A Press Kit Is Integral To Aid In The Success Of Getting Your Movie Seen.
If you do not here is a simple guide that will make it easier to promote your content in no time. If your budget does not allow for you to hire a professional to create your press kit, these simple tip can get you started in the mean time. We read an awesome article from
raindance.org that shared great tips on the essentials of a well put together press kit. Here is what was suggested.
Creating the Sizzle
Like other elements in the filmmaking process, you must develop a publicity strategy. Your film can suffer irreparable damage with the wrong publicity plan.
Creating A Press Kit
The single most effective tool in creating publicity is a press kit. A press kit is used to send details of the film to journalists and acquisitions executives. Creating a press kit is made simpler by following these basic steps:
Step 1 Create a Folder
A stationer will sell stock folders with flaps in which newspaper clippings and press releases can be organised. Ultra low budget press kits use stock folders from stationers with self-adhesive labels on which the name of the production company is printed. Self-adhesive labels went out with Margaret Thatcher. A better alternative is to get a printer to emboss the folder with the title of your film. Acquisitions executives are notoriously snobbish. The flip- side is that they are easily impressed, and you would be amazed what the effect of a little bit of gold embossing can do for your press kit.
For the low budget press kit you will need to buy one hundred folders. A normal film might send out a thousand or more press kits – beyond the reach of lo-to-no budgets. Through skilful manipulation, you aim to create the impression that you have mailed a thousand press kits to international executives and journalists, and so create the impression that your film is hot.
Step 2 Write a Synopsis
A synopsis is a summary of the story of your film told in an engaging way that captures the reader’s interest and makes them want to see the film. A synopsis should never sound like ‘and this happened, followed by this, and then this happened’. This type of synopsis is certain to bore. A well- written synopsis should be a teaser. There are three kinds of synopses that you should include in your press kit.
The reason you supply three synopses to journalists is because you want to make it easy for them to write a review of your film, and you offer three different lengths of synopsis because you don’t yet know how much space they have in their publication. These are now ready to be photocopied.
Step 3 Write Cast and Crew Bio
You should include brief biographies of the key people you worked with on your movie. Actors’ bios should include previous film roles (if any), stage work, and awards they may have won. Key crew bios like director of photography, production designer, editor and composer should detail other directors and productions they have worked on, or work- related experience. For example my DoP shot a commercial for Burger King and my production designer designed a table for Ikea.
Step 4 Create Ten FAQs
Creating hype and publicity for your film means that you have to give precise direction and guidance to the people who hear about your film: film festival programmers, film journalists and, of course, acquisition executives. I was in London during the launch of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, and was fortunate enough to see his press kit. Scanning it reassured me that Tarantino was not relying on the judgement of film critics or even the film going public to determine that he was an amazingly talented filmmaker. He was printing it himself in his press kit, under the guise of the Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions of Quentin Tarantino During the Making of Reservoir Dogs. Immediately following the questions was printed his answers.
Step 5 Get Publicity Stills
Although your press kit has a slick, glossy cover, three synopses, cast and crew bios and FAQs, you still need to have photographs. Getting a good publicity still is a true art form. The right still can be used on the poster, in newspaper ads, on video and DVD covers, on T-shirts – in fact, everywhere your movie is mentioned. Truly memorable images, like the eyes from The Blair Witch Project, cross into popular culture and are mimicked and satirised by others.
Publicity stills that work are photographs that include action. The stills photographer you hire should have a portfolio of stills that demonstrate movement and action within the frame. Ask the stills photographer to attend the shoot on the days that the most action is happening. Perhaps it is the day with the duelling swordsman, the pistol shot or the day you managed to get a large crane onto the set. The photographer needs to take four kinds of stills:
Step 6: Include Reviews and Third Party Endorsements
Third party endorsements always work wonders in the world of promotion. All commercial enterprise uses third party endorsements. You may use toothpaste recommended by the British Dental Association, eat a certain breakfast cereal on the recommendation of a leading nutritionist, and see a movie because a certain journalist – probably well known for their taste and judgement – has put a film onto their own ‘must-see’ list.
Step 7 Create an Electronic Press Kit
An electronic press kit (EPK) is a set of videos and CD-Roms with photos, interviews with the principal cast and crew, duplicated and distributed to appropriate people. It is difficult to accomplish on a lo-to-no budget.
During the shoot, hire a documentary filmmaker to take a high quality video footage of the shoot. Include interviews with the key actors, director, producer and other principle crew where appropriate. For example, if your film features prosthetic heads being lopped of, interview the prop-maker and the special effects artists. You are looking for angles that might help you sell in the story of the film later.
You want to make sure that even after all these components are put together that you have trusted people who review it to check for grammatical errors and give feedback on the overall design of the kit. If you would like to submit your press kit for review and have original ready to distribute content contact us at Shami Media and we can get started with your project today.
