Sutter Post 1

1. 
"No one is going to give you the money" - What is your marketing and distribution budget? If you do not already have the money, how will you raise it? How do you plan to use the money (be as detailed as you feel comfortable)?

The marketing and distribution budget for my film is $2000. This would be enough money to press the number of DVDs I need to be able break even if I distributed the film myself through a website that I set up.  I already have the money that I need to finish the film, but we are exploring kickstarter options to build an audience more than purely for money raising purposes. Gaining followers through kickstarter or another crowdfunding platform will help get an audience that has skin in the game.

2. 
"Audience building takes time" - How have you begun to engage your audience thus far? Be as specific as possible. How will continue to keep their interest? If you have not begun this process, how will you start? How do you plan to engage this audience over the long term?

Because my film has been made with the cooperation of the Randolph Association, I have been very connected to my most significant target audience since the beginning.  They have been kept up to date about the movie through the association's quarterly newsletter.  I have made many of the interviews that I shot available online for the group to browse through, which they have all said they greatly appreciated.

3.
 "Bring someone on board" - Who is in charge of marketing and/or distribution for your project? What are their responsibilities? If you plan to do it yourself, delegate tasks to a team, or accomplish the work another way, detail your plan for us.

I have thought about getting someone to be my P.M.D. but I have taken anyone on for that job yet.  Ultimately, I would like someone that could update my blog and use my twitter account to keep our fans aware what we're doing.  Further down the line, I would like someone that could help me set up screenings for the crew and the interviewees.  It would also be nice to have someone that could work with me to be sure no festival guidelines are being missed.

4.
 "Think more about new potentials for audience engagement/storytelling" - Brainstorm! What are some non-traditional platforms or methods you could use to tell and/or promote your story? How could these attract and keep new audience members for your thesis in addition to your future work? (think beyond popular social media for this question!) This question may require a bit of internet research!

One of the things that we considered doing was to have a release party at the USS Intrepid in New York.  This cause and their mission seem to be a very good pairing, and they were receptive to the idea.  I also intend to screen what I have completed so far at the Randolph reunion this year in Clearwater Florida.  I have also been trying to get my story into some of the print publications for retired militarymen.  This avenue has been met with very limited success, but as I have a film for them to screen, I have been invited to contact the editors of those magazines again.  Another thing that I have been exploring is the possibility to have my film put into rotation for the US Navy's film program.  Each night, many of the Navy's larger ships have movie screenings.  I have located the company that stocks these films and been attempting to contact them.  The last way that I have thought to promote my film is by going to school classrooms and showing my film.  This presentation would be as much a history lesson as it is me showing my film.