Comments on: Make Your Microbudget Film An Event: The Waiting List http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html A home for my most recent blog posts. For more, please click links directly below. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael in Cannes http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2532 Michael in Cannes Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:54:13 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2532 The glut of indie production is not necessarily a good thing for the average cinema-goer, who is bombarded with often feel-alike productions. Bravo for the smart and friendly promo ideas. Like the best ideas, it really is an excellent principle to tie the promo ideas to the theme of th estory. You do want people to remember the actual theme, plus it can create a mini-community (for want of a better word) around the release. I would have added parenting/family magazines into the mix if any are active locally. The glut of indie production is not necessarily a good thing for the average cinema-goer, who is bombarded with often feel-alike productions. Bravo for the smart and friendly promo ideas. Like the best ideas, it really is an excellent principle to tie the promo ideas to the theme of th estory. You do want people to remember the actual theme, plus it can create a mini-community (for want of a better word) around the release. I would have added parenting/family magazines into the mix if any are active locally.

]]> By: Andrew Wahlquist http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2496 Andrew Wahlquist Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:39:52 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2496 These are all excellent ideas, and easy and not expensive... really great post, thank you for taking the time. These are all excellent ideas, and easy and not expensive… really great post, thank you for taking the time.

]]> By: Miles Maker http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2495 Miles Maker Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:27:24 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2495 Good stuff! I was born in Portland!! I can now endearingly refer to the City of Roses as the birthplace of innovative screening events as well as myself... Best wishes! [Miles Maker is a story author, motion picture auteur and independent distributor whose dynamic media ventures encompass mobile, social and real-time megatrends @milesmaker on Twitter] Good stuff!
I was born in Portland!!

I can now endearingly refer to the City of Roses as the birthplace of innovative screening events as well as myself…

Best wishes!

[Miles Maker is a story author, motion picture auteur and independent distributor whose dynamic media ventures encompass mobile, social and real-time megatrends @milesmaker on Twitter]

]]> By: Tyler Kongslie http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2446 Tyler Kongslie Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:08:08 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2446 Great stuff here! Thanks for sharing your mix of approaches. I'm going to check out more of your work. Great stuff here! Thanks for sharing your mix of approaches. I’m going to check out more of your work.

]]> By: mike vogel http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2445 mike vogel Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:02:43 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2445 @ dennis - you're right about keeping it local. For microbudget filmmakers, it's great to have connections and support in your local community. I've had people I've never met help coordinate locations because they've read my blog or tweets or watched preproduction webisodes. @ christopher - thanks, congrats on your feature. good luck! @ joshua - For The Waiting List, we had a blog & Flickr stream during production, but not much else. I'm working on my second feature and we've added a crowdfunding webseries and Facebook fan page. http://DidYouKissAnyone.com I'd say most of my Twitter followers are people in Portland, Oregon where I live. And spambots. @ dennis – you’re right about keeping it local. For microbudget filmmakers, it’s great to have connections and support in your local community. I’ve had people I’ve never met help coordinate locations because they’ve read my blog or tweets or watched preproduction webisodes.

@ christopher – thanks, congrats on your feature. good luck!

@ joshua – For The Waiting List, we had a blog & Flickr stream during production, but not much else. I’m working on my second feature and we’ve added a crowdfunding webseries and Facebook fan page.
http://DidYouKissAnyone.com

I’d say most of my Twitter followers are people in Portland, Oregon where I live. And spambots.

]]> By: Joshua Brandon http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2441 Joshua Brandon Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:33:13 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2441 Thanks for the helpful ways to get visible Mike, nice to know other people are wondering about this too - I imagine you did similar things for other parts of the film process as well? Like funding and so on? You mention lots of tweets, but who is following you, and how did you ask a certain target audience to follow you, and how did you identify that target? Lots of people start with their friends, and some people insist on finding the right people who you don't already know - what was your take? I'm actually applying your ideas to my Kickstarter funding process for my feature film "Mermaid": http://j.mp/mermaidkick Thanks for the helpful ways to get visible Mike, nice to know other people are wondering about this too – I imagine you did similar things for other parts of the film process as well? Like funding and so on?

You mention lots of tweets, but who is following you, and how did you ask a certain target audience to follow you, and how did you identify that target?

Lots of people start with their friends, and some people insist on finding the right people who you don’t already know – what was your take?

I’m actually applying your ideas to my Kickstarter funding process for my feature film “Mermaid”: http://j.mp/mermaidkick

]]> By: Christopher http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2440 Christopher Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:05:00 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2440 Wow, what an incredibly helpful post. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm working on my first feature, so this is extremely timely for me.... Wow, what an incredibly helpful post. Thanks so much for sharing. I’m working on my first feature, so this is extremely timely for me….

