BARSTOW Marketing Plan
BARSTOW Love is never really lost.
MARKETING PLAN|BRENNA CLEARY DIRECTOR|SHELBY THOMAS PRODUCER|RYEN BARTLETT Entertainment Marketing May 2014 FTV-419
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Phase One: Overview 5 Target Audience 6 Marketing Opportunities & Obstacles 7 The Big Idea 8 Tagline 10 Phase Two: Film Festival Strategy 11 Target Festivals 12 Festival Kit 13 Pitch Letter & Press Release 14 Crew Biographies 15 Cast Biographies 16 Key Art 17 Photography 18 DVD Case 19 Cover Folder & Business Cards 20 Festival Marketing 21 Phase Three: B-2-B Strategy 23 Target Distributors 24 3
Phase Four: Consumer Strategy 25 Release Timeline 26 Creative Strategy 28 Creative Executions 29 Media Strategy 33 Market Research 35 Publicity 37 Promotions 39 Internet Marketing 39
Overview | Phase One Positioning Statement Anticipated Rating Genre
Synopsis
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When Charlie discovers the whereabouts of her missing mom, she’s forced to hitch to Barstow to ask her estranged deadbeat dad for help.
“PG-13”
Indie Drama Charlie Howard is having a hard day. Her orders come out wrong, her tips come up short, and a call during her break answers the one question that hasn’t left her mind in the last six months: where is her mother? When a woman in an Albuquerque hospital morgue is identified as her missing parent and guardian, the shelled-in but stubborn sixteen year old is given three days to retrieve the body before it’s dumped in an un-marked grave. The problem: the body can only be released to an adult relative. Barstow, CA. A lone trailer sits shrouded in a desert oasis of palm trees and antique junk with a lone man working the yard. When Charlie is forced to reconnect with her long estranged father, Marshal Howard, heavy news and a favor on hand, reunion quickly turns south as the demons of their past resurface.
Target Audiences
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The themes of family, reconciliation, and forgiveness attract women by providing a meaningful movie going experience that resonates with the important triumphs and struggles within their own lives.
Women over the age of 45 are known to have a taste for independent art films. Barstow’s unique point of view, skilled cinematography, and fresh style will capture the more refined film audience.
Barstow is an independent art house film with subtleties and film making craftsmanship that will capture the attention of festival audiences, critics, and indie film fans.
Primary: Females 21-35 Secondary: Females 45-54 Tertiary: Indie Film Fans
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Opportunities Themes
of love, loss, and reconciliation are relateable staples of the drama genre.
Iconography
such as open roads, deserts, and sunsets are recognizable and speak to the film’s setting and plot themes.
Characters
Charlie, the heroine and protagonist, is likable and sympathetic, while her absent father, Marshal, is equally as unsympathetic.
Soundtrack
featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
Star Power
Actors are unknown and carry no name recognition.
Filmmakers
This is the first film for writer /director Shelby Thomas, thus her name carries no weight or power of persuasion
Title
Barstow will only evoke the interest of those who are familiar with the town and may be hard to recall for those who are hearing of it for the first time.
Themes
A family drama may be too serious and intense for some movie goes.
Obstacles 7
THE BIG IDEA
CARRY ON 8
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Tagline:
LOVE IS NEVER REALLY LOST
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FILM FESTIVAL STRATEGY
PHASE TWO 11
TARGET FESTIVALS
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST
South by Southwest in Austin, Texas is one of the indie world’s most famous and respected festivals. Because this festival is not limited to films, it gives Barstow an opportunity to cross audience boundaries while making a name for itself in the festival circuit.
AFI FEST
Located in Los Angeles, Calif., this festival provides a blend of well established filmmakers and local up and comers. Because the creators of Barstow reside in southern California, this festival has an at-home feel and will bring audiences who can connect Barstow’s southern California title and setting.
SUNDANCE
America’s indie darling, this festival represents the height of American independent film work. The credibility of this festival would enhance Barstow’s overall credibility and is well known amongst our target audiences.
