Jarrod Cain:
This experience, although fairly stressful, has also been fairly useful. Unlike a student film or class project, we were responsible, in large part, for the success and failure of someone’s actual feature film. Since this responsibility extends outside of school boundaries and into the professional world I have gained practical knowledge concerning not only the marketing of an independent film, but also incites into the production of such a film. I learned that the marketing for a film should be one of the first elements considered instead of the last as many people believe. The most important job of the producer is to ultimately attract attention and to get butts in the seats, so it is important to look at one’s film from this point of view before, during, and after production. This experience has also improved my skills regarding teamwork. My work ethic and frame of mind usually comes to the forefront in any team project I participate in, and I habitually assume most of the work in order to give me peace of mind concerning the final grade. Even though I assumed a large part of the work for this project, I still kept in regular contact with the other members and we all chipped in reasonably equally in the end.
Alex Figueroa:
I have learned that selling a film can be a difficult task to achieve, but having a good team to work with makes it much easier. Also, I have learned that researching a film before you actually sell it is crucial, and it’s important to know the market for your film. When pitching the film, it is important to be familiar with every aspect of its story in order to convince the people that there is entertainment value in the film that you are selling. Consequently, the elements of our success in selling the film “We are the Mods” was planning and preparation.
Salvatore Depasquale:
Enrolling in The Film Producer course has allowed me to learn a separate aspect of film, which I have not been taught in such detail before. In my time here at UCF, most of my education has been placed in the process of developing a film. Finally, I have been given some insight and experience into the business side of the entertainment industry, and I now possess the tools to effectively market a film. Defining a film’s target audiences, and knowing how to spread the word to them – is a skill in which I now have a foundation. Also, I was given the opportunity to work with an up-and-coming filmmaker, E.E. Cassidy (director of “We are the Mods”). Along the way, I also met some helpful individuals; those who worked as well as volunteered for the festival. The two that stand out are Jon Jones, who assisted me with the filmmakers’ flyers; and a volunteer named Barbara, who became familiar with our group and provided us with tallies at both screenings. Besides those who were affiliated with the festival, I also received help from the local companies and stores. Every store and location I visited to street-advertise was happy to help in some way. This was truly a fulfilling experience, which I do not take for granted. I leave with the knowledge and tools to market mine or other’s films using different forms including internet ads. The entertainment industry is changing and the world is becoming more global as well as internet based. This course was able to teach guerilla marketing with a mixture of both in-person and online advertising. Thank you to all who made this a wonderful semester.
