Having established and effective marketing partners promote your film is going to substantially help with getting the word out about its existence. Your job, is to make their job of doing this, as easy and efficient as possible!
What Is A Film Press Kit
A ‘press kit’, also known as a media kit, refers to a well-prepared, sometimes stylized folder or packet of information about your film used for promotional purposes, that can be taken to things like:
* Fundraising events
* Film festivals and
* Distribution meetings
However, these days most press kits are issued digitally - simply distributed electronically or downloaded online - and comprise of a simple, straightforward, easy to read document that provides resources and information on your film project. Or if not a document, then a press page which houses all this information.
Any type of press kit you produce will have the same purpose, to act as an informative representation of your project to be used for all manner of marketing & promotional purposes.
When Should You Start Creating A Press Kit?
You may be wondering at what stage of the filmmaking process do you need to produce a press kit. And the answer to this is, now!
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you won’t need to make one until your film is finished. You should be making one, and utilizing it, well before you’ve even shot your film.
As an independent documentary filmmaker this is one resource you’re going to want to utilize right from the start.
Why Do I Need One?
Easy Use and Access
The first and foremost reason you need a press kit is that you want to make it as easy as possible for journalists, bloggers, organizations, influencers and other media outlets to write about your project. Encouraging these parties to write about your film and providing them with easy access to the relevant tools they will need, should be an essential part of your distribution strategy.
Free publicity and promotion
As an independent documentary filmmaker your budget for the promotion and marketing of your film will likely be quite tight, so by utilizing the influence and resources of those organizations and individuals we just mentioned to garner some free publicity for your film is imperative.
By emailing your press kit directly or by providing access to it online (as a downloadable document on your film’s website, for example), you are letting journalists, bloggers, organizations, influencers and other media outlets know that you are organized, prepared and open to working with them. You are making it easier for them to say yes to writing about you and your project and that is certainly what you want.
Your film exists! Tell people.
You need people to know that your film exists, because you want people to see it. You could have the best documentary film ever made, with the most groundbreaking story that will change people’s lives… but if your potential audience doesn’t know that its out there, then very few people will ever get to see it. We do not want this! You MUST promote your film with the resources available to you.
Create buzz, hype and interest in your film
Enter… Your press kit. It can be used at any and all stages of production to create buzz, hype and interest in your film. It’s so important to remember – especially for us independent documentary filmmakers – that we have to be our biggest advocates and publicists. If you are self-distributing your film then you will need to be getting the word out about it. Having a well-written and impressive looking press kit is one of the most efficient ways in which you can share your film information with people who can help you get the word out there to those who you want and need to hear about it – your niche, target audience.
Help to fund your film
As well as supporting your distribution and marketing objectives, your press kit can assist your funding objectives also. For example, if you are to run a successful crowdfunding campaign you will need to promote both your campaign and your film and if you are holding an event you will want people to know so they can attend and support your film. You will spend time encouraging journalists, bloggers, influencers and others to write about your project in the hopes of garnering interest and funds for your project and it will be up to you to make that a straight forward process.
What Should Be Included?
So now we know why we need one, let’s talk about the critical components that you’ll want to include in your Press Kit.
Encourage Direct Content
As much as possible you want to control the narrative of what is being put out into the universe about your film. You want the messaging and the CTA that surrounds your film promotion to be as cohesive, and articulate as possible. You do this by providing an abundance of relevant information and resources which those organizations and outlets can directly utilize and share with their audiences.
Ideas include:
* You can create email subject lines
* You can create articles or blog posts that they can share or can post to their own websites
* You can create social media posts with short links (inc. graphics, if you choose)
* You could have a short list of story ideas or angles
* You could share some interesting facts about the film content or topic
* You could have a list of quotes from the film
* You can also link to audio/video interviews and segments
* You can also consider adding or link to a press release
Link To It
If you have a press kit or press page on your website then link to it. You can do this in the materials or interesting emails that you send out, but you should also have a link to it on your website. You will likely not wish to include it in your main menu but should have a link present on your footer and on your contact page.
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