Now Hear This
I was checking out the excellent website for Open Plan Film's "Eve of Understanding." Looks like a great film. Looks like they did everything right. Won lots of awards. And I've never hears of it. So it's becoming increasingly clear that we can shoot the most kick-ass movie in the world but if no one knows about it...it's the tree falling in the forest with no one there to hear. Personally, I want to make the kind of tree they cut a hole for cars to drive through and people come from miles away to take pictures of it.
By extension, obviously this awareness has to start now to get funding and get this puppy off the ground. Right. So let's rock. I'm drawing on my broad but thin marketing experience of the last ten years doing, you know, what your parents call "real jobs." Frankly, maybe that thinness will help us in the end because we're not bound by how things should be done. Still, I feel a little like I'm reinventing the wheel. Have to add that skill to the resume when all is said and done.
At the moment we're kicking ideas around that involve PR stunts, tapping into like-minded communities and groups, and of course, talking to everyone we know and everyone they know. I keep thinking someone is going to come hold our hands and say "here, just do x, y and z and all will be well." and then I remember...this
is
indie
filmmaking.
Welcome! Come on in, the water's fine. Sink or swim, baby!
By extension, obviously this awareness has to start now to get funding and get this puppy off the ground. Right. So let's rock. I'm drawing on my broad but thin marketing experience of the last ten years doing, you know, what your parents call "real jobs." Frankly, maybe that thinness will help us in the end because we're not bound by how things should be done. Still, I feel a little like I'm reinventing the wheel. Have to add that skill to the resume when all is said and done.
At the moment we're kicking ideas around that involve PR stunts, tapping into like-minded communities and groups, and of course, talking to everyone we know and everyone they know. I keep thinking someone is going to come hold our hands and say "here, just do x, y and z and all will be well." and then I remember...this
is
indie
filmmaking.
Welcome! Come on in, the water's fine. Sink or swim, baby!
posted by Heidi at 12:04 PM
5 Comments:
:) "Looks like a great film. Looks like they did everything right. Won lots of awards. And I've never hears of it. So it's becoming increasingly clear that we can shoot the most kick-ass movie in the world but if no one knows about it...it's the tree falling in the forest with no one there to hear. "
Funny...seems like you did hear of it somehow after all! And then you wrote about it...hmmmmm...to me, this seems like a PR campaign that is finding strangers and informing them about the film. Traditional? No. But the film is definitely finding an audience. The trailer is spreading. And here we are, strangers, talking about the movie. Not sure what your definition of "hearing about it" is, but in my book...it seems like you have now...heard of it! :) Good luck!
Heard of it - yes. From a crew member. But the point is I want to hear about it in Entertainment Weekly or places where the movie-going world can hear about it. It looks like the kind of picture that derserves attention like that. The challenge to all us indie filmmakers is: how do we get our films to blow up like THAT?
I was halfway teasing. I understand what you're getting at. I think the cycle is longer for indie films. A film has to prove itself before it gets exposure on that kind of scale. There is the odd bird that gets a sweeping Sundance success, a very very rare thing. Otherwise it is a slow trickle that eventually gains steam, something of the myriad of indie PR efforts catches, and momentum builds to get caught into the mainstream. I think indie filmmakers have to know their film, have a strategy, and keep running with it. Sounds like you guys are getting creative with your resources and having fun. That's something that a lot of films who get automatic coverage in something like EW probably can't say. I'll enjoy following your progress. Cheers!
Thank you! I'm glad you said so. I felt you may have been joking but was worried I'd offended when I only meant to look at how we can all move forward together. I'll say it again, JP, Eve looks like a great film. Congratulations on the hardest part being done! I know we can learn a lot from you. Thanks for checking in.
Likewise, Heidi. Keep on truckin'
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