BARSTOW Festival Kit
pitch 13 May 2014 Cleary Movie Marketing 345 Buy My Film Street Hollywood, CA 91007
To whom it may concern, Suffering, loss, and grief are all a part of the human experience. However, it is such despairs that remind us of the power of hope, love, and family. I submit to you the independent drama Barstow. Set in the hauntingly beautiful and barren desert of Barstow, California, this film follows Charlie Howard, who when the film opens, is having a hard day. Her orders come out wrong, her tips come up short, and a call during her break answers the one question that hasnʼt left her mind in the last six months: where is her mother? " When a woman in an Albuquerque hospital morgue is identified as her missing parent, the shelled-in but stubborn sixteen year old is given three days to retrieve the body before itʼs dumped in an un-marked grave. The problem: the body can only be released to an adult relative. " Barstow, CA. A lone trailer sits shrouded in a desert oasis of palm trees and antique junk with a lone man working the yard. When Charlie is forced to reconnect with her long estranged father, Marshal Howard, heavy news and a favor on hand, the reunion quickly turns south as the demons of their past resurface. As marketer of this film I can provide you with a full-scale marketing plan to bring this film to its audience. Thank you for your consideration. Please notify me for a screenplay. Brenna Cleary 951-519-1915 brennacleary@barstowfilm.com
press release INDIE DRAMA BARSTOW TO PREMIERE IN HOLLYWOOD, CALIF.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. - Indie drama Barstow premiere followed by Q&A with director Shelby Thomas May 13, 2014, 7pm Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, Calif. Set in the hauntingly beautiful and barren desert of Barstow, California, this film follows Charlie Howard, who when the film opens, is having a hard day. Her orders come out wrong, her tips come up short, and a call during her break answers the one question that hasnʼt left her mind in the last six months: where is her mother? " When a woman in an Albuquerque hospital morgue is identified as her missing parent, the shelled-in but stubborn sixteen year old is given three days to retrieve the body before itʼs dumped in an un-marked grave. The problem: the body can only be released to an adult relative. " Barstow, CA. A lone trailer sits shrouded in a desert oasis of palm trees and antique junk with a lone man working the yard. When Charlie is forced to reconnect with her long estranged father, Marshal Howard, heavy news and a favor on hand, the reunion quickly turns south as the demons of their past resurface. For tickets visit barstowmovie.com For more information email Brenna Cleary at brennacleary@barstowmovie.com or visit barstowmovie.com
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DIRECTOR|Shelby Thomas
Raised deep in the mountains of upstate New York, Shelby spent her early years adventuring in the woods with her siblings. Learning to read at an early age birthed a passion for story and it’s reflection of life in its many different, complex, and ever-changing characters. An avid traveler, curious spirit, and enjoyer of a good debate, Shelby has studied filmmaking in New York, Southern California, and Cannes, France, admiring the medium as a culmination of her creative passions. Now a Los Angeles based filmmaker, she received a student filmmaking award from the Women of Chapman foundation; a $10,000 grant to be used towards the completion of her thesis film “Barstow.”
PRODUCER|Ryen Bartlett
At the age of eighteen, with a NFFTY award under his belt, Ryen Bartlett left rain city Seattle to sunny California to pursue his dream of becoming a film producer. After exploring and learning about the entertainment industry through internships ranging from a top-tier talent agency to a premier independent production company, he has decided to carve his own path and form his own management/production company. Ryen currently represents a variety of artists and is always looking for another project to invest his endless amounts of energy into.
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY|Ben Fischinger
Ben Fischinger was given an old 35mm camera by his grandmother at age thirteen and never really stopped looking through it. After developing a passion for still photography in places like London, Yellowstone, Hawaii, and his home state of California, he soon found his way to moving images and eventually Chapman University in Orange, California. Now, age twenty-two, Ben is an intuitive, enthusiastic, and accomplished Cinematographer with a passion for collaborate and ambitious projects. He recently photographed Into the Silent Sea, a 1960’s period drama about the ruthless Soviet space race, which won the 2013 Student BAFTA Award and premiered at Telluride Film Festival in Colorado.
