Tag: ifc films

Tesla – Marketing Recap

How IFC Films is selling a movie about the birth of electricity. No, not that one. Not that one either.

I think there’s widespread consensus that David Bowie’s turn as Nikola Tesla in The Prestige is the premiere on-screen depiction of the famous inventor. He was slightly mysterious, a bit conceited and completely awesome. Then last year Nicholas Hoult played Tesla in the much-delayed The Current War. In neither, though, was he the primary focus of the story.

Now he finally comes into the spotlight in Tesla. Ethan Hawke plays the title character in the film from writer/director Michael Almereyda, who takes what has been described as an unconventional take on his life. The story focuses on Tesla’s struggle in convincing those around him that his approach to electricity is the best one, including his conflicts with rival Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan) and his work with mentor George Westinghouse (Jim Gaffigan). In addition to that, Tesla has caught the attention of Anne Morgan (Eve Hewson), daughter of tycoon J.P.

The campaign from IFC Films makes it clear that this is a prestige picture, albeit one that has more than a few elements of experimental theater in it, offering something that’s not what audiences might otherwise expect. It currently has a middling 58 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Posters

A current of electricity slashes through the title on the one poster, released in July. Tesla himself stands behind that glowing title, looking over his shoulder toward the camera. A quote from an early review praising the film is shown along with the Sundance credentials, but no other copy or hints at the exact plot appear here.

The Trailers

As is clear from the first moments of the trailer (489,000 views on YouTube), released in July, this is not the standard biopic we’ve seen before. It seems to hit the high points of the rivalry between Tesla and Edison we’re familiar with, but does so in a way where period characters are talking about Google results, scenes play out against painted canvas backdrops and the whole vibe is unusual. That uniqueness makes it captivating, much more so than some other takes on this story.

Online and Social

Just the basic marketing materials on IFC’s page for the film, including the trailer and poster along with a decent synopsis of the story. There’s slightly more, including information on how to watch the film on-demand, on the standalone website.

Advertising and Promotions

The cast and crew came to Park City for the movie’s premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. It wound up winning the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. IFC Films acquired the film in April.

The Cinema Society hosted a screening of the movie at Donna Karen’s home in mid-August.

Media and Press

Hawke and the rest of the cast talked about the movie and more while at Sundance.

An interview with MacLachlan had him talking about playing Edison and working within the unusual structure of the film. He also appeared on “Today” to talk about the movie and more.

How Hawke prepared for production and the research he did into Tesla was covered in this interview. Almereyda discussed why he chose such an unconventional approach to what is ordinarily such a paint-by-numbers format like the biopic.

Overall

There’s a lot to like about this quirky, unexpected campaign, but it has to overcome the reality that not only is it flying largely under the radar but that it might be so quirky and eyebrow-raising that some people might pass it by because it looks a bit odd.

For others, though, it’s just that slightly-twisted approach that will form the foundation of their interest in the film. Biopics are, as I and others have mentioned in the past, somewhat stale in nature, hitting the top dozen points of interest in someone’s life but offering little in the way of flavor or style. This does not appear to be that kind of film and is that much stronger for it.

The Rental – Marketing Recap

How IFC Films is selling a confined-quarters horror rom-com.

Dave Franco wrote (with some help from Joe Swanberg) and directed this week’s new release The Rental. The movie stars Alison Brie as Michelle, who goes on a weekend getaway with her husband Charlie (Dan Stevens) as well as her sister Mina (Sheila Vand) and her husband – who is also Charlie’s brother – Josh (Jeremy Allen White).

What should be a pleasant time away for the two couples takes a nasty turn as suspicions among the group mount that someone is spying on them in the house, which they’ve rented from a home-sharing service. As the paranoia rises and the actual danger mounts, long-buried secrets among the four come to the surface, making the situation not only dangerous but uncomfortable.

IFC Films’ campaign has focused on the capsule nature of the story as well as the threats the vacationers face in their getaway house. The movie currently has a 77 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting the mixed reviews it’s received to date.

