I was contacted by a filmmaker recently who was interested in garnering PR for her film. She described it as a love story. It had no name actors, there was no particular media hook or angle that she could explain, the film did not have a timely element. It didn’t have a particular news-oriented hook. I hadn’t seen the film, but from what I was given on our call, there was very little to go on. She had just started a Facebook page for her film, and was considering Twitter, but had in essence done no marketing or public relations for her film up to this point. There was not distribution in place. She was considering submitting the film to film festivals. She went on to explain that she was interested in launching a PR campaign in order to land a deal with Lion’s Gate, or perhaps one of the major studios.

That’s a nice goal, but not a very realistic one.

This illustrates why it’s so important to focus on your PR and marketing objectives, before you start your first day of shooting, preferably before you finish your script. You can’t blame the woman who contacted me. She was new to filmmaking. She was a first time producer and she knew nothing about the business of the film world. She figured if she made a film she thought was good, then everything else would fall into place. She did not bother to consider how having a film with no name actors, without a definite media hook and no marketing or PR gameplan would leave her in a very precarious position.

It’s important that producers and directors make films that are important to them, but those who do so without giving any consideration to what makes a film marketable, what will interest film studios, or distributors and what are the media angles or story ideas that will interest the press, do so at their own peril.

When you put on your directors or producers cap, you also need to put on your business and marketing hat. These are inseparable.

It is called the film business for a reason.

So, yes you can make a small independent film without name actors that succeeds. But, you first have to define success. If having Paramount pick up your self-financed film and distribute it worldwide is how you define success, time to go back to the drawing board.

That is not a realistic gameplan.

If, on the other hand, you start from day one developing a strong marketing plan, bring on a PR firm who knows the ins and outs of film publicity. Thing of media and marketing angles as you shoot the film and target appropriate film festivals and distributors, you have a real shot at reaching your goals.

Think of the various story angles you can pitch to the different media outlets. They can be about you film, your journey as a film maker, your cast, or perhaps a tie-in with a breaking news story.

Be creative.

One or two well-placed news stories can get you and your film in front of producers, distributors, film companies and influencers.

Remember simply making a film and waiting is not a gameplan.   You can reach your goals. It’s doable, but to do so, you have to be realistic, smart, strategic, creative and patient.

So, regardless where you are in the filmmaking process, pause for a bit and start approaching your film from a marketing and PR perspective.

That one step can change everything.