MEET THE FILMMAKERS
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CAST
CHARLIE HOWARD|Kathryn Wahl
Kathryn Wahl is known for her work on The Bonnie Hunt Show (2008), Weeds (2005) and This Means War (2012).
MARSHAL HOWARD|Michael Stoyanov
Michael Stoyanov was born on December 14, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Dark Knight (2008), Blossom (1990) and Freaked (1993).
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KEY ART This image of Charlie communicates the big idea “Carry On” by depicting the main character on her father’s car, clearly worn, and distraught. However the photo also makes her appear likable, strong, mysterious, and beautiful. This imagery will be the focus of the creative advertising and is a staple of the Barstow campaign.
COLOR PALATE
PHOTOGRAPHY
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Branded DVD Case BARSTOW
Charlie Howard is having a hard day. Her orders come out wrong, her tips come up short, and a call during her break answers the one question that hasn’t left her mind in the last six months: where is her mother? When a woman in an Albuquerque hospital morgue is identified as her missing parent and guardian, the shelled-in but stubborn sixteen year old is given three days to retrieve the body before it’s dumped in an un-marked grave. The problem: the body can only be released to an adult relative. Barstow, CA. A lone trailer sits shrouded in a desert oasis of palm trees and antique junk with a lone man working the yard. When Charlie is forced to reconnect with her long estranged father, Marshal Howard, heavy news and a favor on hand, the reunion quickly turns south as the demons of their past resurface.
BARSTOW
Love is never really lost.
BARSTOW Written and Directed by Shelby Thomas
back 19
front
folder cover Love is never really lost.
BARSTOW festival kit
BARSTOW festival kit
business cards 20
barstowmovi 21
Festival Marketing Social media will be the key player for Barstow’s festival beginnings. The film’s audience has a strong presence on social media - thus a fully integrated social media strategy will be in play to generate excitement at film festivals. A twitter and facebook presence will allow festival goers to tag Barstow in their posts about the festival. The hashtag #barstowmovie will make it simple for those who have viewed the film to discuss it and share their opinions. On facebook, behind the scenes pictures, information about upcoming screenings, and links to relevant articles will keep Barstow’s audience in two-way communication with the film’s brand.
Swag will play an integral role in gaining attention at film festivals. Branded floral backpacks and sunglasses as seen in the film will be given to festival goers. These swag items were chosen because they are appealing to our target audience, play off the iconography of the film, and serve as a free advertising platform as people use the items at the festival .
BARS
TOW
BARSTOW
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Phase Three: B-2-B Strategy Distribution Strategy
Limited platform release Begin in major cities across US, expand in following weeks By targeting well-known independent distributors, this film will gain credibility and have a strong chance of success on opening weekend. By focusing on major cities the film will gain the attention of critiques and indie film fans. Through word of mouth interest and earned media the film will grow in popularity as we increase the number of theaters the film is playing in.
Target Distributors
These distribution companies have a long history with independent dramas whose audiences mirror the audiences of this film. Coming of age stories about family, love, adventure and reconciliation are a theme amongst these distributors. Above are titles released by these distributors that are comparable to Barstow in style, target audience and theme. 24
Consumer Strategy PHASE FOUR
Overall Strategy
Friday, March 27th was chosen for its limited competition. On this weekend no other film that targets Bartsow’s audience will be premiering. Two major films, Get Hard a comedy, and Penguins of Madagascar, a family film, will be Barstow’s only competition. A limited platform release will allow for the film to gain traction in 50 theaters in cities and metropolitan areas before the number of theaters expands to reach a larger audience. March is a prime month to release Barstow because it will not have to compete with other dramas during the traditional awards season releases of late fall, nor the holiday and valentines day films that will also target young women.
