FDA notes

Release of a film

• What the movie is
• Marketability : who it is going to appeal to
• Develop a campaign that appeals to the audience
• How much money spent making it?
• What can the movie take in the UK box office?
• Working with 3rd party promotions
• Publicity
• Talent of the film, will they travel to UK for interviews?
• Will their be a premier?
• What type of media, TV, posters, newspapers etc?

Positioning & Audiences

• Define your audience
• Does film have a specific genre?
• Speak to a certain age group?
• Who directed the film?
• Actors in the film, do they have fans?

Target Audience

• Identify target audience for smaller films
• Past comparisons
• Research data
• How frequent, sex, where do they watch the film, etc?
• Pinpoint target audience
• Audience will view advertising in a certain place
• Place adverts where your target audience will see them, e.g TV
• Different age groups targeted differently

Competition

• Film distribution is about competition
• Stand above others to make your film noticed
• Holidays, weather, audience patterns
• E.g. Not as much TV in July/August because of weather so advertise with posters

P&A budget

• Costs of film prints
• Technical elements
• Shipping
• Advertising costs
• Designing posters, press ads, TV spots, trailers etc
• How best to use money

Word of mouth

• Depends on the movie
• If famous film people will spread word about it
• Work with media partners to spread the news about film
• Advance screening programs

Marketing Plan

• Place adverts throughout all types of media
• Free forms of advertising, through press
• Get support from directors and actors

Film Trailers

• Trailer is key to selling film
• Public's first exposure of the film
• Trailer has right impact and message
• Sound, graphics, concept of film

Link Between

• Convince exhibitors to take the film
• Difficult films, got to sell the film to the cinema's

Digital Marketing

• Viral marketing
• Creating something that because of it's nature it is sent on like a chain
• Most effective is word of mouth
• Telling other people that the film is good will convince them more than adverts

Test Screenings

• Research important and comes in to play at different times
• Can be done well in advance of actual production
• Visuals, trailers, meeting people's expectations
• Test screen films with a target audience, get questionnaires filled in
• Focus groups

Opening Weekend

• Very frustratingly important
• Way the cinema industry works
• Box office takings work on first 3 days
• Film has to have been successful in the weekend or will be pulled from the cinema

Piracy

• Piracy in UK has escalated over the past 5 years
• Piracy counts for 20% of all DVD sales in the UK
• British consumer believe they're getting a bargain
• Money from piracy funds other criminal elements