Sunday, June 1, 2008
Distribution
At the Kiss or Kill seminar at the Dungog Film Festival on Saturday May 31, members of the filmmaking community gathered to try to come up with some solutions for Australian films to reach a wider audience. Is it to with marketing spend? The types of films being made? Uncertainty about audiences? Too little too late in promoting a film? A lack of local content exhibition policy? Or a combination of the above? What do you think needs to happen next?
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Hum, well I really think it is a couple of different things and a combination of them. working together at the same time. Well firstly I think when you say an Australian film, this implies something already in people's mind. If I were to stand on a street and do a random survey of a 100 people who left a cinema and ask them whether they would watch an Australian film and ask them what Australian movies they had last seen and why they liked them, I think it would provide an interesting source of research. Filmmakers really shouldn't be asking themselves how to get more audiences, they should really ask what people like to watch and hopefully it is what they like to as well. Kids probably would like animation, teenagers depending on their friends saw. In fact word of mouth like a good friend saying it's really good plus reviews and trailers, television interviews and press coverage add a lot to give a film kudus. A simple label of an Australian film put on a movie poster is not going to make people want to watch the film unless overseas. It has to have branding in terms of whose in it, do they know who these actors are, are they any good. If not, do they know the story already from a book, comic, historical event, news. Popular source materials are mostly adaptations and remakes. Originality counts for very little in most peoples perceptions as it represents a risk for them, A risk in terms of being disappointed with the product or film. To reduce the audience's risk of being disappointed, that's when all the plants happen, devices that in one way or another point the audience to the direction of a certain film. such as the poster,it already forms an impression in the minds of the audience, do I know these names,do I know this title, do I know when the release date is. Creating the event and encouraging the event to take place. Visibility is important. Movie marketing is a whole other industry with people constantly on the go designing for the experience. In one way or another you would have formulated some idea in your mind about what the movie and story is even before you've seen it thanks to the billions spend on it. The very few and rare that don't use this approach, art-house cinemas, film festivals, direct to DVD, downloads.
There is nothing wrong with the film industry except when we use dollar profits as a benchmark to how successful a film is. Making something cost effectively and having a high return on profits means taking a business approach. What types of films are making the most amount of money? A movie may however be a critical success and not make money. The reverse is true, a film making a lot of money may rarely makes a critic list and still people are in this mad race to find the formula for success. In truth, there is no real formula except a good film but what makes the essence of a good is completely different from one thing to another. The real question is not whether we make Australian films but do we really want to make our own films (i.e and think the whole world will love it or should) or popular films (i.e do films that have already been done in terms of genre). Both have their own merits and results in terms of cost and results. The balance sheet is simple. Are we out for the dollar or we out for ourselves or both or should we care?
The truth is no matter what happens the audience will make that choice not anyone of us. Is there truly a Universal film that can do well everywhere? Not really, just like there's no favourite food in the world that is universally liked by everyone. You will always need different flavours because of taste but if your friend makes a recommendation you will try it, and whether you yourself likes it is depends on your own taste buds.Even at different points of times in our lives, we eat different types of foods. Some will remain the same, some will change but you never forget a bad experience either.
We really are in the food business because we are all chefs creating our own recipes (the auteur) or following some elses or just working on learning or borrowing others and are adapting. We would all like to think we can the best chefs in the world.So start cooking and not worrying whether the customer likes it or are you already certain they will love it.The customer decides. that's why the customer is always right. You can only cook the best receipe you can.
Would anyone consider self-distributing their own film in Australia? And a question to fellow filmmakers: How important is a theatrical release to you these days?
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