How do we get people to watch our short?

I just found this thread and I think it is a fascinating one. First of all, I want to mention that the really good films always develop their own buzz as the viewing progresses. I happened to see a post by GageFX giving some serious accolades to your film as he commented on "The Moment After." GageFX is somebody I respect a great deal so that when he says "Survival" scored in his top 3 I immediately jumped ahead to download it. I'm sure other people stood up and noticed when they read that post AND as you started getting stellar reviews (from myself included).

So, over the next week or so, the films that are knocking people over will get known by word of mouth. it's turned out to be a happy circumstance that you are located just up the hill in the high desert where we shoot a lot. Unless you turn out to be slack-jawed mutants I suspect we will be having a lot of opportunities to work together.

On the hype thing, I freely and happily admit that I've become something of a P.T. Barnum here with respect to getting people into our tent. This started way back in the day when Ted Arabian and I started the Threading The Needle thread (which I believe still holds the record for most views/posts of any DVXUSER fest thread). To the chagrin of the mods, we have been a bit rambunctious and have sprinkled our threads with boobs, beer and bizarre t-shirt alterations. Its all been in good fun and it seems that people here accept us sort of as the crazy uncles that have questionable taste but a lot of funny fart jokes.

Having admitted the foregoing, I think most people will have noticed that we've tried to grow up a bit in keeping with the reputation Fat Monster Films is getting as being a professional organization. I don't think we'll ever be mistaken for young Republicans (or even old ones for that matter) but we do intend to make certain people are aware how serious we take this craft.

Finally, I feel I should comment on the fact that we've worked very hard to make it clear that Fat Monster welcomes forum members to assist us on our projects. We've done this over the past year and we've devoted ourselves to helping other members on their projects as well. The result is a strong network of quid-pro-quo service and friendship that has really helped all of us out here in the L.A. basin working on indie stuff.

We are always very aware of what Kholi, Geoff, Matty, Luis, Zak at SABI and so many others here are doing and we have a lot of gear and equipment constantly moving to and from among the different parties. You need P2 cards? You need a grip? A phone call or two usually solves it. It often involves much needed income when people's productions have a budget (thanks so much Brandon for your supporting DVXUSERs in your own feature when you needed to rent gear or use people).

Bottom line is that I recall so very clearly almost three years ago when I showed up here. I knew nobody but I jumped in and started making a giant snake movie called Chow Baby. People didn't know me from squat but they were kind and every single person I wrote a question to found the time to write back. Eventually my on-line friendship with JDS led him to invite me to come to New York to help him shoot Rekindled. In many ways, that was the prototype for Fat Monster. Jack gave me a floor and a pillow and not much else in terms of creature comforts. However, he provided what was the closest thing to film school I'll ever have. What a ride. I've never forgotten how it felt to wake up knowing that another 12-hour day of shooting was looming (I've never felt more alive in my life. You guys know what I'm talking about.)

So, I appreciate all of you more than I can say. I appreciate you newbies even more than anyone else. You are, after all, the best proof of what this forum is about. I hope that we old farts can inspire you and give you the tools to knock us off of our pedestals soundly. It will be a pleasure to look up some day and feel that we had a part in your success.
 
Mark Johnson said:
I just found this thread and I think it is a fascinating one. First of all, I want to mention that the really good films always develop their own buzz as the viewing progresses. I happened to see a post by GageFX giving some serious accolades to your film as he commented on "The Moment After." GageFX is somebody I respect a great deal so that when he says "Survival" scored in his top 3 I immediately jumped ahead to download it. I'm sure other people stood up and noticed when they read that post AND as you started getting stellar reviews (from myself included).

So, over the next week or so, the films that are knocking people over will get known by word of mouth. it's turned out to be a happy circumstance that you are located just up the hill in the high desert where we shoot a lot. Unless you turn out to be slack-jawed mutants I suspect we will be having a lot of opportunities to work together.

On the hype thing, I freely and happily admit that I've become something of a P.T. Barnum here with respect to getting people into our tent. This started way back in the day when Ted Arabian and I started the Threading The Needle thread (which I believe still holds the record for most views/posts of any DVXUSER fest thread). To the chagrin of the mods, we have been a bit rambunctious and have sprinkled our threads with boobs, beer and bizarre t-shirt alterations. Its all been in good fun and it seems that people here accept us sort of as the crazy uncles that have questionable taste but a lot of funny fart jokes.

