"I have finally settled down and been able to put more effort into blogging often and sharing my content. Since I've done that, my revenues have increased greatly, and I'm proud to say I'm back on the front page of Film Annex with Eren's Picks!" - Kevin Parry
Kevin Parry is one of our most successful animators and members of Eren's Picks. He fills his Web TV with great stop-motion short films, "how to" videos and behind the scenes, and entertaining and informative blogs. He's also actively sharing his work on social media.
You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Below is an interview with Kevin about how he's promoting his movies online and using social media. He also gives some tips to aspiring filmmakers.
Film Annex: When did you start promoting your work specifically on social media platforms?
Kevin Parry: I began promoting my work on social media platforms in college. It was/is popular for a lot of arts students to post their work on blogging sites like Blogger and now Tumblr. As for my professional work, promoting on social media platforms was something I started doing as soon as I graduated. I think for emerging artists and filmmakers, getting their work out into the world and building a name for themselves is extremely important.
FA: What social media platforms do you use? Which ones do you think are more efficient for filmmakers to use to promote their work and why?
KP: I pretty much solely use Twitter to promote my work. It really is the easiest and most efficient way to connect with artists you admire and fans of your own work. When people log in to Facebook, they tend to be connecting with their friends, so I don't see the use in having a page dedicated to my work, and bombarding them with posts they may not be looking for. But when people log in to Twitter, they're looking to connect with people who they would otherwise never have the opportunity to - so I think they're much more receptive to suggestions of checking out new work. Also, the possibility of a tweet spreading through the network is much higher than say, a Facebook post. Platforms like Tumblr, Pinterest, etc. can be very effective as well, but I don't find them quite as inviting for filmmakers. Those networks tend to work better for graphic artists, illustrators, and designers.
FA: Did you make interesting contacts or create business opportunities by sharing your work on social media?
KP: I have! Without going into specifics, I've had several meetings and have made a large number of connections by sharing my work on social media platforms. It's all about HOW your share your work. By understanding how to effectively share your work, you increase the chance of having it picked up by popular blogs and websites. That can then lead to being noticed and contacted by interested studios, artists, etc.
FA: Give us an example on how you promote your Web TV or work in general on social media?
KP: Besides the standard tweet or share, I put a lot of time and effort into getting my work seen on social media sites. The name of the game is exposure, and not leaving it up to fate whether or not you get your work in front of the publics eyes. I've written a lengthy blog post about it here.
FA: Did you see a change on your revenues on Film Annex after promoting your Web TV on social media?
KP: Yes! I've been busy with moving around the country over the last few months, and have finally settled down and been able to put more effort into blogging often and sharing my content. Since I've done that, my revenues have increased greatly, and I'm proud to say I'm back on the front page of Film Annex with Eren's Picks!
FA: Do you have any tips for other filmmakers on how to promote your films on social media?
KP: Apart from the blog post I've included above, I'd say in general just have a passion for sharing your content. Don't simply put it on the Internet and wonder why it isn't getting the exposure you expected. Like an out of work actor, you need to be the agent to your content and provide it with the most opportunities to succeed as possible. Take the time to study and understand every social media platform, and how you can best take advantage of its ability to share you content.
Click here to read more about promoting films online and on social media platforms.
