Cinema’s Secret Formulas: How To Build An Audience
#2 in a series of short riffs on giant concepts
I find myself returning to some core concepts in my writing… concepts that may not be as commonplace as I would like. Each time I write them, I have to explain them, again. I thought it might be best to offer them as online only posts (so not to clog your inbox!) that I can link to when I mention them and for those that need the explanation, they can easily find them. To the degree, you use them, please link back to them here too, as it will help me see which ones are catching on. Thanks.
How To Build An Audience
I first heard this when I was running the start-up boutique arthouse streamer Fandor. I thought I was in the film business. Several of the employees didn’t hesitate to correct me — it was the audience acquisition business. Movies were just the tool. There was a big concept on hot to build an audience, and I heard repeated often when I moved from Fandor to Amazon Studios. I find it applies to filmmakers and artist of all kinds, as much as it applies to a corporate streaming platform or a community theater. If I got around to launching a HopeForFilm merch store, I would put the formula on a t-shirt.
Audiences are built by a regular cadence of supply at a consistent quality, in an environment that people trust and want to participate in.
I wrote about this more in depth awhile ago.
