Film Poster Research: Goal Case Study

Source: film education resource – GOAL!

Interview with Lee Jury Buena Vista International (UK): explains the marketing process. 

 Main Aims of Film poster marketing -

·      Lee Jury stated that due to nature of his job he is tasked with developing campaigns for marketing films, in the interview he pointed out key areas when makreting a film poster. 

•  Story line or a sum up of the narrative needs to be conveyed through the poster, must  create  a memorable imagefor the audience. 
• That a Poster is a Static image that tells story 
• A highly important point to include is to show the unique selling point/appealing element of the film  to audience e.g. plot line, star appeal  
• Working on advertising promotion to find not only just a film poster to back up the trailer, it is key to have other supporting marketing techniques. 
•  Campaign taken to theatrical markets e.g. cinemasto help bring in a wider audience to the film

Steven Burdge the managing director and founder of Empire design, was also included in the interview and stated "Impact is everything, the poster should stand out in crowded market place" , Also that "people only glance at it for 3-5 seconds". Therefore as a marketing campaign a poster needs to convery a story and sell the fimol in a very short space of time. 

Case study on GOAL! 

IN the interview Lee jury explained the process in making th eGOAL! film poster and what key areas it need to start with and how it was imporved to reach the final outcome.  

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From looking at this Goal case study it has given me ideas and key outline when constructing my own film poster, I especailly want to focus on the narrative rather than a focus on the 'star' of the film as I feel that is what drives a psychological thriller.

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Film Marketing

The website entertainment.howstuffworks.com helped me with finding the information and statistics about Film Marketing strategies.

From looking at the website I learnt about the various techniques and marketing strategies used by film companies to promote a film. Also that the film studio are the ones who allocate the film budget, one piece of informattion that I found really surprised me; that a marketing campaing for a film can cost upto half of its budget. Therefore if a film cost $90 million to create, then the distribuor could spend half of that ($45 million) on marketing the film.


I created a Pie chart to show the allocation of a films budget.

One of the statistic that surprised me was that only a small percentage of the budget (4.2%) is spent on the thetrical trailer, I see the trailer as being the main selling point for the film. As it gives an insite into what the films about and entices the audiences to watch the film.

Also the amount of the budget  that is spent on the internet suprised me as now the internet is a key sales point in attracting audiences to watch the film. However these statitsics are from 2007, making them quite dated therefore, in 2014 there is probably twice even three times as much of the budget spent on  the Internet.

TRAILER - 
Theatrical trailer often fist chance  to promote film. Starting up to a year before the release of a major studio film , Distributors run film trailers that are constantly edited and audience tested Trailers are an ‘art form’ that’s handled be special trailer production houses.


FILM WEBSITE - 
Same time first trailers released the film web site is launched , Allows audiences to multiple versions of the trailer, behind the scenes, interviews and mini-documentaries ect. Chat forums and pre- order tickets on the website.

PRRSS JUNKET - 
As release date draws close – film marketers try to get early favourable press coverage : newspaper, magazines and entertainment TV shows.  Main film publicity tactic is something called a PRESS JUNKET. At a press junket – journalists, entertainment reporters and film critics fly out to special location for a full day or weekend – interviews with stars and creators of the film. Highly controlled environment – interviews often attended by a publicist.

PUBLICITY BLITZ - 
Weeks beforeThe film opens nationwide – promotions department starts an  all-out PUBLICITY BLITZ. Which consists of bombarding the public with so many images and promos of the movie that it becomes a ‘can’t miss’ event.  Film posters will be plastered on buses, billboards and around a city, run teaser trailers on TV, place full page ads in newspapers and magazines. Internet is providing a prime spot for these publicity blitzes – interactive ads.

VIRAL VIDEOS & PRODUCT TIE-INS - 
Release behind-the-scenes clips, Bloopers and other VIRAL VIDEOS on sharing websites such as YOUTUBE. Another strategy is to use HIGHLY VISIBLE PRODUCT TIE-INS and corporate partnerships. In weeks leading up to release. Example – for marketing children’s films the ‘holy grail’ is McDonald’s happy meal toys.

PUBLICITY STUNT -
 One final film marketing strategy! An orchestrated media event where someone does something incr3edibly silly, dangerous or spectacular to draw further attention to the opening of the film.  For example when guardians of the glaxay had a press junket , one of the stars did a publicity stun.( Karen Gillan reveals bald head at Comic-Con)

I create a mood board to show each type of marketing straegies used by film distruution companies.

Film Distribution

I decided to look further into the Film Distribution industy, I made a flow diagram showingeach key parts of film distrubution. To do this I used a Website called entertainment.howstuffworks.com. 

I learnt that the process of creating a film to its premièring in cinemas is a lengthy process, from information I found on the website I created a flow diagram to represent the key stags in which take place in Film Distribution.

Vertical intergration :The parent company owns multiple companies across different stages of the industry. For example Disney bought Miramax and created films such as scream, which we would not relate to as a typical Disney film.

Introduction

 My name is Heather Lancashire and I am an A-level Media student, I have created this blog to accompany my coursework and show learning and progress within my work.

For my G324 Advanced Portfolio, I am going to create a promotional package for an upcoming film. Including a film trailer, which will be accompanied with a film poster  together with a Film magazine front cover that will promote my film.