What Every Filmmaker Should Remember About Publicity

Written by Lisa M. Trifone

For going on twenty years, I’ve worked in every aspect of independent film promotion. I’ve worked at top-tier film festivals, at arthouse distributors, and in 2017, I launched my own boutique film publicity agency, supporting films at every stage of their release. I’ve worked on Oscar nominees and self-distributed gems. I’ve drafted dozens of press notes, vetted thousands of film stills and revised countless synopses to help ensure each filmmaker is putting their best foot forward.

And across all those films, and working with all those filmmakers, there are a few things about publicizing a film I wish filmmakers knew as they head into this key moment in the film’s lifespan.

Now, I’m sharing all of that with you.

Budget Now, Thank Me Later

I realize that financing your film may be one of the biggest hurdles to getting your project made, and every line item on your budget is thoughtfully considered for how essential it is to the process. But please, please hear me when I say you absolutely want to build in a budget item for your promotional plans at the earliest point possible.

As you build out your budget, remember to add line items for everything a promotional campaign entails. This includes materials creation like teasers and electronic press kits, as well as hiring the service providers you need to help your film reach the next level. These may include a professional publicist, should you reach a point that you need one, as well as social media marketers to help grow your audience and even an impact and outreach producer for your community screenings campaign.

There is nothing worse than reaching the end of production with an exciting road to film festivals and release ahead only to realize you’ve run out of money to make it happen. If you at least plan for these expenses ahead of time, when you do need to utilize them you’ll have the funds set aside to take advantage of them.

Get Specific, Get Covered

Lisa M. TrifoneCredit: Lisa Kay Photography

There are more films than ever being released every week, from direct-to-streaming popcorn fare on the streamers to studios working diligently to bring audiences back to cinemas, to worthy but often overlooked independent offerings that deserve their moment in the spotlight. When it comes to publicity, the only and best way to carve out that attention in such a crowded marketplace is to get super specific about who will be most interested in your film and how to reach them.

Think of your promotional efforts as a bullseye with expanding circles from the concentrated center. It’s that center where you want to start, laser-focused on the key audiences who will appreciate your film the most. Maybe you’ve made a documentary about classical music, or a comedy about motherhood, or an indie thriller with a killer twist. You’ll want to start with classical music journalists, parenting outlets and genre-focused writers and editors, respectively.

Starting from a targeted approach means you’ll give yourself the best possible chance at connecting with journalists—and audiences—who most want to talk about your film. There’s always room to expand your reach into those outer circles, and that often comes over the course of your film’s release.

Specificity also applies to geography. Think about where the film was made, where the cast and crew hail from, which film festival you’re premiering or screening with and so on. These are all great angles to consider when you start pitching your film, as local media is always eager to tell a great local story.

News Must Be Newsworthy

I say this as gently as possible, but I need you, the filmmaker, to know that the fact that your film exists is, with rare exception, not news. Publicity is, by definition, an exercise in the editorial, in earned media. Earning that exposure for your film means giving the media something newsworthy, timely and relevant to publish, and usually, that is something like a film festival premiere or a release of some sort (theatrical, digital, etc.).

Sometimes, a film may be able to earn trade coverage (from Variety, Deadline and the like) for a casting or production announcement, but these are usually reserved for productions with recognizable cast, or the next project of a well-known filmmaker or producer.

Without that, your best bet to encourage the media to cover your film is to get strategic.

This means understanding what your goals are for publicity (reaching your key audience, selling tickets, earning film reviews, you get the idea), setting yourself a timeline for outreach and follow-up (give the media plenty of time to consider your pitch), and focusing any potential coverage around a moment, event or happening that can drive attention to your film at the most valuable time.

Make it Easy (Materials Matter)

The single most important thing you can do to be more likely to earn media coverage for your film is to make it easy for journalists, editors, and producers to do their job. Think about it: hundreds of emails a day, more pitches than they can shake a stick at, and not enough time to cover everything they wish they could.

So how can you stand out from the crowd and be better positioned to land your pitches? Like any good scout knows, the answer is to be prepared.

Be prepared before you pitch and have everything at the ready that journalists will need to write or talk about your film. This typically includes your press notes, film stills, filmmaker statement, a film teaser or trailer and (especially if you’re seeking reviews) a secure screening link to your finished film. All of these materials are the essentials journalists depend on to be able to do their job, and when it comes to deadlines and publications, the prepared filmmaker is the covered filmmaker.

When you decide to make a film, there are any number of tasks and skills you’ll have to learn in order to get the movie across the finish line. From editing and color correcting to composing a score or adding special effects, you’ve got to learn these things somewhere. Promoting your film is no different. It requires a special set of skills, and if you aren’t going the route of hiring a professional to help (or even if you are!), learning the ins and outs of film publicity, marketing and more will be key to your film’s success.

To get your promotional campaign started on the right foot and create the press materials essential to successful outreach, get the Press Kit Essentials Checklist. This free guide outlines the six key materials every filmmaker should have at the ready, and it's yours at the link.