Tweeting to the Box Office: Twitter and Filmmaking

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Creating a film is a very long and arduous process that requires months if not years of planning, networking, selling, and backbreaking work. Once in a while, a talented filmmaker comes across an interesting and engaging script, is able to raise the funds to film through family and friends, and produces a well-made movie with new and cost effective technology. A great film is in the works, but what comes next? How does a talented filmmaker with a great cast and crew generate interest in their masterpiece?

Facebook has been a social staple for many years as a source for connecting lost friends, posting pictures of newborns and dogs alike, and a venue for checking up on former flames. Twitter on the other hand has emerged as a tool for businesses, projects and individuals to establish a brand and to connect to a vast audience. For filmmakers, Twitter has become a necessary platform for funding, marketing, advertising, and distributing movies.

According to DSLR Filmmaker, Twitter has allowed filmmakers the opportunity to break free from the confines of major motion picture studios and exhibit more control over their projects. It is a free and far reaching method of attracting a large following for a film. By creating networks and engaging audiences and industry professionals, an independent film can reach far beyond a few followers to make a substantial impact in the market.

The topic of Twitter as the newest filmmaking trend was the subject of a 2013 Sundance Film Festival panel. The website SocialTimes reported on the event, relaying the success that filmmakers have found in utilizing the social media platform. From promoting their films to even finding distributors outside the festival arena, Twitter has proved to be a lucrative piece in the filmmaking process. Using what Ava DuVernay has coined as a “riches in niches” mentality, fellow filmmakers have found marketing success in tweeting free soundtrack downloads, contests, and chat sessions with casts and crews. DuVernay also shared her personal twist of Twitter fate when queen of endorsements, Oprah Winfrey, tweeted about the filmmaker’s project, Middle of Nowhere, to her more than 18 million followers after sending her the film.

Thom Powers of Stranger Than Fiction compiled a “Top 10 Twitter Tips for Filmmakers”. His suggestions are simple and easy to implement for even the most novice social media users. His tips range from making a memorable Twitter name with a professional profile to utilizing hash tags, retweets and scheduled tweets to make the most of the platform. The critically important message across the board is to take advantage of the connections to industry professionals and audiences that are at a filmmaker’s “virtual fingertips”. This forum brings the most influential individuals in any industry together and makes them accessible to anyone. Making contact and establishing relationships can open doors and transition a film from amateur to mainstream at a limited cost financially.

As a soon-to-be graduate of the Entertainment Business Masters of Science program from Full Sail University, I have researched the effects of social media on successful film production marketing campaigns. I have discovered that in reality, Twitter is just one piece in a complete film marketing and promotion strategy, but it has become a vital component. Audiences are changing the way they view and connect with movies and expect to have the entire filmmaking experience at their fingertips. Adding Twitter to a film marketing strategy is not only beneficial, but is expected in the current market and can assist in projecting a film onto the big screen. 

Many Hands Make Light Work: Alternative Financing Promotes Collaboration for Competition

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The film industry is very competitive and can be a difficult arena for individuals to begin and maintain a successful career. The stereotypes are those of backstabbing assistants, conniving talent, stubborn directors, power hungry producers, and lying studio executives. Although these horror stories can still be prevalent, the film industry is actually a tight knit group of professionals who work together and create communities built on respect and collaboration.

Small businesses such as production studios, talent agencies, distribution specialists, post production engineers, and special effects companies must establish themselves and band together collectively in order to compete with major motion picture studios. To start a small production company or film business, most entrepreneurs seek out traditional funding methods such as investors, bank loans, friends, and family. While these staples are ideal for expanding businesses with proven track records, it is substantially more difficult for novice companies to obtain financing.

Small businesses do have an advocate in the form of alternative financing groups that are dedicated to helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams of starting their own enterprises. One such supporter is the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a membership based organization that aims to assist small business professionals obtain federal and private financing as well as technology and equity awards. Their tactics involve mentoring, advocacy, strategic planning and collaboration. Their mission is to create connections and build communities that foster small business growth and give normally rejected entrepreneurs a chance to realize their dreams. Assistance from AEO requires an interested entrepreneur to simply fill out a questionnaire stating what they are seeking and what type of community development focus their company is built upon. Whether it be environmental, women’s advocacy, people with disabilities, or veterans; AEO is committed to assisting and promoting companies who strive to better their neighborhoods.  Their goal is to foster the visions of the “micro businesses”, those with fewer than 10 employees, who would otherwise be ignored or deemed inconsequential by banks and venture capitalists. They believe that funding these “micro businesses” builds strong communities and support systems that in turn build a strong economy.

The concept of supporting local growth in order to promote a competitive marketplace is also the mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). Their focus lies on providing job growth opportunities and strengthening local economies that can weather the changing times and grow to make a global impact. Their methods involve creating communities that bind together to support and encourage one another through investing in qualified entrepreneurs with established public and private resources. A stringent qualification procedure is in place to ensure that applicants strive to create strategic local and global partnerships that may compete on a global level, respect the environment and assist underserved communities.

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity and the U.S. Economic Development Administration both pride themselves on developing local and underserved communities that can compete on a larger and even global scale. They promote collaboration between organizations in order to make an impact and grow the economy. Their funding requirements and sources of money are fairly vague however and could appear confusing to an entrepreneur looking for an alternative financing partner. 

