Promote your DVD via the web
By Mark Bosko
Probably the biggest boost to the promotional efforts of independent filmmakers is the Internet. Heralded (and rightfully so) as a cost-effective and efficient sales tool by product pushers of all kinds, the Internet has become especially useful for fledgling film and video artists looking for audiences, attention and earnings. This technology’s role in the success of The Blair Witch Project is by now legend, and legions of other independent producers looking to launch their careers have made use of the medium in a similar manner.
The benefits of using the Internet as a promotional medium are so numerous – low-cost, instant access, ease-of-use, non-invasive, constantly-available…it’s hard to know where to start. One thing is certain, however, the Internet should not simply be considered during the post-production promotional phase, but also implemented as early in the process of making your film as possible. Many projects without a frame shot or even a dollar of financing found, host world wide Web sites advertising their existence. This kind of proactive publicity can lead to financing, crews, media coverage, even distribution deals, and the best part, it’s really pretty cheap.
With the Internet so much a part of our daily lives, this electronic portal is a natural outlet in which to “advertise” your project. Where else could you reach a worldwide audience for pennies a day? In what other medium could you deliver not only images and words, but actual moving images and sounds from the project itself? Where else but the Internet could you sell you film via credit card or electronic funds transfer, taking advantage of impulse purchasing? Finally, what other promotional technique allows for instant interactive feedback from fans and customers, information that can help guide your future efforts?
Obviously, the Internet is without equal when it comes to providing a means for the self-distributor to promote, publicize and sell a project.
Building a site
There are two ways to do this – on your own or through the services of a Web developer. Of course it’s cheaper to take the do-it-yourself approach, and various software programs on the market make it fairly simple. Be aware, however, that many of these “cookie-cutter” site building tools won’t give you the ability of creating a cutting edge Web site that savvy Internet users demand. You will get a presence on the Web though, and that’s a priority.
If you have the budget available, you might want to enlist the services of a Web-developer. These folks are professional designers with the technical knowledge needed to create a Web site that fulfills your promotional, sales and distribution needs.
Like any advertising, publicity stunt, promotional campaign or solicitation, your Web site should first attract the desired audience and then call that “viewer” to action. Even if it’s just to watch a trailer, elicit feedback on a guest book page or instigate further interest in the project or you personally, your site needs to intrigue and involve anyone stopping by for a look.
Of course, every film project will have different objectives and topics that can be exploited via the Web, so a good way to get started on building a site is to brainstorm and write down all of the ideas you have that would lead to the successful promotion of your project. Think about your audiences and potential buyers in deciding what content is most appropriate and would serve you the best in achieving any sales or distribution goals.
We all like to see ourselves “on screen,” but is it vital to have a section of your site dedicated to you, the creator of the project? Possibly, if your expertise lends credibility to the project. But if this is your first independent feature or instructional video, and you have no pertinent background in the topic presented, a long-winded bio really isn’t necessary. Remember, people buy products. Now, just as with the written public relations and publicity tactics, if you have a unique personal story to tell that ties into the production or release of the film or video, by all means, tell it! If you financed your feature by convincing the entire cast to give plasma donations twice a week – that’s interesting to many folks and says a lot about your chutzpah in getting a project through to completion. Distributors like those kinds of hooks and it may help to serve as that extra push in the acquisition decision.
Be sure to include both a short (and I mean five sentences or less) and long synopsis of the film on your site. At first, I even resisted this inclusion, arguing that a synopsis wrecked the illusion of my film’s (Pig) reality. After a couple of weeks I investigated the guest book messages and posts to the site, and found that many of these messages, though complimentary, asked what the movie was all about. Visitors wanted to know the storyline. And these responses didn’t just come from the occasional surfer, as some of the synopsis requests came from distributors (who had been solicited via a postcard) visiting the site. You can be sure I got that synopsis up on the site immediately!
Finally, even the simplest Web site needs a contact page. There is nothing more frustrating than to hunt around a site trying to figure out how to contact the people in charge of what you are viewing. Make your contact area easy to find. Don’t simply list e-mail addresses, but also street or P.O. Box addresses and phone numbers as many distributors and buyers like the old fashioned method of picking up a phone and calling someone.
When creating a site, don’t feel that everything you do has to be original. Don’t copy, but look to other film sites, as well as distributor sites for ideas. What about these entertainment industry sites do you like? What is appealing? What makes them easy to use? Why would you buy something from these sites? Why do you like how they present information. Adapt the good ideas you find to work with the presentation and promotion of your project.
If you plan on driving a significant number of the same people to your site frequently, then it’s vital to change the information, even the look of the Web page, as often as possible. Think about the sites you surf most often. I’m sure none of them is filled with so-called “stagnant” content – stuff that never changes. The reason a site becomes attractive is because it always has something new to offer – and that has to be your goal in maintaining an effective site. Always offer something new. Even if it is as simple as changing the home page greeting, a quick news story or uploading a behind-the-scenes photo every couple of days – you have to offer the viewer a reason to return.
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