Priamry research: an email from the Blaine Brothers
“Hallo Ashely,
Thanks for writing. the key thing to think about with a film is what you are trying to achieve both artistically and professionally.
So the type of research you do is all based around working out how you are going to achieve whatever goal you set yourself. Our goal with “Free Speech” was to get more industry acclaim, so we researched the festival scene in this country and saw that (back then) Rushes Soho Shorts was well respected within the film industry (if obscure to the general public). Knowing this enabled us to taget that festival and getting the film screened there certainly did help raise our profile within the industry.
Oh and we both conduct the research.
Probably the key point to get across is that in film research is a constant process, not something you pick up and put down. We are both always keeping our eyes and ears wide open. We are always watching films, always keeping our ear to the ground to hear who is funding, who is comissioning, who is up and who is down. The trends in film, who has money and how they are spending it, are constantly in motion and so often getting funding and distribution is just about being in the right place at the right time.
Once you get passed your first few short films good industry research tools are IMDBpro (imdb.com and click through to the pro link) and Screen International.”
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