Public Presentation
Planning phase
I will look in to several different ways to show my major project and decided from there what would be best.
Option 1 - Screening at Cineworld
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Large screen - The cinematic experience is characterized by a large screen, providing a more immersive and detailed visual experience.
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High-Quality Sound - Cineworld offers advanced sound systems that deliver superior audio clarity and surround sound, enhancing the impact of my film.
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Dark room - This will help minimize distractions and all viewers to focus entirely on the film
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Comfortable seats - The seating will help in contributing to a relaxed and enjoyable viewing experience
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Shared emotions - When watching a film in a cinema it creates a communal atmosphere where audiences collectively experience emotions, which can amplify reactions and engagement.
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Audience reactions - Hearing and seeing the audience’s reactions in real-time can enhance the film’s emotional impact.
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Special occasion - Showing my film at the cinema can turn it into a special event, attracting more attention and making it a much more memorable experience for viewers.
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Promotional events - Hosting promotional events in cinemas can draw in influencers and other film makers in the industry enhancing my chances of an opportunity in the film industry
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Viral potential - If my film is well received then my film could gain popularity and start trending
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Critical reviews - Films shown in cinemas are more likely to be reviewed by professional critics, adding to your film’s credibility.
Option 2 - Premiere via Youtube
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Global accessibility - YouTube has a massive global audience, allowing my film to reach viewers from all over the world.
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24/7 availability - My film will be available to watching anytime providing continuous exposure without geographical or time constraints
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Various Demographics - YouTube caters to a diverse audience with varied interests, meaning i can target specific demographics
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Subtitles and Translations - I can add subtitles and translations to make my film accessible to non-English-speaking audiences.
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Free Hosting - Uploading this film to Youtube is completely free
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Comments section - Feedback from viewers through the comments section allowing for real-time interaction
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Likes and shares - Able to track viewer engagement through likes and shares helping me gauge the film's reception
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Subscribers - Can build a loyal subscriber base that have the option to receive notifications about my new content
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Analytics - The analytics in youtube studio will help me understand my audience, engagement and watch time
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Custom thumbnails - I can create eye catching thumbnails to attract more viewers
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Social media integration - Can share my film via other social media platforms such as instagram and tik tok
Option 3 - Website upload via Wix
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Branding - Customize the website design to reflect my film’s theme, ensuring a cohesive brand experience.
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Tailored Layout - Design the layout and navigation to highlight my film, trailers, and additional content in the best possible way.
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Ad-free environment - Unlike platforms like YouTube, I can present my film without third-party ads, providing an uninterrupted viewing experience.
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Controller environment - Avoid distractions from unrelated videos, comments, or recommendations that might divert attention from my film.
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Data collection - I am able to collect detailed data on my audience, including demographics, preferences and engagement patterns.
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User behavior - Monitor how users can interact with my site which can help me refine content and marketing strategies.
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Custom URL and Metadata - Optimize my site's URL, titles, descriptions and metadata to improve search engine rankings.
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Easy updates - Can easily update my site whenever i choose.
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Archiving - This site can be used as a means to store my films and other industry work
What i think would be best
I decided that i wanted to have this film premiered at the cinema but the runtime on our showing at the film festival had been filled to their limit of 2 hours run time and so didn't have enough time for my film unfortunately.
I was left then to decide between a YouTube premiere and uploading through to my website, after considering this i decided that a website upload would be best. I will also be uploading this film to Youtube through public upload but not through the premiere system.
Pre-Launch Preparation
Customize Design Elements
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Customize the colours, fonts and layout with the films branding
Content Calendar
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Schedule the film for a date and time
Identify Target Audience
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Research the demographics and also interests of potential viewers
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Research other films that are similar and analyze their audience's engagement
Launch Phase
Upload
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Upload to YouTube unlisted and then upload link to the wix website
Behind the scenes
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Upload BTS photos to website
Post-Launch Activities
Film evaluation
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Evaluate films pre production, production and post production stages
Private screenings
Before releasing my film to the public i decided to hold a screening to some of my crew and close friends for their input, I believe this was a smart choice as i am able to get feedback on things such as the pacing, plot, characters and overall emotional impact of the film.
