DAVE GEBROE

Val: Exactly how are you involved in the movie industry?

Dave: I’m a writer, producer, and director of independent, thus far, low-budget films.

Val: Why is graphic design important to your goals?

Dave: I need to be able to communicate ideas in the time it takes to blink, to impart a feeling based on the interplay between image, title, and tagline.

Val: In what ways do you use graphic design in your profession? (e.g., logo, stationary, DVD/VHS packaging, posters, media kits, etc.)

Dave: In every way possible. Everything is subjected to a graphic design image overhaul.

Val: What are the top three factors that make you feel satisfied with a design?

Dave: It’s just one simple factor. Can you stand back, disengage yourself from the familiarity of what you’re viewing, and be captured and immediately won over? That’s all you need to know, nothing else. It’s that feeling.

ANSON SCOVILLE

Val: How are you involved in the movie industry?

Anson: I act in independent films and television. I’m also interested in writing and producing in this medium.

Val: Why is graphic design important to your goals?

Anson: Film is a visual medium. Before you can represent your work as the series of moving images you create, you must present your film on paper to potential investors, producers, etc. Graphic design is the only way to bridge the gap between these two areas. A talented graphic designer will work to capture the tone of the film and/or script (depending on what stage you use the services) and help the filmmaker get his or her idea/intention/style across to the powers that be.

Val: In what ways do you use graphic design?

Anson: I use graphic design in all areas of marketing (posters, proposals, logos) as well as in the property department on films (fake newspapers, credit cards, and more).

Val: What are the three top factors that make a design successful in your eyes?

Anson: Number one is tone. This holds true not only for graphic design, but also for all areas of filmmaking that collaborate to create a film. Music, production design, cinematography, etc., all have to be of a consistent tone so the factors work in harmony rather then in conflict,
unless intentional.

Second, the actual aesthetics of the image or images is extremely important. The colors, image choice and placement, use of space (both negative and positive) all contribute to the overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction of a particular design.

Last is style. Although style and tone have similarities, I see them as separate. Whereas tone relates to mood and almost the subconscious feeling, style works more on the visceral reaction, the gut feeling an image brings out. Style is has to do with talent. A great graphic designer has it and will take into account the filmmaker’s intended tone to produce the image. Style is not something one can learn.

Val: How important is web design?

Anson: In this day and age, huge. You have to be accessible. You have to have your product out there. The web is the best way to do it.

Interview conducted by: Valerie Michele Oliver

Try to reach out to:
- associations & trade groups specific to your film’s subject
- your personal associations & alumni
- your community or the talent’s local community
- your peers at your ‘day job’
- think out of the box & contact anyone that has the possibility to email to
thousands of views, readers, or customers

If you’re not interested in handling the above, there are marketing companies that handle these tasks, but be prepared to spend at least $3k - $7k.

Work hard at the above & you’ll see an increase in your title’s awareness.
The greater the awareness for your title among consumers, the greater your
DVD sales & rentals.  Remember, stores don’t buy your title - CONSUMERS do.
So work hard to reach your customers!

For a free consultation, call 732-429-1399.

If you’re looking to market your own film, there are many websites and books that give valuable info on how to create the following:

- Buzz Marketing
- Viral Campaigns
- Blog Marketing
- Word of Mouth marketing
- Friend Forwarding messages
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Writing effective press releases
- Getting Free Publicity
- Guerilla Marketing & Publicity

If you have any questions for any of the above subject, please contact us at anytime. 732-429-1399

Think of your sell-sheet as a billboard ad you see on the highway. BOLD
HEADLINES & great images catch your attention. Keep it SIMPLE.

Your sell sheet can be broken down into the following parts:
A.
front page is a big billboard ad for your key-art & bold headline(s) & tag
line (if you have one). Now that your front side caught the attention of the buyer, they’ll flip the page to read the back:
B.
back page has the following parts:
1. Bold headline(s) (top of page with quotes, awards, & anything else
that’s BIG)
2. images &/or DVD cover key-art
3. sell-points (ok to use bullet points)
4. order date/SRP
5. synopsis (keep it short, in fact this can often go below the ‘3-d box
art’)
6. call to action (order today from…)
7. DVD specs (r/t, rating, barcode, genre, etc..)
8. logos/url

For an affordable professional design for sell sheets, please call 732-429-1399. Our team of designers have been assisting indie filmmakers for over 10 years.

Here’s a blog page that I frequently visit for some insightful info on marketing and distributing your film. James Latham’s blog covers interesting topics on today’s challenges on marketing and distributing independent films.

http://blogs.pavaline.com/jlatham/

We have recently partnered with several independent film festivals in providing key art designs and other visual requirements for selected film entries. As you may already know, a film with good key art can better represent their title as well as upgrade the appeal of the festival. If interested, and you wish to discuss this matter further, please contact me at any time.

We offer special discounted fee for all official festival selections and a referral fee for all acquired projects.

Thanks!

A very good friend of mine, Ron Silver, will release his new DVD on April 21st. Look for it on Netflix and Blockbuster.

I will also help him with his next project, Shooting Henry Hill. A character immortalized by Ray Liotta in the film Goodfellas. You will be amazed of his life after witness protection program!

Looking for that right distributor tip #1:

Make sure they offer non-exclusive deals. Often filmmakers get tied up in an exclusive deals for 5-7 years that prevents them from other opportunities such as TV and foreign sales.

One of our recent project required designing a new key art and consulting on blog marketing for the documentary, BORDER. As a requirement, few of our team members are required to screen the doc and I couldn’t believe what goes on in our border! Filmmaker Chris Burgard’s honest and startling portrait of illegal crossings, frightened border ranchers, and dead and maimed immigrants truly hits home. This compelling film will certainly educate the American public on a failed policy that is deteriorating our border.

This title is now available in Netflix and Blockbuster.

Why do distributors require a sell sheet?

A sell sheet  is generally a one or two page flyer about your film ready for release. Upon acquisition, all distributors will either design a sell sheet on behalf of the filmmakers, or request professionally designed sell sheets. This simple document is a mandatory tool required by all distributors to present to their buyers. In addition to a retail ready key art, a successful sell sheet will have all the vital sales info to motivate buyers in purchasing your titles.

Approximately 200 titles are released every Tuesday… make sure your sell sheet stands out. If you don’t have the budget for a professionally designed sell sheet, please return to this blog for design tips, or call for a free consultation.