“Audience-driven” is not a dirty word: How to build reach for films from development to release

“The taxpayer has invested millions of dollars in Australian films. If no one’s actually hearing about them, is that a good return on investment?”

That was a question posed by Nick Hayes, former head of sales and acquisitions at both Umbrella and Icon, during a Sydney Film Festival panel earlier this month on audience development and maximising film reach.

Hayes lamented that too often, that marketing is the first line item cut to make way for other elements of production. Without marketing assets like soc...