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FRIDAY
MARCH 27
, 2015
Barstow Theatrical Release
Release Timeline NOVEMBER 2014 AFI FEST LOS ANGELES, CALIF
MARCH 2015 MARCH 27, 2015 SXSW THEATRICAL AUSTIN, TEXAS RELEASE
JANUARY 2015 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL PARK CITY, UTAH
LATE FEBRUARY BEGIN CONSUMER ADVERTISING
TEASER TRAILER RELEASE FILM FESTIVAL PROMOTIONS,
PRESS
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CREATIVE STRATEGY
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Big Idea:
CARRY ON Tagline:
LOVE IS NEVER REALLY LOST
CREATIVE MATERIALS
POSTER OUTDOOR PRINT TV SPOT IN-THEATER STANDEES
The phrase “Carry On” communicates the trials and tenacity of Barstow’s lead character, Charlie. “Love is never really lost,” continues this theme but adds elements of hope and love. Most of the creative materials will focus on Charlie’s journey, making her and the challenges she faces the center point of the creative advertising.
POSTER The poster created will serve as the in theater poster, the in-theater standee, and the key art for the film. This image was chosen for its emotionality. The image spotlights Charlie, our protagonist, and gives the viewer a sense of her struggle. The color palate and desert imagery gives the film setting and tone. OUTDOOR The billboard is designed to generate a sense of mystery from the onlooker. The tagline and image together tell the viewer that this girl is on a journey, and lost, both physically and metaphorically. The image gives us a sense of the film and communicates the big idea, “carry on.” PRINT The print design is meant to be a full spread in magazines. This depicts Charlie at the beginning of her journey and at her final destination. The images side by side tell her story and intrigue the viewer about her location and intentions, generating interest in her and the film. TV SPOT A teaser trailer, full length trailer, 30 TV Spot, and film review spot will be created.
CREATIVE ADVERTISING
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poster
LOVE IS NEVER REALLY LOST
BARSTOW|MARCH 27
BARSTOW
billboard
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print advertisement
LOVE IS NEVER REALLY LOST 31
BARSTOW|MARCH 27 www.barstowmovie.com
tv spot
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REMINDER INTEREST AWARENESS
PHASE ONE, february Phase one mainly focuses on awareness for Barstow. Advertising during this period will make the target audience familiar with the title and will engage indie film fans on social media. A reach strategy will ensure that our target is aware of Barstow’s release.. MEDIA USE: outdoor (posters) outdoor (billboards) social media
PHASE TWO, march Phase two will hone in our target audience by using a frequency strategy. During March television trailers will run sporadically during the first two weeks and heavily in the last two weeks of March. The trailer will communicate more detail about the film, and saturation across multiple media platforms will ensure that Barstow is on the top of our audience’s mind. MEDIA USE: outdoor (posters) outdoor billboards 30-sec TV spot print (magazine) print (newspaper) online (pre-roll) online (banner)
PHASE THREE, march 27-30 Phase three’s aim is to remind those who are already interested in seeing Barstow that the film is in theaters. In order to do this we will continue the frequency media strategy from phase two but add a homepage takeover and review TV spots. MEDIA USE: outdoor (posters) outdoor billboards 30-sec TV spot (trailer) 15-sec TV spot (review) print (magazine) print (newspaper) online (pre-roll) online (banner) online (homepage takeover)
MEDIA PLAN
BUDGET ALLOCATION
50%
10% 10%
10% Television Print Online (banner) Online (pre-roll) Social Media Outdoor (posters) Outdoor (billboards)
5% 5%
10%
MEDIA SCHEDULE February TV (trailer)
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
March Week 4
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
TV (trailer) Print Online (banner) Online (pre-roll) Social Media Outdoor (posters) Outdoor (billboards) Homepage Takeover TV (review)
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Week 4
concept testing positioning studies MARKET RESEARCH test screenings advertising tests tracking exit study
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To gain a well researched perspective of Barstow’s role in the market place, data will be gathered from the beginning stages of the film until the audience leaves the theater. Concept testing during pre-production will provide insight into how receptive our target audience is to Barstow. Positioning studies will help the marketing team specifically target groups of people and help them to understand whether their work is effective. Test screenings before Barstow premiers at festivals and in theaters will aid in finalizing the theatrical cut. Lastly, tracking will aid in evaluating the effectiveness of marketing activities and exit studies will provide audience insight on the film’s playability.
