Getting the notification that your film has been accepted into a film festival is a feeling all filmmakers look forward to. It is a major step in many careers, finally getting the chance to put your work on a big screen in front of audiences. For some it can lead to doors being opened and more opportunities to advance your career. Today I’d like to share some advice and strategies to apply to your project to maximize your networking and marketing potential after being selected at a film festival.
The first thing you should know about film marketing is to put together what’s called an Electronic Press Kit (EPK). An EPK is a digital set of promotional materials used to highlight key aspects of your film, and hook the attention of audiences. An EPK could include trailers, stills, posters, BTS content, interviews, and even simple information like a synopsis, director’s bio/statement. These materials give you and the festival a lot of information to generate interest towards your project.
With help from the festival, you now have “access” to a large platform capable of reaching a large audience when they start promoting their event. Use it to your advantage! Make your materials stand out. Pick a consistent tone that matches your film and catches the eye of viewers. Do anything you can when creating your EPK to stimulate curiosity. That will get people interested in you and your work. It’s tough to tell you exactly what decisions to make for it, because only you know what’s best for your project. Follow your instincts and you’ll give yourself the best chance of engaging an audience.
Using your personal social media is another avenue in addition to the film festival’s platform. If the festival is targeting an audience of film lovers and cinephiles, you can use your personal platform to reach friends and family. People who really want to see your work and support you. This gives you a secondary audience group to market your film towards. Carefully selecting hashtags, tagging the festival so they can share your posts also help getting more eyes on them.
The last tip I can provide to market your film is at the festival itself. Talk to people! Connect with them. Everyone there already shares something in common with you. They all love films. Maybe you meet some who are also selected. Tell everyone about your work and excite them to go see it in the theatre. Speak to attendees who are looking for something to watch. People who go to film festivals all know that it isn’t about going to see the biggest names. They still do, but everyone knows you can see those films when they get a theatrical release, or when you can stream them.
Film festivals are about going to see the films that you might not get the chance to see again. For people reading this, that’s probably your film. Which is not something to be ashamed of! It’s a huge achievement to make it in the festival, and even if you don’t get a distribution deal from it, it’s a stepping stone in your career. Enjoy it!