As you watch the filmed interview, make notes on the following and then work on the tasks in pairs or groups:


  • What do the film-makers say about the significance of the premiere of their film at New York’s Tribeca film festival – a festival which specialises in showcasing independent film? What does this suggest about the role festivals play in marketing films? What do the film-makers mean by talking of film festivals as ‘markets’?
  • What do they say about the importance of film posters to marketing The Machine?
  • What do they consider is the significance of the film’s trailer in marketing the film?
  • What do they feel is the importance of Toby Stephens and Caity Lotz to the film?
  • What do they say about the role of social media in promoting and marketing the film?
  • What do the film-makers say about the way film exhibition has changed in the last five years or so and what impact do they consider exhibitors like Netflix are having on the film industry?

Look at the main film poster for The Machine. How does this poster market the film?



  • What are the main features of this poster?
  • Which elements of the film are being used to market it (reference to genre, stars)?
  • Who do you think the main audience for this film is likely to be and how is that audience targeted?
  • Look for at least one example of a film poster which markets a film mainly in relation to (a) the film’s genre and (b) the film’s star(s).

Look at the trailer for The Machine.

  • What type of audience(s) do you think will be attracted by the trailer? How are they targeted?
  • What’s the importance of a star like Toby Stephens, who featured in Die Another Day, to a film like The Machine?

Why are ‘high production values’ important for a low-budget film?

http://themachinemovie.com/



The film-makers state that they acted as their own distributor as they couldn’t find the right distributor for The Machine.

  • Look at the website for The Machine. How is it being used to promote The Machine? Who is the main audience for this site and how does it appeal to that audience?