Time and again, a pertinent question bogging the filmmakers is; is making important or marketing?Very recently, I wrote my views on marketing and in a recent MasterClass at a University, the students bombarded me with questions on making versus marketing citing my article.
Point is, film-making is constantly evolving, it goes a tremendous change every year, for example Line of Axis, the 180degree Rule in film-making is theory, it was adhered to; only till the time it was broken, creativity is all about innovation and how people take to that innovation. It will draw extreme reactions initially, but once an audience is there, that is the success of a filmmaker. Case in point, Lars Von Trier.
Point is, while making can have a perspective; marketing is the most important aspect today, as a badly marketed 'good film' (though I feel there is nothing like Good or Bad film) will definitely flop, a recent Hindi film is a glaring example, Mitron, whosoever saw the film, liked it, but as per reports it failed to make any money theatrically!
I have always told fellow filmmakers, today you can make a film even on a mobile phone (yes, a complete feature length film) but do you have the funds to market it? With so much of content around, it is practically impossible to get eyeballs on to your content - even if it stars a 'star'.
So before making a film, which I have always told in my MasterClass worldwide, look at the fact, whether your pockets are deep enough to market the film or filmed content and that is what that sets apart, filmmakers from smart filmmakers!
