The document discusses the major selling points that film companies use to appeal a film to the public and make it appealing. Some key selling points discussed are having famous stars, directors, or writers involved; comparing the film to a previous mega-hit; and having other famous people endorse or produce the film. The document also examines how film pitches are used to sell an idea to a studio by highlighting these potential selling points, and how extensive marketing is later used to emphasize these points to the public.

1. Producers and Audiences
9. The major selling points of films

2. Objective
• Understand what the major selling points of
films are, and how institutions like film
companies use them to make the film more
appealing to the public

3. Let’s look at a film poster
How does the
poster sell the film?

4. Let’s look at a film poster
Villain of film
Love interest in the
background – she’s
not too important
Watson’s cane and
haughty expression
indicate
pride/contempt
Holmes and Watson centre;
Holmes has a smug smile (he
will win)
Credits tell us finer details
Tagline – play on words
Stars at the top – famous!

5. Film posters are the end product
• They are made long after a film is cast and are
therefore a feature of post-production
• Pre-production is where a film is deemed to
be viable by a studio
• We will look at this process first before
returning to post-production and marketing

6. The film pitch
This is when the idea of a film is presented to
commissioning executives at a film company.
Someone might have a very short time, sometimes
5 minutes, so the pitch needs to contain all the
details of the film:
• Brief summary of the plot
• Similarities to other films
• Potential stars for the film
Merchandising and franchise opportunities might
be discussed too – depending on who is pitching
the idea

7. What might a studio executive go for?
• We will look at the possible selling points of
films in depth now
• Be aware though that this might not always be
a guaranteed formula for success (we will see
why films fail in a later lesson)

8. 1. “[Star] is in it!”
• Believe it or not, film stars often decide they
want to do a project before the film is actually
made.
• Their agent will send them a script.
• Sometimes, a star just being on board makes it
more likely that the film will be made
(especially if they are a big box-office draw like
Tom Cruise or Johnny Depp)

9. 2. “It’s been written by [writer]!”
• Writers are usually the last to get paid, but
depending on how successful they have been in
the past, they might guarantee success
• Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby)
• Joss Whedon (Buffy/Angel)
• Kevin Smith (Jay and Silent Bob, Dogma)
• Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (Oscar!)
• Joe Eszterhas (trashy hits – Basic Instinct,
Showgirls)
• Nora Ephron (romantic comedies with Meg Ryan)

10. 3. “It’s just like [mega-hit]”
• The public know what they like, and they like
what they know
• That’s why so many films are similar to one
another
• Vampire films, horror films, romantic
comedies, pirate films, wizard and magic films.
Christmas films…

11. 4 “[Director] has made it”
• Some directors get on board very early; they
may even write the screenplay under a
pseudonym
• If the director is known, he or she will often
sell the film because the public has a track
record of seeing their films
• Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, David
Fincher…

12. 5. “[Famous person] likes it and is
willing to put their name to it”
• Necessary when you are trying to sell your
film in America
• “Ben Stiller presents” [Submarine]
• “Steven Spielberg presents” [Super 8]
• Use a bigger name to sell a smaller name
• You often make more money as a producer or
through a production company

13. 6. “Everyone else is watching it.”
• Word-of-mouth (particularly when your
‘mouth’ happens to be the Internet and your
Facebook page!) is a great way of encouraging
other people to watch a film
• Of course, this can also generate negative
publicity around the film so those who are
doing so often work within the parameters of
the film and production company.
• Twitter hash-tags; Facebook pages; BBM?

14. So, what’s next?
• Once the film is made, film studios create
marketing materials (like film posters)
• Often a film company sets aside an equal
amount of money to that of the film’s budget
to market the film
• Usually it works…
• Sometimes it doesn’t…

15. Marketing Strategy
• Film posters
• Personal / press appearances
• Television appearances
• Websites
• Press interviews
• All of this will emphasise the selling points of the
film
• But this doesn’t necessarily mean the film will sell
tickets!