6th Of November-Media Lesson

Publicity is a key element in selling a film in the media industry, they use clever techniques to do this. The Distributor will find a USP for the film, from here on a release date is set, and the target audience will be decided. Thus leading the next step to creating a marketing campaign, which will emphasize the USP and make the film noticable. However word of mouth is the most effective device to advertising a film and lurring audiences to take up an interest in the film. The theatrical trailer is also a signifcant part of the media campaign as it is advertised in various places and forms such as TV spots, cinema adverts, billboards.

A film trailer usually contains: Name, Actors name and the release date.

Teaser trailer - Early stage of production...way before the film is made.

Theatrical trailer - Shown in cinemas before the film is released.

Shortened version of trailer - Shown in cinema after film is released.

A film poster is the next most important part of a marketing campaign. A film company will spend on average £12000 on film posters, they are essential in conveying genre and vita information such as release dates etc.

Whilst distributing film a USP is created to stand out, so the audience want to see their film rather than any other. The trailer is the most important element of selling the film. Other elements include posters, magazines and websites. During my coursework our group get to create a film trailer along with a promotional poster and magazine cover. These are all part of a synergistic campaign, if done effectively it creates word-of-mouth. A theme must be added to link all of the elements together (usually a font), so the audience recognise it. The start of the campaign is a poster; this is used to illustrate the genre and to make awareness of the film. The font used can be an icon of the film and used in other aspects of the campaign such as the website, trailer and the film itself. Add shells can be used along with the other elements to broad the audience. However the campaign differs depending on whether it is being internationally or not. The film trailer my group is producing has a large audience and will be distributed internationally as it follows conventions of Hollywood blockbuster such as taken.