4. Who creates trailers?

5. Do trailers always tell you everything you need to know about the film? (if not, where can you get more information?)

The Boat That Rocked

• Watch the 2 trailers for 'The Boat That Rocked' below. One is for US release and the other for British release.

• Can you tell which one is for which audience?• What are the differences? • What does this tell us about audiences and

institutions?

The Boat that rocked trailers

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnQc3lO4JDs&feature=player_embedded

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoPamVXU-gM