If there is one complaint I hear from Sales Agents over and over, it’s that filmmakers simply don’t provide enough good stills from their productions. And we are going through that right now with Impact50.
Most teams are getting shots, but only a few are getting killer shots.
And the game is changing too, we no longer need just photos of the actors in character.
We are living into a new age of filmmakers connecting with audiences directly, of filmmakers becoming the brand. In the past, sales agents have only been interested in shots of the actors in action, but with each day, I can see that behind the scenes shots are becoming more important.
Impact50 is a good example of where audiences are as interested in the filmmakers as they are the actors and story.
If you are thinking of shooting a film for Impact50, here are a list of stills I suggest you get.
Director Doing Their Thing
You need at least one good shot of the filmmakers in action, ideally the director working with actors and stood next to a camera
Crew Shot
This is really for the cast and crew and their own social media, but it is low hanging fruit and a real necessity.
Cast In Action
You should try and get at least TEN great great (did I mention great?) shots of your actors in character – the image should somehow sell part of the story. Remember, stopping a cast and crew to take photos is always difficult, but without these images it’s really tough to promote your film. So make it happen.
Chris Jones