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PUBLICITY Publicity for Barstow will help strengthen the film’s bond with its target audiences. Publicity will run from the beginning of Barstow’s festival season with a reach approach and will become much more saturated in the two weeks leading up to the film’s theatrical release, at which point a frequency strategy will cement Barstow in consumers’ minds.
SCREENINGS
Preview screenings of the film for press, bloggers, critics, and at colleges around the country will generate interest of the film and serve as a platform for word-of-mouth advertising. This screenings will allow opinion leaders to have a first glance at the film and will give Barstow credibility with it’s audience.
KATHRYN WAHL
TALK SHOWS
The stars of Barstow will be sent to do interviews on television talk shows and for radio stations in cities where the film in premiering.
INTERVIEWS
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Actress Kathryn Wahl will be pitched to fashion blogs and magazines as an up and coming chic starlet. This will generate excitement for the film and will gain attention with our primary target audience, young females. Because Wahl and her character are beautiful, fresh, and stylish, she will easily aid in gaining traction for the film.
SAMPLE PITCH 13 May 2014 Cleary Movie Marketing 345 Buy My Film Street Hollywood, CA 91007 Matthew Lyons Editorial Director In Style Magazine P.O. Box 289 New York, NY 10013 Dear Matthew Lyons, Actress Kathryn Wahl, known for the films The Pit and the Pendulum and The Telltale Heart, will star in the upcoming indie drama Barstow. Set in the hauntingly beautiful and barren desert of Barstow, California, this film follows Charlie Howard, who when the film opens, is having a hard day. Her orders come out wrong, her tips come up short, and a call during her break answers the one question that hasnʼt left her mind in the last six months: where is her mother? " When a woman in an Albuquerque hospital morgue is identified as her missing parent, the shelled-in but stubborn sixteen year old is given three days to retrieve the body before itʼs dumped in an un-marked grave. The problem: the body can only be released to an adult relative. " Barstow, CA. A lone trailer sits shrouded in a desert oasis of palm trees and antique junk with a lone man working the yard. When Charlie is forced to reconnect with her long estranged father, Marshal Howard, heavy news and a favor on hand, the reunion quickly turns south as the demons of their past resurface. Wahl is truly captivating in the film and exudes style in her daily life. She is a prime candidate for your upcoming issue. Please contact me for a screenplay or further information. Brenna Cleary 951-519-1915 brennacleary@barstowfilm.com
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PROMOTIONS
INTERNET MARKETING
Promotions utilized in the festival marketing will be continued for consumer marketing. However, no product placement or corporate tieins will be used in order to maintain the film’s indie credibility. The themes of this film are heavy in nature and do not lend themselves to positive corporate partnerships. However, the cast will be available as described in publicity for interviews.
Internet marketing will be a pivotal part of Barstow’s overall campaign. Online banner advertisements and social media will combine to bring the film to its target audience. Young women and indie film fans, two of our key markets, spend much of their time on the internet and often use the opinions of their friends and bloggers, rather than traditional advertising, when making their movie-going decisions.
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SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
A multiplicity of platforms will be used in order to give Barstow a complete social media presence. Facebook will be used as the social media homepage, providing information about Barstow. Twitter will serve as a way for the target audience to directly interact with the film and will allow for the use of the hashtag #barstowmovie. Instagram will have behind the scenes pictures, movie stills, and content from the creators, while Pinterest will allow for sharing of desert imagery boards and pins of chic desert clothing as seen in the film.
ONLINE BANNER ADVERTISEMENTS
Banner advertisements demo- and geo- targeted to reach our audience will display the film’s creative banner advertising and click through to the film’s facebook page. These banners will be placed on popular websites amoungst the target audience such as elle.com and imdb.com.
BLOGGER OUTREACH
In order to generate credibility the film will be screened by prominent indie film bloggers who will then review the film, creating an interest amongst indie film fans.
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MARKETING PLAN|BARSTOW Brenna Cleary Entertainment Marketing May 2014