[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]
J. Horton, Filmmaker/Youtuber/Podcaster: Not everybody’s going to be interested in what you are interested in and just because you make the movie doesn’t mean that people are automatically interested in it.
Film Courage: I believe you said when you’re marketing a film, you’re marketing more than just the film?
J.: Yes, many times. Again, when I say stuff like this, when I say it’s important to build your own brand as a filmmaker and not just market the film, market yourself, I’m not saying that you can just focus on the film.
I’ve found that at least for me this has been very advantageous. I think in this day and age more filmmakers need to take this approach because I think (I don’t want to say toxic) but I think a negative attitude or it’s become a negative attitude is this I just want to make the movie and it’s going to speak for itself. I don’t mean that’s necessarily a bad or a negative state of mind but it’s having a negative effect on your career because you are leaving so many opportunities on the table.
When I’m marketing a film, yes I am out front there. I try to equate my marketing to like if I’m doing the Bigfoot thing I’m like Hey, this is a Bigfoot documentary I madeand why it’s important to me or an anecdote personal how it made me feel or why I did it or something beyond this is my movie, go see it.This is my Bigfoot movie. This is what it’s about, here’s the trailer, go see it. That’s cold, that’s impersonal and in this day and age with so many people out there trying to promote, you have to connect to your audience. you have to give them a reason to watch this thing because there’s a hundred others just like it like. Why watch this? Why listen to you?
You try and I know it sounds egotistical but you make it a little bit about you or how it relates to you or your journey. I think that is essential.
Doing the filmmaking videos, and I’m not saying every filmmaker needs to go out and start a YouTube channel. You don’t necessarily need to do that but doing that has helped me in so many different ways when it comes to marketing.
I mentioned it before, it taught me to be more confident on camera. It taught me to be a little more confident and saying:
Yeah, you should watch this movie!
Not being just self-deprecating:
Well, here’s my movie. Maybe you’ll like it?
Who’s going to want to see that? I try to be very humble about it…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).
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BIO:
Filmmaker, Youtube Creator and Producer of many feature films and documentaries, J. Horton is known for boldly crossing genre boundaries and ‘getting it done.” In addition to his prolific work in the film industry, he’s gained a lot of traction in recent years as a Youtube personality. His Channel The J. Horton is a go to spot for filmmakers wanting to learn more about the business side of filmmaking.
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