Everyone seems to have a blog, from your neighbor giving advice on planting turnips to the newest flavor of breakfast toaster pastries, and as an independent filmmaker marketing your film through blogging is an easy way to reach a worldwide audience. Here are a few reasons an independent film should have a blog:
• Promotion
If you want to generate interest and excitement, a blog is highly effective and easy way to do it. Whether announcing theater dates or posting web exclusive offers, using a blog to market your independent film is vital to reaching a wide audience.
• Talk Back
There is no better way to hear what your fans have to say than through a blog. By building a platform to listen to your viewers, you have a direct line into the most important voice in the industry: the fans.
• Specials
Reward your loyal fan base by offering them something exclusive on your blog. It could be a free download of a song from your soundtrack or an interview with the cast or crew. Engage viewers in a creative way and you will generate excitement and anticipation over your independent film.
• Consolidation
So you have a Twitter, YouTube, Indiegogo, Tumblr and a million other social networking or crowdsourcing sites…how does a fan keep track of all of them? Having a blog is a great way for a viewer to be able to find all your links in one place. Additionally, a blog is a way to create awareness of your many social media sites. For example, a fan may only know about your Facebook account until he or she visits your blog where they discover you also have a Tumblr.
Independent filmmaking is difficult enough as it is. Making your presence known online can seem like just one more uphill battle. However, using a blog is easy in comparison and its effectiveness will help you share your creation with the world.
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10 Mistakes Every Documentary Filmmaker Should Avoid
Making documentaries isn’t easy.
Sure, video recording technology is more accessible than ever – but compare the number of people messing around with their iPhone cameras to the number of films screening at SXSW. It’s not enough to have an idea and a camera.
You have to avoid the typical pitfalls of young documentarians, including:
1. Going in blind. You’ll need to have some idea of what you’re tying to accomplish with your film. Happy accidents can change the direction of your film along the way, but if you can’t see the purpose of your own project, how can you expect your audience to do it?
2. Poor scheduling. You’re going to have to coordinate a schedule with your subjects and interviewees. Shooting time is not unlimited, so plan carefully.
3. Too much shaky-cam. Seriously, a tripod is a good investment.
4. Poor sound. You conducted some great interviews. It would be a shame if they were all unintelligible.
5. Language barrier issues. If you’re filming people who speak another language, your film will need subtitles. Make sure the subtitles are accurate – if you’re not fluent, find someone who is. Not everything translates perfectly. The translation should convey the sense of what is being said in good English.
6. Overly intrusive voice-overs. Narration is great in moderation, but hopefully you have footage compelling enough that it can speak for itself. If you have Morgan Freeman as your narrator, that’s a whole different story.
7. Bad editing. You’re going to end up shooting a lot of footage – and you’re going to have to throw a lot of it out. Very few filmmakers can get away with a three-hour movie. Choose what gets into your film carefully.
8. Corny effects. No one wants to watch a movie that looks like a PowerPoint presentation. Watch a lot of other documentaries to see what a professional production looks like. This goes for music as well as visual effects! Good music can really add to a scene – do you really want to settle for that awful Euro-disco stock music?
9. No funding. Don’t run out of money! Before AND during the filmmaking process you should be looking for ways to finance your project. Indiegogo and Kickstarter are always great options.
10. No clear storyline. Sure, documentaries show “real life.” But you have to shape your formless mass of footage into a film! This is what separates the filmmakers from people who are basically shooting home movies.
What’s So Important About DVD Art?
The old adage that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover is worth keeping in mind when dealing with people, but when talking about actual books it sort of falls apart. A badly designed cover, whether for a book or for aDVD, can seriously turn off potential buyers. True, many classics have been saddled with unfortunate covers over the years, but no one will know your film is a classic if no one is buying it to begin with. From a marketing perspective, it pays to be superficial.
DVD art is essential for indie films. If your film is relatively unknown, many people will learn of its existence by catching a glimpse of the DVD cover, either in the store or in an Amazon thumbnail. You have an extremely limited amount of time to make an impression. People will be far less likely to take a chance on an unfamiliar film if the cover is poorly constructed: for an indie film, amateurish DVD art can suggest an amateurish film.
Of course, just as bad art has its pitfalls, good art has its benefits. Inventive and eye-catching art will make collectors want to own the film on DVD rather than rent or stream it. DVD packaging has the potential to become as iconic as movie posters were in their heyday. While your indie studio may not be able to afford Criterion Collection-caliber designers, having a professional looking DVD will only work to your advantage. Take your time when designing your DVD; you’ll be glad you did.