Teamwork and collaboration have long been the principals for survival. Whether it is military strategies, sporting events, film productions, or business creation; teamwork is at the core. There are many funding institutions that see the value in smaller and less experienced entrepreneurs as a piece of the larger entity, even when dismissed by standard financing associations. In an industry such as film where success is reliant on “who you know” and the names of those who support you, starting a business follows a similar concept. In the end, if the project, whether it is a film or a business, speaks to an audience, a strong and connected support system can assist in seeing ideas become reality.

My Personal Lessons from Business Experts

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Preparing to launch a new business venture and preparing to produce a film share a very similar process. Factors such as economic climate, competition, demographics, and the people who make up the team all have to support the basic concept of the project. Not only do these components have to be solid in order to approach potential funders and investors but the ideas must be presented in an efficient business plan. This document acts as the voice of a project and is a reflection of the competency and vision of the entrepreneur.

Business expert Akira Hirai writes in his blog post “Ten Questions Every Business Plan Must Answer” about the importance of establishing a management team that impresses funders with their experience, ideas and overall ability to interconnect with the brand. Hirai states that the management section of a business plan is often the most highly scrutinized portion and recommends highlighting the strengths of the team. In my specific business plan, I have put substantial time and consideration into the type of individual qualities I would want to represent my brand.

Hirai supports this concept in another blog post titled, “Finding Helping Hands for your Small Business”, by advising entrepreneurs to look for high quality employees that can drive the business even when resources are limited. Employees that perform “above-average” can bring in twice the revenue that an average worker can and are worth the investment. I have made sure to highlight the fact that I desire experienced, hard-working and committed employees and I am willing to extend the resources needed to attain them. Similarly to how a cast of a film can affect its box office earnings, the talent of a business cast can drastically affect its success.

In addition to paying attention to what I am saying about my company and who I want to help me build it, I am also scrutinizing how I am conveying these needs. Small business expert Barry Moltz relays the importance of keeping verbiage clear and concise in his article “What Not to Say in a Business Plan”. I admit that I have a tendency to be overly verbose in my writing. While this “story-telling” style may be necessary in a screenplay, it is not appropriate in a business plan. I have consciously limited my word count and have gone through multiple times with the purpose of removing excess and unneeded information. I have also focused on formatting in order to be more appealing to the reader. By shortening my paragraphs and adding space between idea groupings, I have created a less intimidating document.

Most importantly, I have taken Barry Moltz’ advice from his blog post “Business Ideas are Meaningless” and have gone through and modified my business plan as my company has progressed. He explains that a plan is just ideas and can be molded repeatedly in order to provide the most impact. My mentality is, if the first execution is unsuccessful, I must modify the plan, shape the ideas and try again.

Creating a business plan is a daunting yet vital undertaking in the business creation process. A well-written document that highlights the appropriate features of a company can garner the attention, respect and potentially the resources of investors. Just as a film package must grab the attention of funders with facts, figures, projections, and a complete overview of the project, a business plan must include the same requirements. 

The Business of Film: Expert Opinions on the Importance of a Plan

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Film is a world of fantasy and storytelling where moments are created through ornate descriptions. A film production company however should be a well-oiled business machine that acts as the bones to allow creativity to flourish. Any business venture requires passion and drive, but without intelligent planning, there is limited chance for success. There are many experts who believe they hold the recipe for turning an idea into an investor’s goldmine using a strategic and well-written business plan.

Akira Hirai is the founder and CEO of Cayenne Consulting, which employs experienced management professionals and business plan developers from across the nation to assist entrepreneurs in writing successful proposals. Hirai himself has over 20 years in the industry and has opened two successful Internet companies. On the other side of the boardroom table, he has worked in management positions for various business development and financial service companies.

In Hirai’s blog, Hot Sauce, he discusses the “Ten Questions Every Business Plan Must Answer”. He explains the importance of addressing these key points when writing a proposal in order to garner a second glance from an investor. What is the problem, what is the solution, how much money does it cost, and who is going to solve the problem in a cost efficient manner? These questions must be answered and as efficiently as possible. Hirai expresses the importance of assembling and presenting a stellar management team. He relays, in his experience on both sides of the decision-making process, how investors place the most weight on the individuals chosen to carry out the mission at hand. His philosophy is “a good team can fix a mediocre idea, but a mediocre team is likely to fail even if they are pursuing a great idea”.

Akira Hirai also speaks about the importance of eliminating any verbiage that does not fit into his ten-question model, which is echoed by author and small business expert, Barry Moltz. As an advisory board member of Angel Capital Education Foundation, he has reviewed hundreds of business plans in an attempt to allocate funds to deserving and appropriate projects. He has put his expertise in print, writing four published books concerning building a successful business.

Moltz wrote in venture capital resource, VC Experts, about the importance of keeping language simple. Industry specific verbiage, clichés, and excess lingo only cloud the message and burden an investor with unnecessary time and effort to wade through the proposal. He explains how, many times, excess language acts as a mask to a poor conceived idea and investors are skilled at spotting these inadequacies.

No matter the business, the planning stages are vital for any degree of success. In an industry such as film where vivid scripts and elaborate sets are expected and praised, seeking funding and support for a production company requires restraint on those creative instincts. The great part about the film industry is the fluid way business and creative passion can mix to produce art.