Alternative ways to premiere independent films
Film industry finds new ways to screen films
Everyone is feeling the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, but the arts and entertainment have been hit hard, specifically the film industry, with an estimated loss of $20 billion in revenue, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Many movie productions have been halted indefinitely and film sets have been shut down across the nation. Although major movie studios and Broadway are suffering from the precautions brought about by Covid-19, indie filmmakers are also facing hardships; complete shutdowns of film festivals like SXSW have prevented many creators from debuting their films.
“Regional and local film festivals are the veins and the capillaries for our industry continuing to be able to surface new artists and help them build audiences that will sustain their careers,” Emily Best, the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark, a crowdfunding platform for up-and-coming filmmaking talent, wrote to The Atlantic. “So we can’t just bypass film festivals – we cut off future blood supply.”
Some festivals have opted to host online showcases for ticket holders and filmmakers who were scheduled to attend the festival, while SXSW has teamed up with Amazon to exclusively stream all of its films to Amazon users for a limited time. Although a select few are finding new ways to distribute films, others have not.
For other independent filmmakers, there is still no solution. So what can you do? We’ve put together a few ideas to help you get your independent, short film or original series in front of an audience during this pandemic.
Ways to screen your indie film during the pandemic
Limited online release
Plan a limited online release, the same way you would schedule a film premiere at a local theater or have a scheduled day and time for your film screening at a festival. Announce a day and time on social media or email, and leave it up for a set amount of time (e.g. 48 hours, 2 days, 1 week). Alternatively, you can leave it up indefinitely to attract more viewers.
Platforms like Short of the Week and Vimeo have already been doing this, but you can create your own YouTube or Vimeo channel or simply broadcast it live on social platforms, which brings us to our next point.
live streaming
Many creatives, especially those in the music industry, have turned to live streaming to get their art out to the public and stay connected with fans. From DJ sets to Instagram live battles, live streaming has kept musicians engaged and connected.
Filmmakers can take a page from this and do the same. For example, you can go live on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram with a brief introduction from the director and producer. This can be done easily remotely, without having to interact with your fellow crew members.
Then you can stream your film or series – either broadcast it via live stream or announce a day and time that it will be available during the live stream. If you opt to broadcast it live, you give viewers an outlet to comment on and ask questions about your film as it’s playing in real time. This is a great way to get feedback you’d either normally never get at a festival or feedback that you’d typically get if you hosted a Q&A after a special screening.
Online meetups
Online meetups have become super popular in the independent film community, as people are no longer able to meet up in person for screenings, discussions, seminars or networking events. Indie filmmakers can also use online meetups to plan for Q&A sessions with the creator, director, producer or cast and crew after an online film screening as well. Just be sure you announce it so that you actually have viewers tuning in on the actual day and time.
Although the film community is one hit the hardest during this pandemic, we’re fortunate enough to have technology to help us share our work with others while staying connected. Keep checking back with us for more tips and inspiration on staying creative during these tough times.