Having admitted the foregoing, I think most people will have noticed that we've tried to grow up a bit in keeping with the reputation Fat Monster Films is getting as being a professional organization. I don't think we'll ever be mistaken for young Republicans (or even old ones for that matter) but we do intend to make certain people are aware how serious we take this craft.

Finally, I feel I should comment on the fact that we've worked very hard to make it clear that Fat Monster welcomes forum members to assist us on our projects. We've done this over the past year and we've devoted ourselves to helping other members on their projects as well. The result is a strong network of quid-pro-quo service and friendship that has really helped all of us out here in the L.A. basin working on indie stuff.

We are always very aware of what Kholi, Geoff, Matty, Luis, Zak at SABI and so many others here are doing and we have a lot of gear and equipment constantly moving to and from among the different parties. You need P2 cards? You need a grip? A phone call or two usually solves it. It often involves much needed income when people's productions have a budget (thanks so much Brandon for your supporting DVXUSERs in your own feature when you needed to rent gear or use people).

Bottom line is that I recall so very clearly almost three years ago when I showed up here. I knew nobody but I jumped in and started making a giant snake movie called Chow Baby. People didn't know me from squat but they were kind and every single person I wrote a question to found the time to write back. Eventually my on-line friendship with JDS led him to invite me to come to New York to help him shoot Rekindled. In many ways, that was the prototype for Fat Monster. Jack gave me a floor and a pillow and not much else in terms of creature comforts. However, he provided what was the closest thing to film school I'll ever have. What a ride. I've never forgotten how it felt to wake up knowing that another 12-hour day of shooting was looming (I've never felt more alive in my life. You guys know what I'm talking about.)

So, I appreciate all of you more than I can say. I appreciate you newbies even more than anyone else. You are, after all, the best proof of what this forum is about. I hope that we old farts can inspire you and give you the tools to knock us off of our pedestals soundly. It will be a pleasure to look up some day and feel that we had a part in your success.
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See once again I am so blown away with the caliber of film makers here that I am almost choked up over it. I can't wait to make a name for myself and my crew. We have been trying to find other artists that take this as seriously as we do. This is not just a hobby or fleating fancy but the heart and soul of my being. And just reading all the threads and seeing that there are others out there like us is the best part of this. I already feel like a winner just being in the same contest as all of you guys.

You all rock.
Thanks,
Pauly
 
I just want to be clear: the OP asked how to get their film seen. To that, I responded with the Fat Monster example. I started watching from the top of the list, but I also immediately downloaded O2. Due to download times, O2 was the second film I watched. Since I know the guys, visited the set, and read through all 180 pages of thread, just like everyone else, I wanted to see what the final product was. And it was gorgeous.

So all that said, the hype is how you get your film VIEWED. Make a GREAT FILM and you'll win. (But you cant win if you aren't viewed. So hype that mofo.)

And thanks for the kind words, Mark. I just wish I had more time to learn from you guys this time around. Watching you work and talking to you on the Nude video was an education. Maybe again in the future.
 
Zak Forsman said:
they got a best newcomer award or something and placed 4th in the voting. from what i've been told, IFHY was something like two or three points behind in 5th place. i don't know how the rest did rest. but the top five WERE all very tight, all within 3 or 4 votes of each other.
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Ahh yes... newcomer. I remember something about that. I just remember distinctly that they didn't receive a top 3 award.

The competition was pretty stiff in that Fest, that I remember. :thumbup:

Probably looks tight for the top 3 or so in this one as well.
 
Marketing can't make a horrid film good, but it does drive eyes to the property in question.

I target a few films for viewing prior to them becoming available based solely on their marketing threads. A good one features BTS, grabs and a fair amount of traffic. It is how the machine works.

Usually, these same films have had the most care lavished on them behind the scenes. Now, that said, I voted for Winter Lilacs as best in festival.

That one was barely out there in advance - very quiet from a marketing perspective. The goods were there, but it didn't come across like a rowdy frat party with strippers, a stolen Burger King statue and an equine in the upstairs bathroom. Had it conducted itself in this way, it might have placed top three. Sorry to say it.

