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Know Your Audience

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Posted on February 12, 2002

Youth Media Distribution Tips from Sundance

This year I was invited to speak for MediaRights.org on the "Road To Exhibition" panel at the Sundance Film Festival's Gen-Y Studio. Austin Haeberle (Director of Listen Up!), the moderator, asked us to create a list of questions for young producers to ask themselves about distribution. This is the culmination of my notes and the excellent advice of my co-panelists: Irene Villasenor (POV), John Rikkers (HBO), Jason Silverman (Taos Talking Pictures Festival).

Audience for the "Road to Exhibition Panel" at the Gen-Y Studio at Sundance 2002

Who is your audience? And please don't say everyone. No one film is interesting or appropriate for everyone. Make a list of the issues that are raised by your film – be creative. Then make a list of the people whom those issues directly affect. That's your audience. I know issues like the environment affect everyone, but you need to force yourself to be more specific. For example, if a film about toxic waste, then the audience may be companies who create toxic waste, officials who are writing laws about it and people who live near toxic waste dumps.

Think Before Your Shoot: YES, you definitely need to think about distribution before you even pick up a camera. Why? Because your distribution plan will inform who, what and how you shoot, here's how:

  1. Know what else is out there and make sure your film is original. Search the MediaRights.org documentary database.
  2. Decide - do you want your film to "preach to the converted" or reach people who have never been exposed to the issue in your film or your point of view?
  3. Craft a message that is accessible to your audience. Keep in mind their age and how much they know or don't know about the issue already. Empathize with your audience.
  4. Build partnerships with nonprofit organizations or community groups. Start locally and ask all of your friends and advisors if they have any ideas or contacts. Maybe they could make an introductory call for you.
  5. Schedule a rough-cut screening with a sample of your target audience during postproduction.

Make an Impact: Your film can make a difference in society, but not without your help.

  1. Create a contact list (using Excel, File Maker Pro or your email program) of all of your friends and supporters. If you attend meetings related to the issue in your film, bring a sign up sheet.
  2. Apply to film festivals for youth produced work, or festivals specific to your cause.
  3. List your film on MediaRights.org.
  4. Ask yourself: once your audience sees your film what can they do about the issues you present? At screenings and events, you can hand out a one-sheet with ideas on how to take action and a list of organizations on the issue.

Evaluate: How do you know if your film made any difference at all? Sometimes change is subtle (audience gains a sensitivity to an issue) and sometimes it is obvious (change in policy). Evaluating the impact of your film can help you gain support (money) for your next project. You may not win an Academy Award but if you change one person's life your film is a success (even if that life is your own).

  1. Hand out short and simple evaluation forms at your screenings. You can tailor this to the audience. You can excerpt quotations from these forms for your press kit or Web site.
  2. Set goals for the social impact you want your film to have and then see how you did. Your goal can be as simple as getting two opposed groups of people to discuss an issue or to motivate 150 people to participate in a letter-writing campaign.

Important Tips:

  1. Don't forget why you were attracted to the subject of your film in the first place. Use that original enthusiasm to distribute your film.
  2. Be able to explain your film in one sentence.
  3. Do not use music or images that you don't own – make sure people turn off the radio and TV while you are shooting! Many festivals and television stations will NOT show your work unless you have cleared all the rights. There are different territories and mediums for licensing material: domestic or international for television, festivals (cheapest), theatrical, commercial video and educational video. If you really want to use something (don't wait until the last minute), you can try to get it for free by convincing the owner that it is a good cause (but don't count on it).

To read some more ideas for distributing your film read "The Right To Be Seen and Heard.”

Read about the Outreach Panel in the House of Docs at Sundance 2002: Documentaries and Activism.