Downsides of Marketing Movies With Word Of Mouth



The idea behind a movie producer making a film remarkable is that people will tell others about it for you. The filmmaker won't have to use marketing as a trick to hoodwink people into watching the film, rather let fans make other fans. Once a movie is remarkable and people see it, they will tell other people and make your marketing easier. Unfortunately, there are other unintended consequences you may encounter that are not so fun.

More Detractors

For every new fan, you'll also make a new enemy. Your online fan message boards that were once friendly and filled with lovers of your work might suddenly become inundated with negative messages from people that don't like you. So while you are spreading the word to fans, you are also spreading it to the indifferent and contrary. You can't please everyone, so it's natural that as your film's profile rises it will attract those that want to tear you down.

More Critics

The more people that see your film, the more likely you will come across would-be critics that find it necessary to pick your film apart in print and put in online. So even if your fans overlook some rough parts of the movie, these critics will bring it to light and might even ridicule you. Even Oscar-winning movies have critics that disagree. No matter how great your film is, somebody will see it differently and try to convince others of their views.

Hunger For More

Just as with any person that makes friends that really like them, these new friends will want to hang out more often. Once your film garners fans, they will want more and more from that storyworld. Though filmmakers often confuse this interest in their story with interest in them as filmmakers, the popularity of franchise movies made by different directors and writers proves it's the story and characters people care about most. There are countless Star Wars books written by different authors and only one of the original movies was directed by George Lucas, yet audiences still stay interested. People care about storyworlds that they like, not so much about filmmakers.

Knockoffs, Parodies

As your film gains in popularity, it's inevitable that someone will made a joke video about it. No movie is spared from this embarrassment and in the USA it's constitutionally protected speech; so there isn't much you can do about it. Whatever is interesting about your film will be used against it to make people laugh. Not only will people want to make fun of you, they'll want to copy what you did. If what you did gets results, people will try to mimic whatever elements they can to ride your coattails to success. Instead of waiting for parodies, you might make your own. Instead of letting others satisfy audience demand for similar productions, you could produce them yourself.

Nobody is going to feel bad for you when these things happen, but all the same they are not pleasant. Fame is a part a movie's success and it has a price. Some of these things can't be helped, but others can be mitigated with some effort. The important thing to understand is that you have no control over others and can only modify your own behavior. Take it in stride and consider it evidence of your work making an impact rather than slights against your person.


Comments



Hey Julian--

I think it really depends on how a filmmaker reacts to this stuff because I don't think these are really all that bad, considering the upside. If you have something worth talking about, it will polarize people, which is far better than having your movie be mediocre. You don't want to hear "eh, it was pretty good" -- you want EXTREME reactions. They should either love it or loathe it, because either way, it will spread a ton of word-of-mouth. And having a healthy amount of haters simply means that you've "made it," so I think that aspect should actually instill confidence in a filmmaker, not shake it.


Nov 24 2008 - 5:57pm


I think you're right, Charlie. It's all a matter of perspective. These "negatives" are in fact incontrovertible proof that something positive is happening.

I do think most filmmakers will be surprised that to make really fervent fans that will spread the word inevitably also creates "enemies".

I think we all grow up thinking we can be friends with everyone and anyone, but it doesn't always pan out that way.


post author

Nov 25 2008 - 1:20pm


So...if more people hate it, do you think that can be made into a positive too?


Dec 31 2008 - 11:14pm


People hating it in and of itself isn't always necessarily a help. The part that you also need is people that love it.

People that hate your film can help create fans, though. For instance some people love B-movies because they are bad and nobody likes them. More often than not it's just a side effect of the process of creating a rabid fanbase.

You want to affect people strongly. If you are coming across vehement negative opposition, there is a good chance you will have evangelists out there, too.

Anything remarkable will piss off somebody, if your work isn't polarizing it's probably not that great. I think the key thing to keep in mind is not being afraid of creating enemies or detractors as you go about finding people who love your work.


post author

Jan 1 2009 - 1:54pm


I mean, a lot more.


Dec 31 2008 - 11:15pm




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