The Posters

Just one poster for the film. Released in May (by marketing agency Art Machine), the one-sheet immediately communicates a topsy-turvy element to the story by showing a lone figure falling, but with the ground at the top and the sky at the bottom. The copy “Secluded getaway. Killer views.” is a bit on-the-nose, undermining whatever subtlety the image alone contained, but is meant to appeal to audiences looking for scares over a relationship drama.

The Trailers

As the trailer (146,000 views on YouTube), released in mid-June, opens both couples are arriving at the house they’ll be sharing during vacation. It’s not long before what should be a nice time away turns creepy and twisted, as they find hidden cameras, have to deal with strange happenings and what seems to be plenty of emotional manipulation. All of that means tension in the non-ideal marriages bubbles to the surface and everyone is ready to snap. Oh, and there may be *actual* danger in the form of someone lurking in the shadows trying to kill them.

Online and Social

Just the most basic of information on IFC Films’ website for the movie, including the trailer and information both on the audience’s watch-at-home options.

Advertising and Promotions

IFC Films acquired distribution rights in April, announcing a release date at that time.

In June the studio hosted a drive-in premiere screening at the Vineland Drive-In in L.A..

Short video promos like this were released on social media and likely also used in promoted posts there. While none crossed my radar specifically, it’s a good bet videos like that along with the key art were used in other online ads as well.

A clip released just recently shows a key moment in the story, with Michelle discovering a camera that’s been placed in one of the rental home’s showers.

Media and Press

A first-look still came out in April at the same time IFC Films announced it had acquired the film.

An interview with Franco allowed him to talk about why this felt like a good time to get into directing, how it’s part of his career path to date and more.

Stevens spoke about how Franco approached him with the project and what he thought about the story as well as the promotional efforts to date in an interview.

The unusual nature of the release – including the fact that it arrives without the kind of festival screenings it likely would have benefited from – and other topics were covered by Franco here, including why he chose to focus on directing and not also star in the film. In another interview he talked about working with his real-life girlfriend Brie, something they’ve done before and which made this project easier to manage.

Brie and Franco participated in a video interview where they talked about working together on this film as well as what inspired them to make other choices in their careers.

Overall

While the campaign has been successful in selling the thrills contained in the story, it leaves many elements – including who the characters are and why we should care about them – oddly unclear. We get that the house they’re all staying at is under surveillance, probably by the owner, but it doesn’t explain very well why they react in the manner they do and how that changes the interpersonal relationships in the group.

That’s not to say it’s ineffective, as there are plenty of elements in the marketing that will appeal to fans of both horror and straight drama, it’s just that some parts could have been brought a bit more to the forefront in order to make a more convincing case to the audience.

It also should be noted that while “four friends go away and horror ensues” isn’t exactly a new premise, I’m getting strong Baghead vibes from the campaign and the presentation of the story.

Picking Up The Spare

Additional interviews with Brie included her appearance on “The Tonight Show,” her sharing the ease of communication she had with Franco on-set and more. 

Additional profiles and interviews with Franco allowed him to talk about how his own anxieties fed the story and what freaks him out about vacation rentals.

The Trip To Greece – Marketing Recap

One last excursion with food and passive-aggressive friendship.

the trip to greece posterIn the annals of cinema, director Michael Winterbottom’s decade-long The Trip series stands alongside Richard Linklater’s Before films as an incredible example of improvised yet structured collaboration between filmmaker and talent. Both sets of movies use the conceit of occasional check-ins with a couple characters to see how their relationship has evolved since we last saw them, while the actors themselves are responsible for knowing their characters so completely that the directors just point the camera and let them do their thing.

This week, Winterbottom’s series continues with The Trip To Greece. This fourth time around once more features slightly fictionalized versions of stars Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan setting out on a road trip, ostensibly so Coogan can write about the food and culture they experience in a given European location.

Both stars are funny in and of themselves, but the humor of the films comes from seeing just how competitive they become while spending so much time together. They enjoy the food and locations along the way but also spend much of their trip sniping at each other or maintaining a thin veneer of friendship as they try to one-up the other in some manner.

As with the previous three films, this one is being sold based on the ability of Coogan and Brydon to riff off each other against some of the most beautiful backdrops a country has to offer.

