The internet and social media platforms have had a significant impact on all aspects of our lives. Whether it is doing business or communicating with others, we can all admit that these have had a massive influence on how we conduct our daily activities. The filmmaking industry and movie business is no exception. Alongside streaming sites, other platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok greatly influence how movies are consumed, marketed and watched by the audience.
In this article, we shall explore how filmmaking rules have changed because of YouTube and social media. We shall also explore how the filmmaking industry capitalizes on these channels. For example, YouTube and social media can catapult a relatively unknown filmmaker from oblivion into the spotlight. These platforms can allow less popular filmmakers to gain more access to a larger, potential target market. Film production studios also have a fantastic opportunity to engage with movie fans much more closely and build communities with them.
Bigger opportunities
The emergence of YouTube and similar platforms has caused a lot of interesting changes in the way people make film. This is because the art of filmmaking is based on good storytelling through video, which is what YouTube is all about. Before the internet, filmmakers had a massive challenge of breaking into this industry and getting a loyal audience. There were many instances where highly talented filmmakers witnessed their creative works go to waste due to how hard it was to successfully penetrate the industry and make people notice their works.
However, with the introduction of YouTube, all this changed because it had provided a simple pathway that filmmakers can use to reach their potential audience. With a user base of about a billion people a day, YouTube presents filmmakers with a huge potential market for their content. All that a filmmaker needs to do is look at which niche will suit them best and come up with content aimed at satisfying that target market.
Direct feedback
Alongside all of Youtube’s built-in analysis tools, the comments section allows filmmakers an opportunity to receive direct feedback from the audience who watch their films. This can be extremely valuable to any filmmaker that wants to make giant strides in the industry. Feedback, whether positive or negative, will give a filmmaker good insight into the specific aspects of their films that the audience likes or wishes to be improved.
Build awareness
Social media has also had a massive influence on the filmmaking industry. Before the internet, filmmakers relied on traditional offline methods such as print and even word-of-mouth advertising. However, thanks to the rapid advancement of technology, filmmakers have had a more convenient, if not more accessible, pathway to reach their target audience. This is because more people are increasingly getting access to the internet and, in extension, social media networks. Today, millions of people have unlimited access to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. This presents an amazing opportunity which filmmakers can capitalize on. Therefore, social media networks are great platforms that every filmmaker can use to build a buzz around their film(s) and create more awareness regarding their works.
Grow your audience
Due to social media, filmmakers have access to groups where they can interact directly with their fans. This was not possible before. A filmmaker can share their content to their fans found on these social media groups and pages where these fans follow them. For example, on Twitter, a good best practice for a filmmaker is to make up a creative and interactive hashtag for their film(s). The ripple effect of sharing and tagging others will be the growth of fans who like your film, movie, preview, or even trailer. They will also likely share it with their friends found on these social media platforms.
The effect of word of mouth and traditional avenues available to promote a film will pale compared to the power of social media. Having a considerably significant social media presence and a huge following will grow their brand and influence in the industry. As a filmmaker, one of the best methods you can employ is to reach and capitalize on the influence that a dedicated fan base will offer you. For example, if you are a producer of horror films, the best strategy would be to target ardent fans of horror films. They will then share information about your movie with their friends and friends of their friends and before long you will have a loyal fan base
Link your network
Social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram provide a platform where filmmakers, actors, and even scriptwriters can network. Several decades ago, getting considered to create a film as a newbie in the film industry was a difficult thing. However, social media networks provide a valuable opportunity to connect with people related to the film industry. To a talented scriptwriter, actor, and filmmaker, social media networks offer the opportunity to connect and showcase their work to decision-makers. Networking opportunities also expand to knowing other filmmakers around the world through connections made on social media.
YouTube is now the second largest search engine in the world, with more than 1 billion hours of video watched per day. The advantages of a more extensive audience reach includes a bigger opportunity to grow awareness of the film and valuable insight from audience feedback to filmmakers. This helps them to create better content and higher-quality films. Last but not least, these platforms provide an avenue where scriptwriters, actors, filmmakers, and other related individuals to connect freely.