]]> By: Dennis Peters http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2435 Dennis Peters Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:30:31 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2435 Mike these are great ideas especially cross promoting with other creatives/brands to add incentive not only for attendance but word of mouth about your film. This might be a good paradigm for local filmmakers. We all tend to think about the big promotions but sometimes it's just working smart and thinking local that makes the difference. Thanks for sharing! Mike these are great ideas especially cross promoting with other creatives/brands to add incentive not only for attendance but word of mouth about your film. This might be a good paradigm for local filmmakers. We all tend to think about the big promotions but sometimes it’s just working smart and thinking local that makes the difference. Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: James http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2434 James Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:48:18 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2434 Pretty helpful ideas, thanks a lot Pretty helpful ideas, thanks a lot

]]> By: Ana http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2431 Ana Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:31:13 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2431 I imagine that is a worry. For a longer campaign perhaps it could be a matter of choosing one or two films to cooperate with in a longer run. All of course depends on the project and circumstances. funnily enough there is a similar to last.fm system called libre.fm which is open sourced. But hosting so many videos... lot's of money, which for now probably better go towards making the films :) I imagine that is a worry. For a longer campaign perhaps it could be a matter of choosing one or two films to cooperate with in a longer run. All of course depends on the project and circumstances.

funnily enough there is a similar to last.fm system called libre.fm which is open sourced. But hosting so many videos… lot’s of money, which for now probably better go towards making the films :)

]]> By: mike vogel http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2428 mike vogel Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:03:21 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2428 Thanks for the comments everyone! @ Ana - I considered doing trailers too but my main concern was time. I knew I'd get a lot of trailers and would only be able to choose 2 or 3. With the slides, everyone who submitted one got on screen. I love your idea for a Last.fm for indie movie trailers! Who can make that happen?! @ Rob - Thanks, I totally agree about being respectful to the audience. They've got better things to do so it helps to go out of your way to make it worth their while. And most of all, make it fun. @ Jason - Based on raffle tickets (which included guest list and tickets sold) we had a little over 150. It was more than I expected, especially since there were two small film festivals happening in town that week. We had no traditional media coverage, but lots of bloggage, tweets and status updates. Thanks for the comments everyone!

@ Ana – I considered doing trailers too but my main concern was time. I knew I’d get a lot of trailers and would only be able to choose 2 or 3. With the slides, everyone who submitted one got on screen. I love your idea for a Last.fm for indie movie trailers! Who can make that happen?!

@ Rob – Thanks, I totally agree about being respectful to the audience. They’ve got better things to do so it helps to go out of your way to make it worth their while. And most of all, make it fun.

@ Jason – Based on raffle tickets (which included guest list and tickets sold) we had a little over 150. It was more than I expected, especially since there were two small film festivals happening in town that week. We had no traditional media coverage, but lots of bloggage, tweets and status updates.

]]> By: Jason Gilmore http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2424 Jason Gilmore Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:23:56 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2424 Thanks so much for that piece Mike. The music and "promote your thing" ideas were nice. Things that seem simple, except nobody thinks about them. How many people came to the premiere? I'm curious. Thanks so much for that piece Mike. The music and “promote your thing” ideas were nice. Things that seem simple, except nobody thinks about them. How many people came to the premiere? I’m curious.

]]> By: Rob Imbs http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2423 Rob Imbs Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:37:07 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2423 Oh and here's a link to the film - http://vimeo.com/8643926 Oh and here’s a link to the film – http://vimeo.com/8643926

]]> By: Rob Imbs http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2422 Rob Imbs Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:27:51 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2422 I just finished producing an indie film two weeks ago, and I really think your approach is correct. People aren't excited to see indie films, and I think you have to be thankful that they came out to support you, and just try to make it a fun night for everyone involved. Congratulations on the premiere BTW, I think your approach to premiering an indie film is respectful and appropriate! I just finished producing an indie film two weeks ago, and I really think your approach is correct. People aren’t excited to see indie films, and I think you have to be thankful that they came out to support you, and just try to make it a fun night for everyone involved. Congratulations on the premiere BTW, I think your approach to premiering an indie film is respectful and appropriate!

]]> By: Ana http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/2010/03/make-your-microbudget-film-an-event.html/comment-page-1#comment-2420 Ana Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:34:21 +0000 http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=2912#comment-2420 Youza! Very nice. The meme idea - awesome. I'd add some sort of trailer exchange with other indie filmmaker(s): I'll play your trailer on my screening/premiere if you play mine on yours. Of course the films should relate in some way (and not necessarily topic, but style, atmosphere?)... Everybody loves trailers, they are the best way to find out about films (if they are well done). I wish there was a last.fm-like 'if you like this trailer you might also like this one' service. mmm. Youza! Very nice. The meme idea – awesome.

I’d add some sort of trailer exchange with other indie filmmaker(s): I’ll play your trailer on my screening/premiere if you play mine on yours. Of course the films should relate in some way (and not necessarily topic, but style, atmosphere?)…

Everybody loves trailers, they are the best way to find out about films (if they are well done). I wish there was a last.fm-like ‘if you like this trailer you might also like this one’ service. mmm.

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