The Posters

Anyone familiar with the previous films will recognize the looks on Coogan and Brydon’s faces on the poster, released in April, as indicative of their personalities throughout the series. Brydon looks like he’s having a great time while Coogan looks more weary and resigned, but those expressions run counter to which of the comedy/tragedy masks they’re holding. The Greek cityscape can be seen behind them as food from the country is placed on the table in front of them.

Two different elements convey to audiences that this is intended to be the last film in the series. At the top a pull quote praises it as “A beautiful note to end on” while below the title we’re told this is “The final course.”

The Trailers

The one trailer (115,000 views on YouTube), which came out in early April, has everything fans have enjoyed about the series to date. We see the pair of travelers eating and driving their way through Greece as they engage in Roger Moore impersonation battles, make pointed comments about each other’s careers and lots more. Everything here is in-line with what’s come before and is therefore assumed to be attractive to the target audience.

Online and Social

Just the basic information on IFC’s page for the film.

Advertising and Promotions

It wasn’t surprising when, in late 2019, the film was acquired by IFC Films, the same distributor that had handled the previous three entries in the series. It was scheduled to screen at April’s Tribeca Film Festival as well as the SF Film Festival.

The first clip was released in mid-March showing Brydon and Coogan engaged in some of their trademark banter.

Short spots like this were released on social media and were likely used in limited TV advertising as well.

Not surprising that another clip from the movie featured even more bickering as well as an attempt to see who has the better Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.

Media and Press

An interview with Winterbottom had him talking about how despite the potential for ongoing trips this one felt like the last to all involved.

The two stars were interviewed jointly about working together, this recent movie and reaching the end of the road for the franchise. Those same topics were the focus of many other interviews and profiles either of the pair or one of the stars on their own.

Overall

The campaign, like that of several recent films, clearly communicates to the audience that this might very well be the last time we encounter these two, so let’s savor it.

As with the previous three films, this one looks like the same kind of fun and silliness. Brydon and Coogan are such talented performers that asking them to play off each other is like asking the wind to blow. And I’m admittedly a sucker for just sitting back and watching a couple guys yank each other’s chains for 90-odd minutes, so this is right in my wheelhouse.

Resistance – Marketing Recap

How IFC Films is selling a movie about fighting oppression.

resistance posterJonathan Jakubowicz wrote and directed this week’s new release Resistance. The movie stars Jesse Eisenberg as Marcel Marceau, long before he became the world-renowned performer famous for his abilities as a mime. During the events of the movie, Marceau is still an aspiring actor who joins the French Resistance to the Nazi occupation of World War II.

He does so reluctantly, wanting only to continue acting and painting and trying to ride out the terrors of the occupation. But he’s convinced to put his acting skills to use in the service of others, specifically a group of orphaned children who are at risk of being killed by the German soldiers. So he joins others in seeking to protect those children from the horrors of the Gestapo.

The limited campaign from IFC Films is a result of the movie getting an on-demand release this week due to the current theatrical situation as well as the movie’s status as a smaller title with limited commercial appeal.

The Posters

Marceau is shown running across a bridge adorned with Nazi flags on the one poster, released in February. His clothes, along with those flags, help set the time period the story takes place in while the somber color palette helps to set the tone.

The copy at the top that reads “The best way to resist is to survive” works nicely in summing up the struggle Marceau is undergoing as he hesitantly moves from wanting to simply survive to full on resistance.

The Trailers

In early February the first trailer (36,000 views on YouTube) was finally released. We meet Marcel, a man who’s shown early on both fighting back against the occupying Nazi soldiers and bringing laughs and entertainment to the children caught in the middle of a terrifying war. He and others are working to do what they can to hurt the Germans killing civilians, but the question remains: what is better, matching violence and hatred with the same or simply working to survive? Whatever the answer, the goal is to save the lives of those too young to protect themselves.

Online and Social

Not much beyond the standard marketing materials and basic information on IFC’s website for the movie.

Advertising and Promotions

It was during the American Film Market in late 2019 that IFC Films announced it had acquired the film.

