Market Those Documentaries!

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Permalink Reply by Bill Mecca on July 7, 2009 at 1:27pm

when I produced my documentary, "Lost Towns of the Pine Barrens, Vol. I" I broke all my own rules and it wound up taking me a lot longer to complete. Well that and we also had 4 children during the production process and moved twice. LOL

I cannot remember how I got the idea for the project, but I do remember having a "conversation" with another producer on the old Videonics ListServ and saying something like, " I'll become the local Ken Burns and produce a video on the lost towns of the pine barrens." I tracked down one historian and then another. The first got me in his Bronco and out we went. First rule I broke... I shot before doing research. Did some interviews with him out in the woods. Shot a lot of tape, getting shots I thought I would need. Then I found another amatuer historian thru some weird family connections. (apparently his brother had dated my sister's husband's sister, and there is more but I won't bore you with details). Did an interview with him. Got good SOT from both . then I went about researching my subject, finding what I could to flesh out details of what they had told me.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Mecca on July 7, 2009 at 1:32pm

to continue: I looked for artwork, tracked down some artifacts, got a friend to shoot some video at MT. Vernon, shot some more tape, travelled to get even more images. then started putting it together. Edited using a DC10+ in a Celeron 400 machine using Ulead Media Studio Pro. Today's technology is vastly superior, but I did what I needed to do.

Marketing has been hit or miss. It's my weak point. There is a very small market out there for this, and many of those in the market, know just about everything that is in the video so tough to get them to buy. I've set up a blog, try to post to generate some interest, put it up on ebay from time to time, craigslist as well. Re-writing my sales page will help.

I'm also working on a new project which I have to give credit to our friend Jay Michael for suggesting. This one will probably hae a larger market.
What I learned..which I already knew but didn't do because of the opportunity... Research first. Do the interviews, then script and then shoot. the script is your foundation upon which to build. Also research your market, make sure it's out there before you spend the time and effort and money. runnin gout of space again so I will shut up now.

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Permalink Reply by Jay Michael on July 7, 2009 at 3:25pm

I'm working on a new program based on "The Free State of Jones". It's a Civil War documentary about the county I grew up in, Jones County Mississippi. During the war we seceded from the union and tried to become our own nation.

Actually it was Bill's Pine Barrons DVD that gave me the idea. He had taken something of local interest and made a great SIV title about it. Next year Gary Ross will have a movie coming out about it so my timing is perfect. ;-)
I started out researching it and asking around. I found most people here do not know or understand the whole story. Many legends have been accepted as fact.

Then I sought out experts. Local historians to tell what happened. This has led me on an interesting journey into my own family history and the town I grew up in. There are tons of things I had no idea about and the story is very interesting. A band of renegade rebel freedom fighters fought back the confederate and union invasion!
I will be shooting in the historic Deason Home soon and have met many people who are helping me make this documentary. I hear I will be the second videographer to ever have been granted permission to shoot inside the home.

This DVD will be something any Civil War buff will want to see and own. (Or at least I hope) Right now I'm doing the research and shooting interviews. I am finding the interviews are dictating the script rather than the other way around. When I interview someone I get more info I didn't know and the script falls together.

At this point it is just falling into place. I have interviewed very passionate people about the subject and they will talk for as long as i have tape to record. I'm also researching and locating B-roll footage and getting local shots. You can bet when it comes time to market this puppy I will be picking some brains in this forum. ;-0

You need only to look at your own hometown for some great Special Interest video ideas. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by grinner on September 7, 2009 at 11:47am

I market mine to networks they best fit. Id it's music-based, I pitch to music networks. If it's just a bio, Biography channel is my taget. ect.
Never do I create a documentary with marketing inmind though. I wait until it's finished then decide who would want it the most.

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Permalink Reply by Don Shafer on October 3, 2009 at 11:34pm

Great topic for this forum! First tip: keep at it, don't stop talking, writing, posting, emailing, even just brainstorming about your documentary (actually any film or program). We just signed a very nice European home video distribution deal for a film that we had not been pushing hard & the buyer found us. But that is a cosmic payoff for all the work that we have done on other programs. BE HONEST & DIRECT. That is not only with other people but with yourself. Your film is not GONE WITH THE WIND, ET, STAR WARS or TITANIC. That does not mean that it does not have value. Chances are if you are reading this your film has both intangible merit and some commercial value. Target your potential audience and then your platforms.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Mecca on October 4, 2009 at 5:44pm

yes, keep talking about it. I was out at a festival today and landed an interview for my latest project. Someone I would have had a difficult time finding any other way. But he is passionate about his subject, is well spoken and has a doctorate as well. It's a small part of the story, but will help immensely.

Overall progress has slowed as I have been distracted by other issues, but as long as it keeps moving foward it's all good. Heck the story is nearly 300 years old so it's not like there is a deadline. LOL

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Permalink Reply by Michael David Kuhlman on April 11, 2010 at 11:52am

My goal is to make feature films, not documentaries, but, yeah, I know what you mean! I just finished a sort of "art-house" docu-drama on the Civil War, Echoes of Valor, and am beginning to market it through traditional film festival venues. It's sort of a slice-of-life story on a day, a night and a day in the life and death of soldiers embroiled in that tragic conflict, told through live reenactment footage and period music. Some really gorgeous available-light stuff. I think it'll garner attention for its cinematography and editing. Since it's kind of an odd format, probably won't sell as a product unto itself, but I think it'll lead to paying directing or cinematography work on similar projects. Who knows, could land me a stint shooting films for Discovery, History or A&E!

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Permalink Reply by Earl Chessher on April 11, 2010 at 3:25pm

You go for it Michael. Dreamers can certainly stay just that, but those who learn how to be doers as well can make it happen for themselves. Thanks for chiming in.

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Permalink Reply by Jay Michael on April 11, 2010 at 8:42pm

Speaking of documentaries, my doco "ÜFOS 1973" picked up an award at a film festival in Nevada. Best Abductee / Contactee Documentary. So, I'm kinda walking on cloud nine today. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Earl Chessher on April 11, 2010 at 9:27pm

Impressive and encouraging, Mr. Jay, gives us all hope for the futures of our efforts. I've read in recent articles where it can take years to create and develop a documentary - that much and more. Any recognition and/or monetary gain, even public exposure is well-earned compensation for the blood, sweat, tears, love and MONEY invested.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Mecca on April 13, 2010 at 11:28am

so THAT's how you did so good with the Abductee angle of the video! Cloud 9...;-) Congratulations my friend.

Jay Michael said:

Speaking of documentaries, my doco "ÜFOS 1973" picked up an award at a film festival in Nevada. Best Abductee / Contactee Documentary. So, I'm kinda walking on cloud nine today. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Bill Mecca on June 14, 2010 at 3:46pm

There is a market for it, there are thousands of re-enactors that would snap that up. Do you have a trailer etc on line? supply a link and I can let some of the Civil War buffs I know in on it.



Michael David Kuhlman said:

My goal is to make feature films, not documentaries, but, yeah, I know what you mean! I just finished a sort of "art-house" docu-drama on the Civil War, Echoes of Valor, and am beginning to market it through traditional film festival venues. It's sort of a slice-of-life story on a day, a night and a day in the life and death of soldiers embroiled in that tragic conflict, told through live reenactment footage and period music. Some really gorgeous available-light stuff. I think it'll garner attention for its cinematography and editing. Since it's kind of an odd format, probably won't sell as a product unto itself, but I think it'll lead to paying directing or cinematography work on similar projects. Who knows, could land me a stint shooting films for Discovery, History or A&E!

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