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Target Audience.
The target audience for my film are teenagers. But anyone over that age can enjoy it without feeling like they’re missing something. The whole point of my film is i want to make something accessible to a wide audience whilst giving the film an appropriate target audience. Usually people my age and my target audience watch most things on YouTube so that is the best possible place to upload my short film. I know i will definitely be reaching my target demographic by uploading on YouTube so i don’t need to worry about the risk of uploading it somewhere where it won’t target my audience.
Sofy.tv is an amazing place to watch short films, there are 16,000 new short films posted every week and is perfect for a film like mine. Sofy.tv is dedicated to short films and there are thousands that reach every possible type of target demographic you could hope to reach so i know my film will fit in very well and be very successful on the platform if it is shown here.
I’m targeting this specific audience because it’s the one i relate to the most, due to being the same age so i have the best chances at making a film people my age can relate to as well as find easter eggs inside that only they will understand.
My project is very similar to ones released to target people my age, for example Stranger Things that follows a slightly similar plot and setting wise, and is adored by people my age. It’s because it follows a young group of people and that my film can relate to. My film features young teenagers so an audience of the same age will relate to the issues they have.
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In terms of Film Festivals where my film could qualify, there is Aspen Shortsfest which is a film festival for short films. Aspen Shortsfest is a Oscar®-qualifying film festival recognized as one of the premier short film festivals in North America. Each April enthusiastic audiences, filmmakers and special guests from around the globe gather to participate in public screenings, panels, workshops, and other festivities that spotlight the art and craft of short moviemaking.
The types of categories the festival do are…
Best Animation
International Competition Jury Award for animation.
Best Comedy
International Competition Jury Award for comedy.
Best Drama
International Competition Jury Award for drama.
Best Documentary
International Competition Jury Award for documentary.
Best Short Short
International Competition Jury Award for short short.
Best Student Short
International Competition Jury Award for student short.
The Ellen Award
Chosen by the Ellen Jury, this award is given to the film that evokes the spirit of Aspen Film’s founder.
Audience Choice Award
Audience Award for best film.
Audience Special Recognition Award
Special Jury Recognition Awards
International Competition Jury awards recognizing outstanding cinematic accomplishment.
From looking at all the previous winners i do see quite a resemblance to the type of film i will be making and could easily see my film being a contender for a film festival like this.
Although Applications are currently closed for the festival due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the way you enter your short film is by filling out an application. This application details everything about you as a filmmaker, your short film and everything in between. This then goes through a few judging panels before you hear back if you have been selected for the festival
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Another film festival i could submit my film into could be the Manchester Film festival, unlike the previous festival, This one is a lot closer to home with it being only in Manchester. I have heard about this one outside of doing this research and have always loved how it operates and the types of famous guests it gets so i would be more than honoured if my film got entered into this festival.
The website states –
MANIFF2021 will again be a weeklong and see industry panels, nightly after parties, daily film screenings in a multiplex cinema, red carpet interviews, Q&A’s and overall good times.
MANIFF understands the current situation is scary and uncertain but we hope that by March 2021 some normalcy will have resumed and we plan on putting on an event that everyone involved will remember – one that is a real celebration of cinema and filmmakers.
Here at ‘MANIFF’ we are looking to the future and in these uncertain times we are going to rely on the digital age more than ever in the world of independent film. As well as our physical festival we will give filmmakers the chance of screening their films LIVE to a worldwide database of film fans and professionals. A showcase that will not only facilitate filmmakers’ appearances who can’t travel to the event but also a broader audience to enjoy and critique the premiering work. ‘MANIFF’ LIVE digital screening premieres will be a vital part of sustaining not only the film festival industry but bring the international community together to celebrate and support the world of independent cinema and the filmmakers that share their brilliant work year on year.
I love how this festival has changed and developed in the light of COVID-19 and is still wanting to celebrate all independent filmmakers and short film makers like myself. There is a lot of categories that they give awards for, those are…
Film of the festival
Best Feature
Best UK Short
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Cinematography
Best Edit
Best Documentary Short
Best Documentary Feature
Best Music Video
Best Student Film
Best Score
Staff Pick
Best Animation
Un-commissioned Screenplay Competition
I can easily see my film being a candidate and fitting in very well with at least 4 categories here. I can’t see any other festival being a better choice then Manchester film festival and they are currently holding applications for 2021’s festival. To apply you have to sign up oon filmfreeway.com and go through an application process that way, presumably the same as the previous film festival i talked about.
Dan's Film and TV Production Blog 
Now you need to start thinking about the target audience for your own film.
Who is the target audience for your video? What demographic is it?
Why are you targeting that particular demographic?
Is your video similar to other types of video aimed at your target audience? How do you know what videos interest your target audience?
What social media platforms do you think your target audience is most likely to use?
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Following our chat, could you move everything from ‘Social Media Research’ dowwards to the ‘Social Media ‘Campaign’ post?
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Take out the stuff on Bao and Toystory. In here should just be about your own film.
Set out who your target audience is for your film and why.
What demographics do they come under? Where do they usually watch films?
Where could your film be shown? What outlets have similar films to the one you are making? Give some examples of these
Is there a TV commissioning page that you could target? A TV channel? A film festival – search on filmfreeway.com for festivals that are aimed at your type of film – it could be a student film festival/short film festival/doc or horror film festival for example.
Why would your film fit in there? Think about what they are looking for etc.
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