Earlier this month the studio engaged in a small bit of advertising for the movie with spots like this that sum up the story pretty nicely, playing up the dramatic nature of what’s happening.

Media and Press

Eisenberg was interviewed about his role and the research he did into the reality of the man he was portraying. Another profile allowed him to talk about both this movie and the other release he has coming out this week.

Overall

There’s little doubt the movie is getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop when it comes to timing. Even aside from the fact that the theatrical marketplace is on extreme hold for the moment, it’s difficult for anything to break through the clutter of noise in the media world right now.

My one issue with the campaign is that it doesn’t make more of the actual history behind the story. This is a fascinating idea, that one of the 20th century’s greatest performers was involved in a massive wartime rescue operation. That seems to be skimmed over, but seems substantial.

Other than that this is not a bad campaign, just one that doesn’t get the the heft it otherwise would have.

Picking Up The Spare

A new clip came out just as the movie was hitting theaters.

The Day Shall Come – Marketing Recap

Law enforcement does not come off well in a satire about the age of terrorism.

the day shall come posterAnna Kendrick is FBI Agent Kendra Glack in the new film The Day Shall Come. Glack is relatively junior in the bureau, and doesn’t have the kind of experience or personal weight to throw around her superiors do. So she doesn’t have much ability to push back when those superiors put her in the middle of a crazy scheme.

Specifically, the FBI gets involved in the case of a Miami preacher named Moses (Marchánt Davis), a loner with a bunch of off-the-wall ideas and who’s only dangerous to the people he’s blocking on the sidewalk. When the FBI is in need of someone to prop up as a dangerous would-be terrorist, they start financing Moses’ activities and spreading manufactured stories about the threat he poses. Those efforts go well enough that Moses begins being seen by others as a serious case, but the bureau just can’t stop tripping over its own feet as they continually need to change reality to meet their narrative.

The movie, from Four Lions director Christopher Morris, has been well received to date with an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, but hasn’t received an extensive campaign.

The Posters

The poster, released in August, touts Morris’ past as the director of Four Lions while showing Moses standing in front of a city skyline looking like the slightly ridiculous person he is while the FBI logo looms in the background and helicopters circle around him. It’s presented as “A comedy based on a hundred true stories.”

The Trailers

In August the first trailer (27,000 views on YouTube) was finally released, showing Moses as a small-time preacher with delusions of grandeur regarding his importance or influence. Those at the FBI may not see him as an actual threat but they do see him as an opportunity to tout his arrest as a victory in the War on Terror. To do that they have to make some of his dreams come true, so they have to help him, but everyone’s ineptitude gets all scrambled up to the point of actually becoming dangerous.

Online and Social

IFC Films put the marketing materials up on its page for the movie, but that’s about it.

Advertising and Publicity

The movie’s SXSW 2019 debut was relatively well-received, but it was June before IFC Films acquired distribution rights.

Two clips came out earlier in the week of release, one showing the FBI twisting itself into rhetorical pretzels around the fake nuclear emergency it needs to declare, and one with Moses telling Nazis that ISIS gave him nuclear devices.

Media and Publicity

Kendrick appeared on “Late Night” earlier this week to talk about the movie and be charming. That appears to be the extent of the pre-release publicity, though, as there don’t seem to be any other major interviews or profiles.

Overall

The movie might be able to ride that positive festival buzz to a decent opening weekend and eventual total box office take, but the campaign put together by IFC hasn’t been designed to help it very much. With little to no press at the moment and not much other activity to help keep it at the top of anyone’s mind, there’s a risk it simply falls below the radar as people choose something on streaming or just wait for the bigger releases coming in the next few weeks.

It’s a shame, because we could use a little more satire like this in the world.

Picking Up the Spare

Morris spoke more here about the various sources of inspiration he drew from to create the story.

Official Secrets – Marketing Recap

IFC Films hopes a political drama will catch on with late summer moviegoers.

official secrets posterKiera Knightly stars in Official Secrets, out this week from IFC Films and based on a true story. Knightly stars in the story as Katharine Gun, a British government employee who, in 2003, finds proof intelligence is being manipulated by both the U.K. and U.S. as they seek to justify their plans for invading Iraq.