Another (unspoken, I think) aspect of the post-viewing comment culture was indicated above. If you (the viewer) have been punished with a terrible entry, where little effort was made whatever, the voter might be less inclined to comment on it.

A good script can be recognized through terrible production value, but bad audio and acting can drive a stake through even the best sides.

Welcome to DVXUser and the fests!

e
 
Pauly, as everyone else has said, there's two things working against your # of views right now:
1) you're new here, with little hype; nobody really knows you here so they don't immediately jump over to your film.
2) your film starts with "S", and most people are working their way down the list, so many may not have gotten to it yet.

They'll get there though, and quality will triumph over buzz in the end. For the record, your film is in my top 5. As more people see it and start talking about it, you'll pick up some buzz and then you'll pick up views and then votes.
 
Barry_Green said:
Pauly, as everyone else has said, there's two things working against your # of views right now:
1) you're new here, with little hype; nobody really knows you here so they don't immediately jump over to your film.
2) your film starts with "S", and most people are working their way down the list, so many may not have gotten to it yet.

They'll get there though, and quality will triumph over buzz in the end. For the record, your film is in my top 5. As more people see it and start talking about it, you'll pick up some buzz and then you'll pick up views and then votes.
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Thank you Barry. I was just setting there thinking with all the positive feedback we have received it is just good to know people are actually watching it. But come the next fest, I will strive very hard to make every effort to publicize it earlier the next time. And maybe title it like 1 or something LOL.
 
Well this thread is one way to do that. :)

I am working my way down the list and should get to yours by Wednesday. Judging by what people have been saying here it looks like it is a good one, I look forward to seeing it.

As for commenting on films, I try to comment on any film that I enjoyed or comment on films were I think I may have good advice. Though, like most here, time is limited so I can't comment on every film but I will watch every film. Typically I watch in alphabetical order but I always lookout for films that have been hyped prior to viewing or whose banner caught my eye like O2, The Five Worst Days..., Aegeas, RPMD, and a few other. But I watch all of them in the end.

For voting, while I am watching I keep an excel sheet that I use to rank films on several criteria, e.g. Sound, Cinematography, Music, Lighting, Story, Acting, Dialogue, Ending, and one or two other I can't remember right now. I give each section a 1-10 rating and then add up the score. The top 10 I will re-watch and comment on. The other I tend to not comment on any further. I would love to comment on everything but there are over 66 films so its hard to do so.
 
loud flashy banners may get someone to click through also. Like who wouldn't click Marks banner after seeing a girl licking her finger? I'm not saying his is loud but you get the idea.
 
I give each section a 1-10 rating and then add up the score.
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Interesting. I have 8 criteria I rate on, 1-10, then I toss the two highest, two lowest and average the remaining four. I really struggled with this as I wanted to average the whole shebang, but I really decided that just because a film got a 10 in story, it shouldnt score high because of it, or if it scored a 1 for acting and a 2 for writing, it shouldnt be destroyed because of it. So instead of letting one or two high scores or one or two low scores determine the fate, I found it more fair to let the middle FOUR decide it.

I dont know that it's the best way, but it keeps it as objective as possible. I kept it is strict and fair as possible without letting any friendships factor into a higher score. Nor hype, nor lack of hype. Every film was judged exactly the same.


TommyInLA said:
You should have your title like they have them in the phone book - aaaaSurvival.
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Tommy. Answer your poopoopoopooing phone.
 
Good system Gage. And ltnc by the way. I have to get back to LA soon and catch up with everyone. Waiting for the next trip, but dont think I can wait that long - might have to just come for a visit, would love to get on the FM set if they do the next fest, learn the local lingo.
 
I would use a fancy rating system, but it take so much time. I just watch the film, think about what I saw. If there were things I had an issue with I'll take stars off accordingly.

Noel, just noticed your signature banner. I didn't know voting was still open for LoveFest. :evil:
 
Noel Evans said:
Good system Gage. And ltnc by the way. I have to get back to LA soon and catch up with everyone. Waiting for the next trip, but dont think I can wait that long - might have to just come for a visit, would love to get on the FM set if they do the next fest, learn the local lingo.
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We'd love to have you Noel! Let us know.
 
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