film marketing and publicity

7/31/2019 Film Marketing and Publicity

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FILM MARKETING & PUBLICITY

This guide has been written for use of CommunicationStudies. This guide is written in two parts:

Part one, A Case Study Film Marketing and the

information and tasks within this section aim to providean insight into the planning and preparation of a filmmarketing campaign.

Part two, Background to the Film

THE FILM

Based on the lead characters & synopsis.


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PART ONE: A CASE STUDYFILM MRKETING

The first part of this guide will look at the marketing of afilm. The marketing of a film starts 6-8 months before the

release date. The films distributor is responsible for itsmarketing for bringing the film to the attention of thepublic. Marketing is an expensive business buyingadvertising space, producing publicity materials andrunning promotions all costs money.


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It has been known for more money to be spent on themarketing of a film than on the production. Many filmsare released each week and film marketing has becomeincreasingly aggressive as more and more films compete

for the same audience.


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What makes us go and see a film? When faced with achoice of up to ten films, on what basis do we make outchoice? Do we go and see a film because of the stars, thedirector or the subject matter? Or has someone

recommended that we see it? As an audience, how do webecome aware of a new film?


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First of all, we might read an article in a magazine or seethe publicity posters on a bus shelter or in a shoppingcenter. Then we might see a trailer at the cinema, hear anadvert on the radio or see adverts in magazines and

newspapers. And in the weeks before the film opens, thestars appear on various television pro grammes promotingthe film, and the trailer might be shown on television.


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This is the marketing campaign from the point of view ofthe audience. In the weeks before the film opens we arebombarded with hype about the film, the stars, specialeffects, the soundtrack and genre, all of which influences

our decision to buy a ticket.


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All of this is the effect of the carefully planned marketingcampaign. It is no coincidence that we see a particularposter, trailer or advert. In the months leading up the theopening of a film, the distributor executes a meticulously

planned campaign using all media and research available topromote the film to hit its target audience.


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When a film is being marketed, researchers need toidentify who the films target audience isin other words,

which people will particularly enjoy the film. The targetaudience for the majority of films are the heavy cinema

goers, i.e. 15-24 year olds and it is they who will be mainlytargeted by the marketing campaign.


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Conduct a survery with the members of your class to findout how and why people decide to see one film rather thananother. Is it because of the poster? The trailer? Theadverts? The star? The genre? The special effects? The

director? It may be a combination of reasons. Write upyour findings in a report.


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FILM MARKETINGTHE PROCESS

The distributors awareness of the film has two stages.Firstly, they are kept informed about forthcoming films

going into production. They are advised about thepurchase of a script, the signing of a director and cost,and the start date of production. In some cases, thedistributor can have a say in casting decisions and will beconsulted on changes to the script.


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As the film goes into post production and editing, thedistributors receive publicity material from the studio;production notes, including background information aboutthe making of the film, credits and biographies of the cast,

director and crew; black and white stills and color slidestaken on set by photographers or lifted from the footageof the film.


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In the case of big budget film, the making of the film hadgenerated a great deal of publicity because it was made

with top stars and big technicians. This led to an initialpublic awareness of the film, which the marketing

campaign could build on.


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The second stage happens 6-8 months before the release date andinvolves the marketing team viewing the film followed by abrainstorming session in which the following points are discussed:

Personal opinions How they think the public will react, based on audienceresearchWhich audience might most appreciate the film

What the film might take at the box officeWhen to release the film, taking into account competitionfrom other films and holiday times How much money will be spent on advertising


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RAISING AWARENESS OF THE FILM

A marketing campaign for a film is divided into three areas:

Publicity Advertising Promotion


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The budget of a film marketing campaign is divided intoabove-the-line and below the-line costs.

The advertising budget is an above-the-line cost, where thedistributor pays a certain amount of money to buyadvertising space (on television and radio, and in magazinesand newspapers). They pay for a slot and know what they are

getting for their money.


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They know the size of the advert, when and where it will beplaced and roughly how many people are expected to see it.

Publicity and promotion are below-the-line costs wheremoney is spent on bringing stars from America, for example.

The distributor hopes to get good coverage in the media, butthis is not guaranteed. Its all about taking a risk and hoping

the gamble pays off.


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PUBLICITY - POSTER AND ARTWORK

The poster campaign is the primary medium for selling a

film, and will generally start in the early stages of a filmsproduction and continue during the weeks building up to therelease.


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The poster is the basis of the whole publicity campaign andout of this KeyArt or central image come the standees(displayed in cinema foyers), ranges of posters and television

adverts. Artwork for a film poster can either be an originalpainting based on a key idea in the film or it can be producedfrom the colour transparencies which are taken during theshoot.


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Sometimes an image for a poster can be originated fromphotographs of the actor taken on set. These are takenduring filming and, on approval of the actor concerned, will

be released for the poster image and any other publicity.


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As well as a visual image, posters carry a certain amount ofcopy (writing), depending upon the stage in the campaign at

which they appear. Tag lines are used to underline key

elements of the film. Awards win or names of the directoror cast can also be used. Quotes from critics and tag lines onthe poster help reinforce the image and make the postermore effective.