Understandably upset by what she’s found, she leaks the memo containing the evidence of the manipulation to the press because no one else seems to care. When she’s revealed as the leaker she’s charged under the Official Secrets Act. Determined she’s morally right and that the law is unjust, she’s aided in her fight by publisher Martin Bright (Matt Smith) and barrister Ben Emmerson (Ralph Fiennes).

The Posters

Gun is at the front of her assembled team on the one-sheet, Bright and Emmerson flanking her in the background. All three look very serious as bold-faced copy placed over their faces tells us “Nothing is more dangerous than the truth.” Down below the title is the appeal that the movie is “Based on the untold true story.”

The Trailers

The first trailer (18,000 views on YouTube) was finally released in late June. It opens with Katherine in custody, about to be interrogated by very serious men about her activities monitoring communications for the British government. She comes across messages showing the U.K. and U.S. intelligence services have been engaging in espionage to ensure a United Nations vote endorsing the 2003 invasion of Iraq, information she leaks to the press. The repercussions of her actions are dire for herself and her husband, but she insists her loyalty is to the people, not the government, and so is willing to fight for what she feels is right and face the consequences.

Online and Social

You’ll just find the basic mix of a trailer, synopsis and the poster on the studio’s single page for the movie. This is one of those situations where some background on the events that inspired the story, or at least the book it’s based on, would have been welcome to help educate the audience a bit more.

Advertising and Publicity

Response to the movie’s screening at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was mixed, but that didn’t stop IFC from quickly nabbing distribution rights. A couple months later it was announced it would also appear at April’s San Francisco Film Festival.

The studio has engaged in a strategy of aggressively releasing clips in order to show audiences more of what they can expect from the movie. “Loyalty” was given to The Playlist as an exclusive for that readership, showing Gun meeting Emmerson for the first time. “Breach” showed the day Gun’s supervisors discovered secrets had been leaked. Continuing that them, “Risk” has Gun meeting Bright for the first time as her trial starts.

Media and Publicity

A first look still from the movie was released at the same time as the Sundance announcement.

Just before release, an interview with Knightly had her talking about the story and the responsibility she felt when taking on the role and what she remembered from when the events depicted were taking place. Similar topics were covered in a video interview that came from IFC as a sort of EPK.

Gun herself was interviewed about the events of her life that are shown in the movie, at least those that she’s legally allowed to talk about.

Overall

This is a Very Serious Movie being sold by IFC, one that is meant to appear timely and important in our age when truth is relative and anyone who disagrees with certain political leaders is accused of being a disloyal socialist. It’s unlikely there will be an audience for it, not because of the story or theme but because it isn’t the kind of pure, nihilistic escapism audiences seem to be craving at this particular cultural moment.

The campaign is best summed up by a line given to Emmerson: “You chose loyalty to your country over loyalty to your government.” That’s the key to what’s being sold here, a reminder that government and country aren’t the same thing, despite the fact that those in power often attempt to conflate the two in the minds of the public. So the movie looks intriguing, one that doesn’t try to sensationalize the story but present it as soberly as possible and remind the audience that standing up for what’s right often isn’t safe.

Vita & Virginia – Marketing Recap

vita and virginia posterThis week’s Vita & Virginia focuses on the friendship between two legendary authors. Gemma Arterton plays Vita Sackville-West while Elizabeth Debicki plays Virginia Woolf, two women living in 1920s London who run in slightly different social circles but have never met.

When their mutual admiration for each other’s work leads them to finally connect, it sparks an instant friendship as the two find in the other a complimentary spirit. That connection becomes something deeper as a romance forms, one that pushes past the boundaries of what society at the time was comfortable with but which would inspire both to creative heights.

The Posters

vita and virginia poster 2The two women are shown on the first poster in a warm and tender embrace, each wearing the kind of formal gown common to the story’s setting and each looking slightly troubled or at least wary. That the relationship between the two inspired one of Woolf’s best-known novels is made clear in the copy at the top of the design.