I first showed this film to a member of my cast/crew which was a very rough draft on premiere pro with only a few scenes filmed at the time, my crew member helped me a lot by reinforcing my ideas in some areas but also combating some editing ideas which made me think further about the style of edit. There was a lot of issues with one of the scenes regarding dirt on the lens to which he pointed out and assisted me in solving this issue via the effects page, i was able to fix this scene a lot because of his help here.
The next screening i held was once most of my film was filmed (except for final scene) and i had a rough edit together with a much more legitimate timeline of events and coherent story. This time i decided to show the film to one of my friends using a social media platform called 'Discord' where i was able to screen share the film on premiere pro without actually exporting it fully to be shown. I had decided to show my friend this as i wanted a variety of viewers to get different opinions and ideas, for example if everyone i showed the film to had the same problems in certain scenes then it becomes much easier for me to identify that as being priority number one to fix. My friends advice here was to do with the general sound of my film and the levels not being very matched up well causing quite a disruptive viewing experience, to combat this issue i went through the film and modified each mp3 clip to match sound better and not be as up and down in terms of volume. I had also looked into some sound transition effects such as 'Constant Gain' which helped massively to keep the atmosphere and general sounds consistent.
The final private screening i held was to another friend via Discord but this time my film was fully edited and was through an unlisted YouTube upload, this meant i was able to present my film in a much more presentable matter with the full screen function, volume button and even auto generated captions. This helped massively with being able to show my film in a professional manner and because of this it was very well received by my friend who found it to be a 'fun and action packed story' which was good to hear. Some of the issues he had was with some of the pacing towards the end but he did add that the final scene helped a lot with these issues.
Overall i am very glad that i held these private screenings as the advice and reactions i was able to get helped me develop my film to the best quality it could be.
Finding a thumbnail
For my website and YouTube especially, a thumbnail is very important for attracting new viewers and interest in my film which can lead to industry professionals being interested in my work in general. I first decided to look through my film and find some stills that i could use of the heroes or some of the landscape, i decided that these would look best for a thumbnail.
The reason i picked these four images is i believe that they are all interesting in their own way for example the shot of Cobra and Power Punch doing poses for a fight look really good and suit their characters really well, the shot of the town with the pier in also looks good to show off the location of the film a bit better and finally the shot of Power Punch from the opening scene with his hands on his hips and a big grin on his face. After doing some research in to the Youtube algorithm and then taking some time to consider these 4 images i decided that i wanted to use the shot from the opening scene as my thumbnail of choice for this film due to the shot placement, colours and also due to the fact that Power Punch is the main character so the focus on this film should be on him.
How i intend to position myself as an industry practitioner
A list of things to consider
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The next step for me would be for me to start networking more. Networking is crucial in the film industry, I will look at attending film festivals, industry events, workshops, or local film meetups to connect with other professionals. I will also use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to follow and interact with industry influencers, filmmakers, and organizations. This will help me massively to connect with other film makers in the industry and raises my chances of filming opportunities.
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Practical experience comes next, I will also look into seeking internships, assistant roles, and entry-level positions to gain hands-on experience. Working on sets, even in minor/unpaid roles, will provide valuable insights into the industry and help me build relationships with experienced professionals. Websites like 'indeed.com' are extremely handy for finding jobs in the industry.
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In the mean time I will actively work on my own projects and collaborate with others in the industry. Independent projects, no matter the scale, are great for demonstrating my skills and creativity. Collaborating with peers can also lead to new opportunities and learning experiences. This also means i am able to build my creative skills along side my technical filming skills.
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Another important thing that i need to do in order to get myself in to the film industry is staying informed about the latest trends, technologies, and industry news. I will follow relevant blogs and podcasts, and participate in online forums and discussions which i believe will help massively with being aware of the current state of the industry and what is important at the moment.
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Mentors are a big part of networking as well and I will try to find mentors who can provide guidance and advice based on their own experiences in the film industry. Mentors can offer helpful insight, help me navigate challenges, and introduce me to their networks.
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Another important thing is to make sure I promote my work through social media, film festivals, and industry showcases. Entering film festivals can provide exposure and recognition, while online platforms can reach a global audience. Having my own work shown to industry professionals could be huge for me to get my foot in the door in future projects.
