Films have been made the same way for a long time. Since 1926 the combination of sight, sound, and general running time have become a de facto for feature films that most aspiring filmmakers aim for. The days of movie theaters being the only place to see films are over, as are the days of television as the only way to watch episodic and serial stories. The internet has taken over and with this change in distribution comes a corresponding need to change or expand the concept of filmmaking.

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Upon reading Scott Kirsner's new book Fans, Friends and Followers (amazon) it becomes readily apparent that filmmakers can no longer just make one big movie and expect the internet to save them. Not to say feature-length films are passe or not worthy of your efforts, but the nature of the internet and digital communication is not built to showcase feature films. Kirsner's book illustrates many ways of finding an audience online, but these opportunities affect how and what films you make.

First Start Small

The internet is great at promoting short videos, but not good at helping an unknown filmmaker find thousands to watch a two-hour opus. Although you may have ambitions to do feature-length films, your audience might not be ready to accept it from you yet. Instead of putting maximum effort on one big project, start with shorter films and slowly build up to a feature once you have found fans.

Release Frequently

Great filmmakers often go years between films, but you do not the resources that sustain such a luxury. You will not have millions to waste on restarting a fire you should have kept going the whole time. The internet forgets and jogging its memory after a long time is much harder than just staying on their radar every so often. To make maximum use of the internet's capabilities you need to consider how you are going to be able to release content on a consistent basis. It does not have to be daily but it should be often enough to keep people engaged.

Customize For Influencers

Though no authorities exist on the internet that can anoint you like studios used to, there are sites that get a lot of attention and can lend you some. These sites have an existing base of users and you might be able to find some new fans there. The problem is each site has particular requirements and you need to customize some of what you do to be able to participate. Some sites are edited by a cadre of contributors: instead of just sending them whatever you have, put together content especially geared toward their taste. On message boards conversation is the thing valued most: on these sites you cannot just drop a link or embed a video, you need to join in and give them something they care about.

Reach Assembled People

People already congregate on the internet and some of these places may be ripe for finding new fans. These gathering places are often around a subject or passion the users all share. If you are creating a film or storyworld that includes characters with a passion or set in certain sub-culture, you may find a ready audience at one of these sites. If possible create a film from scratch with a deep connection to a certain subject since films broad in subject-matter will be less likely to effectively harness these communities.

These are not rules, these are just ways the internet works. Once a filmmaker has begun a career they become a subject unto themselves, once a filmmaker garners an audience crafting their productions to fit the nature of the internet might not be necessary. Up and coming filmmakers ought heed these guidelines, though. Instead of just making what you want, remember the internet cannot be changed as easily as you, what you make, and how you make it.