Three Important Benefits of Understanding a Film Audience Demographics.
By: Wilfredo Aqueron
Tags: Movie Marketing, Filmmaking, Film Audience, Film Promotion, Film Market

Film Audience Research provides powerful and useful insights into all filmmakers. While developing a film, filmmakers can use the information collected to make more reliable film pitches, development packages, equity offering, crowdfunding, and film distribution.

We will mention three of the most important benefits for a well-performed and objective film audience research.

How important is understanding a Film Audience Demographics?

Audience Research and Film Investors

Film Audience Research provides powerful and useful insights into all filmmakers. While developing a film, filmmakers can use the information collected to make more reliable film pitches, development packages, equity offering, crowdfunding, and film distribution.

If the production is looking for investors, it is worth mentioning that they want and need to know the raw numbers like niche demographics, audience size, conversion rate, and budget. This information can help them to determine the size or lack of contribution they decide to make.

Suppose the filmmaker chooses not to conduct in-depth research, or worst, falsify this information. In this case, the investor will see through the pitch and those bogus numbers, and they will label the filmmaker and the film as a lousy investment. Remember, investors’ and filmmakers’ relationships are base on two things trust and return of investment. Falsify or miss directed information will hurt both.

It is imperative to keep in mind that investment=risk and a percentage of failure always will be present. Still, the information obtained by the audience research can significantly drop that risk.

Audience Research and Film Distribution

In 2019, around eight thousand featured films screened and premiered in film festivals. From those films, less than four percent were distributed by studios or independent distributors (Not including illegitimate or scam Distribution Companies).

The two ways to introduce a film to their audience:

The wrong way. Fooling the audience or shoving the movie in their faces. The right way. Understand the film audience, communicate, and become part of the tribe. Lastly, ask for support.

Unquestionably, by researching the film audience, the filmmaker will comprehend the different opportunities that their new community can offer, especially regarding self-distribution.

Audience Research Film Promotions

Independent Filmmakers are often skeptical about marketing and promotions, and to be honest, we understand why.

Film marketing can be an intimidating and daunting experience for many filmmakers.

Been a filmmaker means that rejection and criticism are part of our lives. However, this does not mean that we are used to it, especially when we put out our hearts into our films. Hence, facing rejection and criticism can be considered one obstacle to an objective film marketing strategy.

The rule of thumb and most necessary way of thinking is knowing that the film will not please all audiences.

We guarantee that filmmakers will see at least ten or, in some cases, hundreds of people enjoying the film for every negative feedback they receive. Unless the creative team did not care about the audience, in that case, the careless feeling would be exponentially present.

After reviewing these three points, we hope that filmmakers consider adding audience research as part of the development stage. These efforts and newly acquired knowledge can be a positive tool in the filmmaker’s toolbox.

Good Luck, and keep moving forward. Remember, time doesn’t apply to a film voice!

For More Tips and Tactics related to film audience research and film promotions visit CinemaAudiences.com