Beckler Blog Post Week 1

The production budget raised for INTERIOR was around $11,500, of which we spent around $9,000 shooting the film and another $2000 on editing equipment. If a marketing and distribution budget is about half the production budget, then let's say my budget is around $5000. I have about 10% of that raised, and once the film is complete, I will attempt to raise it by means that, well, I haven't really figured out. A separate crowdfunding campaign isn't really something I foresee as an option, as I have already raised a considerable amount and really have no one else to ask for funds. Then again, with a completed film in the can, I actually have a product to crowdsource for (Ba-Zing!). Most of the funds will go towards Festival Submission Fees, website maintenance, and some additional photography that will go along with the films new ending (more on that later).

So far, INTERIOR has a launched a website (www.interiormovie.com) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/interiormovie), and a Twitter account (#interiorhorror) with a corresponding Vine account. We are posting as much as we can, as we are still editing the first cut, there is really nothing to talk about. Instead, we've been posting about various horror news and topics. As the film comes together, I'm going to build a trailer and post clips, in full BINAURAL SOUND!

As of now, the Marketing is being run by myself and my Producer, Susan Williams. All artwork and media is being created by me, as I frankly don't know anyone as proficient to do so. We try to post more than once a week. The bulk of the campaign will be AFTER I have the film completed. I personally think the market is saturated with projects that have already been made, meaning who has time to care about something that HASN'T? I know I know, that goes against the teaching of building your audience from inception, but I feel that a lot of these ideas came before the over-saturation of filmmaking and marketing online. That is something to discuss in class though... 

Below is a brief marketing plan for the next year: 

Fall 2013

• Cut Binaural Trailer
• Create Press Release for Trailer Launch
• Continue Social media campaign
• Create Print materials (Posters, Postcards, etc)

Spring 2014

• Submit Theatrical version to Festivals
• First tier: Fantastic Fest, Fantasia Fest, Toronto After Dark, Slamdance, Screamfest, SXSW, Sundance, Florida Film Festival, LA Screamfest.
• Second tier: Starlite Film Festival, Charlotte Horror Fest.
• Post select Binaural Scenes on website and Youtube.
• Post Private Online Screenings for Word of Mouth (if the film is any good to spread that...)

Summer 2014

• If no major festival response, create downloadable version for the website, self distribute Binaural Version online.
• Edit special features for DVD. 
• Create DVD and Blu-Ray version with special features

That is a pretty standard series of events. But what about this whole "thinking outside the box" idea? The most recent ending of my feature (spoiler alert) has to do with posing the events of the film as "True". This would copy the aesthetic of shows like Unsolved Mysteries and Paranormal Witness. This opens up a world of possibilities in perpetrating this wonderful lie. Additional websites, fake Facebook pages, fake interviews, and various blogs will be created to make this "real." If anyone asks, of course I won't lie, I just love the aesthetic of "true stories"and reality shows.