5 Ways I Promoted My Movie

Upon the completion of a short drama movie produced on a low-budget, I used a combination of resources to attract audiences to it's premiere screening at a film festival and movie trailers. Here is a list of efforts that were taken to promote my movie.

Postcard Distribution

I added information about the film and it's upcoming screening to the back of a graphic postcard using self-adhesive labels printed from a computer and then gave them to passengers at an airport near the film festival where it was playing. I also placed small piles of these postcards at the check-in counters and lounge areas at a local hotel. I found as many information tables operated by the film festival as I could, including a local college and placed postcards there as well.

Festival Program Guide

I provided film festival programmers with movie stills, a synopsis and other information about my project so that these items could be featured in their program guide. Luckily, I was able to get a copy of this guide and show it to people that I met when discussing the movie in person. The program guide became useful during moments when I did not have a handful of postcards available to give out.

Poster Signage

I ordered a large movie poster for my project from a local printing shop in my hometown and then took it with me to the festival where the programmers put it on display in the theater and auditorium space where it was screening. The poster helped to draw attention to the box office as people arrived at the venue.

Word of Mouth

I befriended cast and crew members who are actively working in the area where the film festival is based. My new group of friends and associates attended the screening, which helped it to reach a wider audience. They also brought their own friends and associates, making it easier to get a variety of reactions and feedback on the screening. I also spoke with casting agents, local actors and local college students who operated a television program for their school about my movie and it's screening.

Social Networking

After the film festival screening, I used a then popular social networking website that catered to a specific demographic to promote my movie trailer and blog. The promotion efforts included adding other users of this social networking website as friends and then interacting with them through messages, comments and guest book posts. I also wrote a blog post with photos at the festival and a brief overview of the premiere screening results and then used my blog and social networking opportunities to send traffic to an online video website where the full movie was being streamed.