The difference between the artist of the last century and the artist of
the twenty-first century lies in his accessibility. Twenty years ago one
could at most expect a prefab writing in return for a fan letter. Today
artists and audience members can engage directly and start a conversation
that deepens over the years of their relationship.
Your email list, facebook account and other communication channels not
only have the purpose to report about festival screenings and new products.
Your fans will have questions, will want to congratulate or offer help.
At first you might answer every single email. Later when your inbox flows
over, you link to an FAQ, so you won't have to answer a question over
and over again. Some artists write answers to blog comments, others
regularly record video or audio podcasts to answer questions.
What do people find interesting about your artistic process?
Surveys are a great way to get precious feedback regarding your works.
Find out if your audience has any questions related to your working
methods. Answer them in a video. You will notice that the production
process holds at least as much interesting aspects as the final product.
People with a large online following have in common that they are generous
about sharing their knowledge. Some of your fans want to do exactly what
you are doing. Let them take part in your artistic process! Educational
material attracts a large audience on the internet, because the viewer
can benefit directly.
Create possibilities for participation
Borrow the concept of beta versions from software developers: "Release
early and often!". Involve your closest fans in the development of your
next film. Early feedback to character designs, the animatic or the cut
may enrich your film. Or you enlist them even more and arrange a contest
to find the best fan-made character design and use it in your film.
This kind of radical involvement of the audience is not everyone's cup
of tea. It is certainly worth thinking about ways of participation,
since nothing intensifies a relation more than a close collaboration.
It shows your respect, gives your fans the chance to learn something and
to earn recognition.
Sometimes the audience points out themselves, how they would like to
participate. When the band OkGo landed a Youtube hit with an artistically
arranged music video, fans sent them videos imitating the dance. The
band organized a contest on their website and flew the winners to one
of their concerts. On stage, they performed the dance together with them.
The filmmaker Richard Linklater invited his fans to create their own
version of a trailer. The documentary filmmaker Brett Gaylor provided
his raw footage and invited his fans to create remixes of his film.
Both approaches helped to spread many different versions of their movies
online. If you don't have a million dollar budget at your disposal, you
may raise your visibility exponentially by turning the audience into your
public relation personnel.
Amplify a topic
Not only the process of filmmaking is interesting, but also the world
surrounding your ideas. Are you intrigued by a theme beyond the development
of your film idea? You may provide continuative links, write reviews on
related readings, prepare a forum for discussions and create surveys.
Your film gains value when embedded into a vital environment. You will
surely find forums, blogs and websites concerned with the topic. This is
where your target audience gathers. Your movie might enrich the conversation
on those platforms and help to develop new audiences for your work.
The documentary filmmaker Robert Greenwald gained online following through
a partnership with the democratic activist website MoveOn.org. When he
released his 2004 film about the war in Iraq, MoveOn.org informed its
members of the upcoming release, sold DVDs and encouraged people to organize
house party screenings. Greenwald anticipated to sell 2.000 DVDs, at the
end 120.000 pieces were sold.
