March 30, 2006
sunshine facelift
The Sunshine movie blog has had a major facelift. Kudos to Gia etc.
About three years ago, I had this idea that a blog would be a great marketing tool for films. Later, based on what I learned from writing about Young Adam, I wrote the “10 Rules for Professional Movie Blogging.”
Two years later, it’s stood up rather well.
I think the most important rule is Number Seven:
7. Start early. To build awareness of the movie properly needs at least least a year, preferably two. It’s not about telling millions of people at once. You talk to a few thousand at a time. Let the word spread gradually. Give it time to seep into the Zeitgeist, like absinthe on a sugar cube.
Thanks, Hugh…
*You* know number 7 and *I* know number 7 and probably everyone *here* knows number 7, but it’s interesting how a lot of people still think that we need millions of people right now, seven months before the film is released. There hasn’t even been a trailer yet…
I, personally, answer every single email that comes in, I couldn’t do that with millions of visitors right now. Every time there is a new photo or bit of news about Cillian Murphy or Hiroyuki Sanada or *any* of the actors I email their fans *individually* and personally. Later, I’m sure, I’ll need to have a mailing list, but right now it’s so much nicer one-on-one with people. It takes A LOT of my time, but I think it’s worth it.
You probably will want “millions” eventually…