When the Audience Takes Control

An important thing to keep in mind when building an audience is that you want to strive to create a conversation. Their needs to be value in the sense that you want the audience to be engaged and to feel invested. In the current issue of Filmmaker Magazine I wrote an article entitled “When the Audience Takes Control.” It is a look at a number of filmmakers who are pushing the boundaries in terms of audience interaction.

FILMMAKER MAGAZINE SUMMER ISSUE:

by Lance Weiler - It starts early in the filmmaking process as filmmakers are instructed to write what they know, consider what they have access to and keep their limitations in mind. Those three points are essential when making a truly independent film. But many filmmakers wind up consumed by the filmmaking process. Their resources are spread thin and the epic journey to complete a film leaves them exhausted. And as focused as they are on their work, the sad truth is that many filmmakers do not consider their audience — their interests, expectations or the feasibility of reaching them — while making their films. A common way of dealing with the audience issue is through denial. Two concepts tend to be the norm: “Build it and they will come,” or, even worse, “I make movies for people like me.” But with a congested market and competition for the audience‘s time due to games, TV, other films, online activities and real life, it has become clear that independent filmmakers need to start changing the ways that they interact with their prospective audiences.

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Meanwhile over at the DIY DAYS site we’ve posted a panel from the LA event:

It was the end of DIY DAYS LA and the mics began to drop like flies. In the end we were left with a single mic for five people.

The future of independent film is not in content aggregation, which is quickly becoming commoditized, but in audience aggregation. Sustainability for filmmakers lies directly in the hands of the audience. Direct to audience models have shaken the core of the music industry. But the power of Kevin Kelly’s “1,000 true fans” seems good in theory but where do you start? What are the steps to building an audience around your work and most importantly how do you keep the conversation going? Discussion Leader: Saskia Wilson-Brown (Current TV) - Arin Crumley (Four Eyed Monsters) - Micki Krimmel (expert in social media and online community) - Alex Johnson (digital media strategist / filmmaker) - Lance Weiler (The Last Broadcast, Head Trauma)

To view the panel click here