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THE PRESS KIT

Press kits are sent to journalists all over the country to give

them information about forthcoming films. They are one ofthe basic tools of any publicity department. Kits include aset of authorized stills, cast and crew credits, productionnotes, biographies and filmographies of the case, director and

producer. In addition to materials sent to print journalists,journalists working in television or radio also receiveelectronic press kits (EPKs) containing selected video clipsand interviews for television, or audio clips for radio.


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STAR INTERVIEWS

To promote the film in the weeks leading up to its release, the

stars are brought into the country at the distributors expense.This means paying for flights, travel (usually a chauffeurdriven car), hotels, entourage, meals, a daily spendingallowance and entertainment. A busy schedule of press

interviews and events are planned by the distributor to fullyexploit the value of the stars visit.


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When stars are unable to travel, perhaps because of otherfilming commitments, a press junket will be arranged. Thesetake place in America or the United Kingdom and involve a

number of key journalists taking part in a round-the-tableinterview with the star(s).


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Design a publicity poster.. Your poster must include:

The title of the film

The names of the films main stars Information in small print about the films director,

writers, producers, distributors and music. The films certification

A tag line that tells us something about the film something that makes us want to know more.


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The trailer often plays in the cinema around six weeks beforethe release of a film and continues to play until the filmopens at the cinema. The trailer aims to: raise audience

awareness of a film by logging the film title in their minds;give an overall impression of the film to its potentialaudience; make sure that the audience is aware of the stars,particularly where their names will help to sell the film. It

should also create the desire to see the film when it finallyopens. Trailers tend to use a combination of footage fromthe film, graphics and voice-over to generate curiosity.


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Teaser trailers also exist to whet the appetite of the audienceand give them a shorter, sharper hint of what is to come.Lasting approximately 60 seconds, they play in a cinema for

anything up to 6 months before a film opens. Can you recallany trailers that had an impact on you? What was it that madethe film stand out in your mind and did you eventually see thefilm when it was released?


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TELEVISION ADVERTISING

It is usually only high budget films which can afford a

television campaign. The trailer will usually be shown ontelevision 5-1 0 days before the film is due to open and berepeated during the first week of release. The scheduling ofthe advert will depend on who the films target audience is.

Satellite television is also increasingly being used to advertisefilms.


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Go to a large newsagents to carry out this piece of research.Look at all the papers and magazines which are on displayand decide which magazines/newspapers would be the best

place to advertise your film and note down which periodicalscarry advertisements, reviews or interviews connected withfilms.


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Are there any periodicals or magazines carrying adverts forfilms that you didnt expect? Why? Design an advertisementto appear on the outside back cover of a magazine for the

film. Sear in mind that these act as mini poster that peoplecarry around with them, and think about what a poster needsto convey.


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Advertising films on television involves commercials of 10 or20 seconds. A longer (60 second) commercial could beshown, but would obviously be more expensive. In order to

make sure that you will hit your target audience, you need toshow the advert during a high converting programme. Thismeans that, unlike most TV programmes, it is almost certainto be seen by the target audience. List the programmes/films

that you would consider to be the high convertingprogrammes during which you would plan to transmit a 60second television advertisement .


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ADVERTISING

Radio advertising is considerably cheaper than television and

is usually used for mainstream films. However, targeted radiostations - a jazz station or a classical station, for example -might be appropriate for the advertising of specialist films.

Adverts themselves consist of music from the film and

narrative voice-over detailing the venue and release date.


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PROMOTION - MERCHANDISING CAMPAIGNS

The merchandising deals that can be made from a potential

blockbuster are very lucrative and in some cases can evennecessitate the setting up of a department which deals solely

with merchandising produced for the companys films.


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Merchandising has become a sophisticated business in itsown right - toys, clothes and gimmicks such as pencil casesand lunch boxes are now common place. In some ways the

wearing of the clothes, using the backpack or playing with thetoys from the film is a form of advertising, as you arereminding people of and recommending the product.


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For some children the toys and other merchandise that theybuy (or have bought for them) give them a chance to createthe pleasure of participating in a film which they are not

actually permitted to see due to its 15 certification. The toysalso give them the opportunity to invent new adventures forthe characters in the films.


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In pairs, script and record a radio commercial advertising .. Ifyou use two tape recorders or a recorder with over-dubbingfacilities youll be able to use the soundtrack or sound effects

from the film and also record the voice-over, which willsound professional. Practise before your final recording.Experiment with the equipment to make sure the volumelevel is right and for best results, count to ten (silently) after

you have pressed the record button before you start speaking.Make sure that you speak at the right speed and experiment

with the expression in your voice.


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Promotions give added awareness to a film and help reinforceits title. They tend to take the form of joint involvement withanother party who will gain from their involvement; for

example, a tie-in with Pizza Hut or McDonalds. Have a lookat the shops in your local high street or shopping centre. Howany film linked products can you find? What sort ofmerchandise is it and what age group is it geared to? Indeed,

can you tell the target age of a film by the merchandise onsale?


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MARKET RESEARCH

Throughout the marketing campaign, the distributor will be

concerned about the effect of the pre release film publicity.At regular intervals leading up to the release of a film andduring its weeks of release, a random selection of the public

will be interviewed over the phone or on the street by a

market research company.


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They are asked whether they have heard of the film, whetherthey intend to see it, and if they have seen it already, whetherthey enjoyed it. This type of information can then be used by

the distributors to find out if the marketing campaign isreaching the target audience. Design a T-shirt, badge, baseballcap and toybubblepack or presentation.

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