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My reputation is also a huge part of how to get in to the film industry and so I will strive to build a reputation for professionalism, reliability, and creativity. I will try my best to consistently deliver high-quality work and maintain positive relationships with colleagues will help establish my credibility in the industry as i believe this to be one of the most important things regarding networking.
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And finally, I will commit to continuous learning and adaptation since the film industry is so dynamic, I must be willing to evolve with it. I will seek feedback on my work, learn from my filming experiences, and remain open to new opportunities and challenges.
Film Presentation Evaluation
When it came to presenting my major project i knew i had a lot of things to consider regarding the platform i would showcase it at, the audience i would be presenting too and how it positions me in the industry. I tried my best to present this film in the best way i could despite the set backs and issues i had faced.
The first thing i had to consider was how i was to going to showcase my film so i decided to go through the benefits to using a cinema screening, a YouTube premiere and an upload to my website as mediums to presenting my film. I first came to quite a quick answer when deciding between these which was to showcase it at a cinema with our Cineworld film festival coming up, unfortunately however my film didn't make it into the film reel due to run time. This was a major step back for me as i could no longer present my film in a public setting with industry professionals and real time reactions which was very disappointing for me. Despite this i still pushed on and looked in to what other options i still have such as YouTube and my website, despite these mediums not being as impressive to showcase work as a film festival they also still had their own benefits such as YouTube's analytics and audience data accessibility and my websites control and freedom. In the end i decided i would present this film through my website but also upload the film to YouTube just not as a premiere. Using both of these mediums helped build attention towards my YouTube channel and website as well. In retrospect I believe that the premiere system on YouTube could've provided a much more legitimate experience in terms of public presentation due to its live chat section and also the countdown could generate hype for my film leading up to the upload date. Overall, i believe that despite my limitations in options i did the best i could in terms of presenting my film in a public presence.
Something else i had to consider when presenting my film was the target audience, i knew that presenting an action superhero film would appeal to younger audiences which i tried to cater towards in my editing style and pacing. In retrospect i could've looked in to ways of presenting this film for other audiences for a more varied audience, some ways i could've done this is through a trailer focusing on plot, world building and story as this is typically more of an interest in older audiences than the superhero/action side of the film. Another way i could of expanded my target audience and followers is through sharing my film on social media websites such as Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter) which are much more popular amongst adults, i believe this would cause my film and my online presence to gain a wider appreciation from different audiences. Something else that could help me gain traction on my film and YouTube channel as well is getting in contact with people in the film industry that have a popular social media presence, this may provide to be a challenge however as people with a high following can be difficult to get in to contact with although could provide massive exposure to my film and YouTube channel as a whole. A third and final idea for expanding my audience could be through email marketing which may include making an email list through offering certain things such as early access to the film, behind the scenes footage or interviews with the cast and crew, i will need to keep a schedule going to keep the audience updated on the film's progression. Overall, i believe these ideas could've provided a lot of traffic for the film and expanded my audience as well and so i will consider these ideas for future projects.
Something else to consider for presenting my final film is to push my promotion side of things regarding social media, trailers and other film festivals. Despite the unfortunate circumstances regarding the last film festival 'Emergence' i could've looked in to other film festivals in order to promote my film. However, given the short notice from 'Emergence' i was limited for time and was not able to find another film festival in time to apply for. Something else i could've tried is making a trailer for my film as this would be strong promotion material and therefore will boost my online presence, i would need to look in to other student trailers for examples and try my best to replicate them in my own style that would suit the film's genre and style. My social media platforms could have also benefited from an update in style, graphics and thumbnails to help boost the channels/platforms and therefore boost my film's retention overall. I do believe that my film could've benefited from several marketing techniques regarding social media especially, although given the time span i was on it became difficult to produce this much promotion material.
To conclude this evaluation i believe that overall after everything i faced here i was able to pull through and still produce my film publicly in a presentable way, i had considered a lot when looking at how to present this final project of mine from private screenings to making comparison lists of methods to showcase my film. I am still happy however will how this film turned out in a public presence and did the best i could given the circumstances.