What Indie Filmmakers Can Learn From YouTubers Who Went Theatrical
"Iron Lung" by filmmaker Markiplier
For years, indie filmmakers and YouTubers felt like two different worlds.
Film festivals on one side. Online creators on the other.
But not anymore.
Some YouTubers are now releasing movies in theaters. And a few of them are making serious money.
So what can indie filmmakers learn from them?
Build the Audience Before You Release
When Markiplier released Iron Lung, he didn’t need to “find” viewers. He already had millions of people who trusted him. When he told them to buy tickets, they showed up.
Indie filmmakers often do this backwards. They make the movie first. Then they try to build the audience.
What if you started building your audience now? You can do this by sharing Behind-the-scenes updates, releasing proof-of-concept scenes, creating TikTok clips and Instagram reels.
This way by the time you release it, people already care about what the heck you are doing.
Pick you Genre Carefully
Look at the biggest YouTuber theatrical hits.
Most are horror because horror is easy to explain in one sentence.
Many indie films struggle because the pitch is confusing.
If someone can’t explain your film in one short sentence, marketing becomes harder.
YouTubers understand this really well.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK YOUR FANS
One thing YouTubers do really well is asking their fans to do something…and they do it!
Indie filmmakers often feel weird about asking but audiences need direction.
If you want butts in seats, tell them!
Give them a date to go, a link to buy tickets, and a reason to show up.
Festivals Still Matter
Even YouTubers use film festivals. Films like Talk to Me, Eighth Grade, and Arctic premiered at major festivals before theatrical release.
Film Festivals do a really good job creating credibility, press, reviews and sometime even acquisition deals.
A smart filmmaker will use festivals as a launchpad and use social media for film awareness.
Theatrical Isn’t Always About Money
Some YouTuber films used theatrical runs to generate headlines even if they loose money.
Because even a small box office number can create a big story in the trades. This works really well if a filmmaker is looking to transition from a 100% online audience to theatrical and streaming deals with partners off YouTube.
When you get cred that says “#1 at the Box Office” or “Sold Out Opening Night” these are phrases that perk up the ears of executives looking for the next hot filmmaker they want to hitch their proverbial wagon to.
The biggest things I want to express here is how you think of your film and your audience.
Start thinking about:
- Who is this for?
- Where do they hang out?
- How do I talk to them now?
- How do I get them to spend money later?
The most successful YouTuber filmmakers know how to organized a community around their content and community is what fills theaters. Whether you build that community through YouTube, Instagram, a newsletter, or film festivals like UIFF the idea is the same.
