By Simon de Bruyn
A slew of Australian films due for release in coming months have started various forms of marketing online to build audience interest well before release.
The producer and distributors of Adelaide Film Festival hit Samson and Delilah yesterday launched a teaser website for the film, after several weeks of updating people via a specially launched Twitter account.
The website has a newly cut trailer for the film and also links to the film’s Facebook page, which is slowly building an audience via that busy social portal.
The filmmakers have also started uploading behind the scenes videos to a YouTube account, which provide a more amusing look beneath the film’s serious veneer.
Both the film’s distributors, Transmission Films and Footprint Films, are also on Twitter and plan to update readers with news as the film approaches release.
Twitter is a new online social networking application which allows users to send and read short updates which are up to 140 characters in length. Check out INSIDEFILM on Twitter.
Another producer who has joined Twitter to spruik his upcoming film is producer Vincent Sheehan of Porchlight Films. His new film Prime Mover is only just finished and hasn’t yet secured a release date but he is already online giving updates and last week also launched a website for the film.
By starting early Prime Mover follows in the footsteps of Adam Elliot’s Mary and Max, which opens April 9 but has had its website, with behind the scenes videos and other in depth material, online since at least October 2008. In addition, upcoming thriller Crush (also releasing on April 9) has had a big online presence since last year.
Two Fists One Heart, which Disney will release in cinemas tomorrow, has augmented its online marketing with a viral website featuring the film’s writer, actor and former champion boxer Rai Fazio, giving viewers boxing lessons in short videos.
And just to show online marketing shouldn’t just be confined to a film’s theatrical life, 2008 release The Square has recently redesigned and relaunched its wesbite with a newly cut trailer to promote the film’s DVD release.