HERRSCHMIDT ANIMATION

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Chapter III: Find your audience

In December 2008, the world wide number of internet users has passed the billion mark. The internet is a global phenomenon on its way to connect the whole world population. Today it is already representing the entire diversity of singularities, niches and subcultures of our society. Your audience is out there, you just have to find each other.

Where attention flows, money follows

A great number of big internet companies were built upon this principle. At the beginning no one knew how Google, Facebook or MySpace would ever yield a financial gain. The founders of the companies knew that they had to sustain a flow of attention and money would follow. "Free" is always a nice way to get attention. But if you don't get anything in return, "free" is worthless.

Some people argue that one may put a complete piece of work online and fans would still buy it on DVD, either to support you or because they would like to own it in a more convenient format.

Others are convinced that it is better to whet people's appetite with film extracts, trailers, making-ofs and tutorials. You may choose for yourself, if you put the whole film online or just a trailer. However, the more free content your website provides, the greater is the appeal to visit regularly, tell friends about it, get attention from online media and visitors will get to know you better.

Find your communication channels

As I pointed out earlier, social networks aren't necessarily the best platform for your home base. Social networks, animation blogs and websites are your communication channels! Search for sites that deal with animation and film. Look out for blogs and forums concerned with the theme of your film. Spend some time there, talk with the people and give helpful advice. When you find a place, where you get good feedback and interesting conversations arise, you have found your audience. Get to know the owners of the site, find the most active users. Find people on the internet, who have an influence on a large group in your niche. If they like your work, you may benefit from they social network. Send your film to friends, filmmaker buddies, mentors and to people who's opinion you respect.

The value of a link

Your most important instrument for sharing your work is the link. As opposed to appearances on TV, magazines and other coverage in traditional media, the audience sits right in front of the computer. They just have to click once to visit your website and get to know your works more closely. If you stumble upon a website, that features a story about you without providing a link to your site, by all means: Request one! Most people will happily agree. Spread links to your free works and trailers on video sites, forums, etc. to attract an interested audience to your website. Now you could offer DVDs or the like and hope that people buy it. Yet, it is smarter to keep the barrier to participate lower at first.

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