Independent filmmaking is a creative passion I love. Nothing beat the rush I get writing scripts and directing movies. I am a filmmaking junkie. When one movie wraps I’m looking for my next creative high. I head out looking for a money tree I can shake to produce my next movie. In tough financial times it’s very difficult to find money to make a indie movie.
Many indie filmmakers can relate to the story I am about to share. A few deals fell through for film funding leaving me without the backing to produce my next movie. Life is strange when it comes full circle. Before signing a distribution deal with Maverick Entertainment Group for Consignment co-producer Tim Beachum had a insane idea. At least it was insane to me. He made it possible to stream the first 10 minutes of Consignment online for free. A Virginia Beach based newspaper posted an article online about it. Seems there were not many indie filmmakers doing what we did. It worked out good, but it still took time for what Tim told me about SEO marketing for it to sink in and share with you.
Independent filmmaking success can be reached with SEO marketing. When I started producing movies I had a hard time looking at them as a product when they were done. My thinking has since changed. After a movie is done it needs to be handled like a well packaged and promoted product. I am not taking away from the creative art of making a movie. As a screenwriter and director I dig deep to put all I have into making movies.
It’s now crystal clear in mind that movies need to be marketed to viewers or they do not exist. The major brick walls facing many indie filmmakers is they lack a big marketing budget, the distributor they signed with can only do so much, or they are that sure how to use SEO marketing to promote their movie. I sure as hell didn’t coming out of the gate with my first movie. I thought Maverick Entertainment Group as the distributor releasing the movie would make a marketing push, so I laid back waiting for them to spread the word Consignment was a hot urban action movie people had to see.