Recently, Netflix has been dropping loads of trailers and release dates for new shows and films. With all this new content, how does an audience pick what they want to watch? Overall, it comes down to one thing: savvy marketing.

So, let’s go through some marketing hacks that will help your short film stand out and boost your film career!

1. Know your priorities

This includes having a clear answer to the following questions: What is this film going to do for you and your career? How many people need to see it? And, most importantly, what is the goal of the marketing campaign?

The clearer you are about what you want to achieve with your marketing campaign the more successful it will be. Is there a specific audience you want the film to be seen by or maybe a certain festival you want to get into?

If you’re starting to get overwhelmed by the number of questions that need answers, make a list of priorities. Rank your marketing goals to remain clear about what is most important to you and the film.

2. Market yourself first

People love ideas, but they also love the creatives behind them.

Just think about any film you love. It’s not just the film in isolation, you also love the director, or the cinematographer, or the actors as well. It’s the same with your audience.

Always remember that a film has a pretty short lifespan, but you have an entire career. This makes it all the more important to market yourself, regardless of what stage your career is at. I know it’s tough, but you will have to do it eventually and it’s better to get comfortable with it now so that you can focus on your films later down the line.

Be clear about who you are as a filmmaker and put yourself out there. Let people connect with your creative focus. 

Once you’re clear with yourself, look at your audience…

3. Know your audience

Who is your film for? Who will watch it and love it? Be specific with your answers – your age demographic needs to be small. It might be tempting to market to everyone to try and reach a bigger audience, but in reality, this is just a waste of your time and money.

If instead your marketing is specific and targets the people that are going to love and understand your film, you will maximise your audience engagement. Keep this in mind when picking the platforms you market on and the content you put out.

4. Prove that your film has life

What actually ends up on the screen is a very small part of your film. It’s not just all about beautiful cinematography or an amazing lead performance. As the filmmaker, this might be obvious to you, but you have to be able to prove that your film matters, or will matter, to a specific group of people.

To finish up, here are some specific things you can do for your film:

Make a hashtag and use it on every single post

Hashtags are a great way to make everything that has been posted about your film available in one place. Make sure you get your entire crew and cast posting as much as possible (I’m definitely not here for the whole “Don’t share anything about the film on socials until it’s out” thing!).

The more posts an executive producer or festival organiser finds under your film’s hashtag, the more convinced they will be that your film has a life. 

Give people exclusive content

Contrary to what you might think, exclusive doesn’t mean a perfectly colour-graded still from the film.

Rather, let your audience see the BTS stuff that only an indie filmmaker like yourself can truly provide. Even a meeting that might be boring to you can be something that makes your audience feel involved in your project.

Make your branding reflect your audience, not just your film

Branding refers to the emotional connection to a business (or in this case, film) felt by a specific group of people. This emotional connection can only be created if your audience is reflected in your branding. Think about what your audience needs. What will they get from the film? What can you promise them with your marketing?