So you’ve made a movie — now what? You might think that the hard part is over, but it’s not, not quite yet.
Even if you’ve already got your film lined up at festivals or theaters, you still need to promote it if you want to get people in the seats watching it. But viewers today are not as easily enticed, meaning you’ve sometimes got to get creative with your marketing if you really want to create a buzz for your film.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the more unique ways you can stir up interest in your film and hopefully sell out your screenings.
1. Write Your Own Movie Review
Before your film is even submitted, you need to stir up a buzz to get people interested. But how do you do that if no one has even seen the film yet?
You write your own movie review.
This is how most people find out about films being shown at screenings — they read some blurb somewhere written by a movie critic, and then they decide whether it sounds good enough to go see. But there is no need to pay a film reviewer to critique your movie when you can just do it yourself.
You’re a filmmaker, after all, so you should know just what to say to get people interested. But the key to writing your own review is knowing where to post it. Social media is a great choice, as most people are active on social media every day. But you can also write an article for indie filmmaker websites and then slip a blurb in about your movie in a small section of the article.
2. Stand Outside the Theater With a Sandwich Sign
This one might seem a bit silly, but it works!
We’ve all seen those human directionals and sign twirlers standing outside businesses — and even if you snicker at them, they got your attention, didn’t they? As goofy or awkward as it might seem, people have been using this kind of marketing for years because it genuinely works.
Honestly, the humor in this type of marketing is why it works so well. It turns heads and makes people laugh, but in doing so, it gets them to pay attention.
So next time your film is showing, and you want to sell out your screening, go ahead and get crafty. Make yourself a sign to wear, maybe even carry some fun instruments in your hands to make some noise, put on a costume even, and start spreading the word about your film to everyone who passes by.
3. Tap Into the Power of Social Media
Social media is perhaps no longer a unique marketing tool, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention it. Everyone and their grandma uses social media today, so it really is one of the best places to market your movie and even boost your filmmaking career as a whole.
However, instead of just talking about the usual social media posts, we’re gonna talk about something a little different to keep in line with the unique marketing suggestions: running a social media contest.
People love to win free stuff, so what better way to promote your film than by turning it into a contest?
There are many different ways you could do this, but one option is to run a social media photo contest that is on theme with your film. Simply pick a theme that relates to your movie, have people submit photos along the lines of that theme, and then award the winner with free passes or tickets to see your film screening. It’s as simple as that.
And you can do this as many times as your heart desires. The more contests you run, the more buzz you will create surrounding your film.
4. Design Free Swag to Hand Out
Keeping in line with giving away free stuff, you can also design some fun swag to hand out to people to get them interested in your movie. These can be items you give away online, they could be included in the winnings for your social media contest, or you can simply hand them out to people in person, like when you’re wearing that sandwich sign and standing outside the theater.
You can print art for your film onto canvas bags — because who doesn’t love a free bag for carrying around all their stuff? You can make pins for your movie that people can wear. Or you can get really creative and have some fun custom temporary tattoos made. Items like these can also be a real hit at after-parties or other events where you are interacting with the public.
5. Commission a Wall Mural
This one is perhaps a bit of a pricier marketing investment, but if you really want to sell out your screening, this is an excellent way to go.
Studios and filmmakers have been using wall murals to promote their films for years now because they are effective. Nothing is more eye-catching than a beautiful work of art covering the side of a building or painted across a fence.
Of course, you’ll need to get permission from the property owner and find an artist to collaborate with. But as wall mural advertisements are all the rage these days, there are plenty of businesses and artists out there already that are willing to collaborate on these kinds of projects.
6. Take a Digital Marketing Class
If you’re still struggling to create a buzz for your film, you can always hit the books and learn a thing or two about film promotion by taking an online digital marketing class. Courses like these can teach you the skills that you need to run effective email campaigns, use Google Analytics to track the success of your social media posts and film-related ads and teach you how to design eye-catching posters and promotional materials.
With so many others out there already promoting their films or brands on the internet, things can get a bit crowded, meaning it’s difficult to stand out. But a digital marketing class can provide you with invaluable resources to help you master the online marketing landscape.
Final Thoughts
What are you waiting for? Get out there and start promoting!
The ideas above are just a few to get you started, but as a filmmaker, you should already have a creative mind. Don’t be afraid to dig deep into your innovative coffers to come up with some truly unique and creative promotion ideas.
When it comes to stirring up interest in a film, nothing is too out there these days. And remember, even silly marketing is still marketing that is going to get people’s attention.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
