[Watch the video interview on Youtube here]
Film Courage: How does a filmmaker figure out who their audience is?
Jon Reiss, Filmmaker, Author, and Media Strategist: I think there are certain tried and true ways which is a lot of times filmmakers find out at film festivals. I think you should have a sense of who your audience is when you’re making the film or even before you’re making the film. Not to say that should necessarily affect your creativity, but if you’re making a film and you’re specifically wanting people to see it, you should have a sense of who your audience is when you’re making the film. You should think about ways to make the film that will enhance that audience engagement or maybe have that audience want to connect and watch the film.
Part of it is brainstorming it within your team. Then the easiest thing is to talk to someone like me. I would even say that brainstorming it within your team and then consulting someone who has some experience with this like me is probably a good idea.
I’m a big proponent of not having festivals be the first time your film is screened in front of an audience. Anyone who does that to me is I think it’s crazy because if you’re making your film for an audience, why wouldn’t you see how an audience reacts to it before you distribute it? To me festivals are distribution. From those audience screenings that you’re doing you can also get a sense of who your audience is and you can even poll people in your audience. When I recommend filmmakers do audience screenings, it’s not only to see how the film is working, but half of the questions are marketing questions:
-Getting a sense of how that person liked the film;
-Asking them questions about what kind of person they are;
-Asking them (in the questionnaire) who do you feel is the audience for this film?
That’s just expanding your brain trust to a wider net of people. They might come up with ideas that you hadn’t thought of.
Film Courage: Would you recommend someone actually attempt to rent a theater…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
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About:
Jon Reiss is a critically acclaimed filmmaker, author, and media strategist. His experience releasing his documentary feature, Bomb It, with a hybrid strategy was the inspiration for writing Think Outside the Box Office, the first step-by-step guide for filmmakers to distribute and market their films. He has given workshops and spoken at conferences and festivals throughout the world. Jon has worked with numerous filmmakers, companies and organizations that are looking to connect with audiences and distribute their work in the digital landscape. Jon Reiss invented the concept of the Producer of Marketing and Distribution (PMD) which has become a new crew position in independent film. He has worked with and consulted for Paramount Pictures, Screen Australia, Film Independent, Creative Scotland, The South Australian Film Corporation and numerous film schools and festivals. He the year-round distribution and marketing lab leader at the IFP Filmmaker Labs. Reiss also contributes to Filmmaker Magazine, Huffington Post, Indiewire, Screen Daily, Moviemaker Magazine and other publications. Jon Reiss got his start in filmmaking and distribution at the infamous San Francisco documentary collective Target Video. Reiss not only shot seminal bands such as Black Flag, Iggy Pop, Throbbing Gristle, The Cramps, TSOL but was one of the first – if not the first person to conceptualize and execute video tours throughout Europe, carting 500 lbs of video deck and projector in a VW Bus across 15,000 miles.
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