1. Marketing

2. Films need a marketing plan to create visibility, raise awareness and engage interest; this is vital in such a competitive industry. The audience must be reached in compelling ways to persuade them that the film is a must see. There are many aspects of marketing to consider:

3. Target audience Campaigns need to reach as much of the target audience as possible cost-effectively. Different audiences may respond differently to different strategies. An older audience may respond best to TV and press advertisements whereas a younger audience may respond best to online and radio advertisements.

4. There are many ways to raise awareness for a film:

5. Posters Posters can target an audience by focusing on production values of the film such as stars, genre, directors and tag lines. Posters can be produced internationally and adapted for local audiences or the can be produced in the UK from scratch. Many months before release, an initial teaser poster may be released, this increases early hype for a film. Cardboard standees, banners, window clings and mini-posters may also be displayed to advertise a films release in more innovative ways.

7. Full trailers are screened shortly before a film opens, however teaser trailers can be released a lot earlier, these are only 30-90 seconds. The often contain little actual film footage as the film is still in production.Full length Teaser

9. Most films have an official website offering trailers, production information, stills and behind the scene footage. Film lovers therefore feel more involved in the making of the film and are more inclined to want to see the finished product.

10. The internet helps to build early hype as news snippets, teaser images, video diaries and blogs mean that the anticipation for the release builds, especially with franchise films.

11. However, anyone can post on the internet, leaving films susceptible to bad reviews, spoof trailers and negative chat room opinions.An extreme example of fan sites building hype: http://thetwilightfansite.net/

13. Posters are another form of mass advertising with approximately 250,000 poster sites in the UK.

16. Positive reviews are no guarantee of a films success but extracts can be used when advertising a film and certain critics can raise the films status.

18. Promotional partnerships can horizontally saturate a brand as the target audience can experience characters from the film in a whole new way.

19. Merchandise such as ringtones, clothing and calenders allow fans to fully invest their loyalty in the film.

20. Premiers provide a platform to mark the official launch of film, letting everyone know that they can see it in cinemas now. It is a chance to promote the stars of the show and reach high profile TV slots, giving the BUZZ factor.

21. Film festivals allow for competitions, a platform for films to be showcased and also a market for distributors to meet with sellers.