Trailers, Funding, and Diversity, Oh My!

The panels of the 2011 SXSW Film Festival brought together some of the best and most knowledgeable members of the filmmaking and media industry. During the presentations, the panelists shared their own experiences and expert advice with aspiring filmmakers.

An informative panel, titled Marketing Your Movie: Making a Great Trailer, comprised of award winning trailer editors Michelle Hooper (Black Swan), Mark Woollen (The Social Network, Slumdog Millionaire, and True Grit), and others, gave attendees expert advice on how to best market their films and get noticed in the crowded landscape that is the movie world. 

At the conclusion of the panel, the presenters were asked for the best advice they could give to the members of the audience.

Graham Retzik was adamant about filmmakers knowing their target audience and how and where to reach them. Evelyn Watters and Mark Woollen pushed for the creation of trailers and the study of previous trailers for the same genre of films. 

Using a trailer to market a film may be an important part of the filmmaking process, but finding the right funding to produce the film is what gets everything started.

In view of the lack of funding for filmmakers provided by the traditional sources, the panel Alternative Financing for Independent Film, shed light on alternative means to raising money for the production of a film.

Featuring owners of law firms Dan Satorius, Ronald Levin, and Kirk Schroder, the presentation discussed the creation of non-profit corporate entities and foundations as a means to acquire donations from supporters. 

Crowdfunding, using fans as financiers, was touted as a popular, relatively simple, and inexpensive form of collecting funds for film productions. Using websites such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, filmmakers have the ability to raise funds through encouraging fans and supporters of their teams/films to donate money to their cause.

Both programs have their own set of rules and regulations, and the panelists strongly suggested doing as much research as possible about these sites and their processes.

Aside from these websites, the presenters mentioned the possible use of personal social sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, to market a film, amass a bigger fan base, and collect financial support.

Satorius, Levin, and Schroder, were not the only presenters touting diversity in the filmmaking industry.

The presenters of the Preparing the Next Generation of Diverse Filmmakers panel called for the support and increase of diverse groups of filmmakers.

Featuring members of the Screen Actors Guild and the Film School of San Antonio along with other filmmakers, the panel encouraged the support of diversity in the industry by removing social prejudices. The presenters argued for the increased use of actors with disabilities and different sexual orientations.

True to their word and conscious of the diversity of others, this panel had monitors that subtitled the presenters' speeches and a sign language translator.

Because of the power that films have to influence society, the Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild of America have strived to encourage diverse filmmakers (whether they have a disability, a different sexual orientation, or heritage) to gain the self-confidence and knowledge to produce high caliber films.