What if promoting projects you’re in helped open doors to you being cast in future projects? Promoting projects not only aids in building your fan base, it also can leverage new opportunities, as it shows filmmakers how valuable you are to the success of their film. It also shows other storytellers that you’re excited to promote, which increases the likelihood of them considering YOU for their future projects.
Below, I go over some tips on ways to effectively promote your projects on social media, at film festivals and through digital/physical mailers.
Digital Postcards
With so many free design programs out there, it’s relatively easy for you to create digital mailers that you can email or post to your social media channels. And if you’re not too graphically inclined, you could even have someone create one for you for pretty cheap (check out FIVERR.com!).
What to put on the image?
Using a program like Canva or Photoshop, create an image that includes your photo, the name of the project, dates of when one can watch it, and some other fun info. For example, if you book the role of Mercutio in ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ you could have a postcard with your headshot, a phrase saying “Just booked Mercutio!”, the name and address of the theater along with the show dates, and a fun little quote from the play, like “True, I talk of dreams/ Which are the children of an idle brain, /Begot of nothing but vain fantasy.”
Where do I post the image?
Post this digital postcard on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc! Create posts on your social media channels and tag the filmmakers, playwrights, crew members, other actors, everyone involved. Let the world know about your incredible work and the incredible people that you got to work with. Make sure to reply to comments and say thank you for all the amazing support you get on these posts.
Email your digital postcard.
When people in the industry ask you to keep them updated on what you’ve got going on, make sure you do just that! Email them your digital postcard! Let them know about a booking or a play, the type of role you’re playing, what excites you about the project. Keep it relatively short and sweet. And if there’s a live performance or screening, invite them to watch.
Hard Copy Postcards
Another way to promote your good news is through traditional, hard copy postcards/mailers. Take the digital image you’d created for your social media posts above and adjust slightly.Add a little more info:Postcards have lots of space on the back that can be utilized to showcase a bit more of your personality. Add a little note about the project, for example, “I’m super excited to be working opposite so-and-so actor, and it’s been fun to get to play this type of character.” Make sure to put your (or your rep’s) contact info and be sure to address the postcard to the appropriate person. Send that baby off!
Create Multiple Mailers About The Same Booking!
A booking is a big deal and it should be shared multiple times. Use essentially the same template for each version of the mailer, but with different updates, like:1) Just booked!2) Just shot!3) Here’s a shot of me on set!4) Watch me on TV next week!5) I was on TV!6) Nominated for this award!7) The Reviews are in! (Be smart with this… Spread out these updates, especially if you are sending them to someone’s inbox)
Film Festival Promotion
A great part of our industry is that there are a multitude of festivals that are screening our projects, which creates so many opportunities for people to see our work. There are a lot of cool ways to promote film festivals and screenings, and here are some ideas for you.
Film Festival Promotion
A great part of our industry is that there are a multitude of festivals that are screening our projects, which creates so many opportunities for people to see our work. There are a lot of cool ways to promote film festivals and screenings, and here are some ideas for you.
Promoting On Social Media
Stills from a project are a great way to get promo images and to create a digital postcard, especially if you are growing tired of using your headshot for everything. Pull a still or screengrab with you in it, and then using an image editing software, add the laurels for that festival somewhere on the still. Also add info about the screening times and locations. Remember to ask the creators if this is ok to do, especially if you’ve been given an NDA to sign. Filmmakers do love it when people promote their projects, just clear everything with them beforehand :)Post these stills on social media + tag your collaborators
Just like the digital postcards above, post these images onto your social media channels. Make sure to tag the festival and the filmmakers. Make sure to THANK the festival for selecting the project you’re a part of! Oftentimes festivals will repost these types of posts, which allows your work to be seen by even more people.
REMEMBER: Promoting projects makes you look good to the producers, filmmakers, other actors, because you’re also promoting them. Whenever I produce a project, I make note of who in the cast/crew actively promotes the film on social media. It’s free advertising for my project, and it encourages me to work with those people again because it simply means that more people are becoming aware of the project.
