This is part of a series of posts from my journal and recollections leading up to and during SXSW in March 2008 when I attended with my film, Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie. –Jay Delaney
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons license
Jan. 13, 2008: It’s a strange thing, juggling law school with prepping for SXSW. (I’m feeling kind of like Clark Kent law student by day and Superman filmmaker by night.) I’ve been scouring the internet during any free time I can find for advice on how to make the most of the SXSW experience. Because this is my first feature-length film and my first time in a festival like SXSW, it’s a little overwhelming to try to make sure I’m doing all I should be doing to prepare.
A few of the questions I’ve been facing lately:
- Do I need to find a film PR person?
- Do I need a sales agent / producer’s rep?
- How do I get the HDCAM ready to screen?
- How do I get a decent website up and what should it include?
- How do I edit together a slick trailer?
- What kinds of marketing materials do I need to create and how?
I feel *very* lucky to be premiering the film at SXSW. While the film fest’s caliber can make it pretty overwhelming, they do a fantastic job of providing filmmakers with helpful resources and tools. They’re perfect for the first-time filmmaker with all of the extra resources and tools they provide. For example, they’re sharing a contact list of confirmed film writers, journalists, and bloggers who’ll be attending so we can contact them.
Fortunately, I have an answer to one of the lingering questions above. My good friend Jeff Dafler, a brilliant guy, has offered to share his PR expertise. He’s a true superstar and one of the brightest people I know, so I’m pretty thrilled he’ll be helping. He’s crafting an outreach plan so we can divide up the work. He’s contacting the traditional media, and I’m contacting the online media.
The other questions though continue to haunt me.