A second poster featured the same photo, just without the frame that cropped some of that photo on the first one.

The Trailers

Vita, we see in the first trailer, is a strong-willed and independent woman not afraid to speak her mind. One day she sets out to meet Woolf, whom she’s a fan of. The two become quick friends as they compare industry notes and relish in each other’s lifestyles. That friendship evolves into something more intimate over time, a relationship those around them don’t approve of in many ways. But the two inspire each other, despite their different temperaments.

Online and Social

Not much of note on IFC Films’ page for the movie, just standard stuff. It’s received some support on IFC’s social channels, but not as much as other releases, especially The Nightingale.

Advertising and Publicity

It’s been a year since the movie screened at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival to mixed reviews.

Media and Press

Not much on this front, not even any great number of interviews with the filmmakers or cast. That’s a little surprising.

Overall

The audience is being sold on a period romance that is meant to speak to our times and show women who might now identify as “queer” but who are also recognizable to many in the target demographic.

There’s some interesting stuff happening here, but the main focus is on the pair of Debicki and Arterton and the chemistry between the two of them. IFC may not have mounted a big campaign and it’s unlikely the film will go big in any way, but it still seems worth checking out.

Picking Up the Spare

IFC released a couple clips that expand on the relationship between the two women at the heart of the story. EW got another exclusive clip and others came out after that.

Ode To Joy – Marketing Recap

ode to joy posterMartin Freeman is, of course, no stranger to comedies, having starred in several over the years. Morena Baccarin has been funny in a number of roles, but hasn’t had the chance to do much straight comedy. That changes in this week’s romantic comedy Ode to Joy.

Baccarin plays Francesca, who one day meets Charlie (Freeman), a man who has cataplexy, a form of narcolepsy that causes him to pass out when he feels strong emotions, including joy or happiness. That makes him dating Francesca – or anyone else – kind of difficult, so he encourages her to start seeing his brother. But the connection between the two is strong, even if Charlie is reluctant because of his condition.

The Posters

It’s a pretty traditional rom-com image used on the poster, which shows Francesca leaning in to give Charlie a kiss. But we get the sense there are complications through the copy that reads “Charlie has never been happier. And that’s the problem.”

The Trailers

It’s a charming little story on display in the first trailer. We meet Charlie and see his particular narcolepsy is triggered in moments where he feels joy or happiness. So he’s always falling asleep at the worst times and making things weird, which negatively impacts his dating life. When he meets Francesca he realizes she’s someone special but is afraid of what happiness will do to him, so he sets her up with his brother. That relationship turns out pretty well, but the connection between Charlie and Francesca never completely goes away, even as he starts dating Bethany.

Online and Social

There’s not a whole lot of information on IFC Films’ page for the movie, just the standard stuff. The studio gave it a bit of support on its brand social channels but was primarily focused on promoting other recent releases.

Advertising and Publicity

Nothing I’ve seen on this front.

Media and Press

The press activity here has been pretty light as well. IFC hosted an L.A. screening of the movie that featured a Q&A with the writer and director and some of the cast did a few interviews.

Overall

Given it stars two exceedingly charming and funny actors in a story based on an episode of “This American Life” I’m surprised there isn’t more attention being paid to the release. The lack of discernible press campaign means Baccarin and Freeman aren’t out there telling funny stories and ginning up interest, which hints to me there’s some reason IFC is letting this one go out with a whimper instead of a bang. Too bad since the movie looks breezy and entertaining and, let’s face it, I’ll watch these two in most anything.

Sword of Trust – Marketing Recap

sword of trust poster

Writer/director Lynn Shelton is back with this week’s Sword of Trust. The movie stars Jillian Bell as Cynthia and Michaela Watkins as Mary, two women who set out to sell the antique sword Cynthia has inherited from her late grandfather. They come to believe the sword is somehow proof the Confederacy won the Civil War. 

That claim is met with skepticism by pawn shop owner Mel (Marc Maron), whom they try to sell it to. But a series of events changes his mind and the three, along with Mel’s assistant Nathanial (Jon Bass), set out to sell it and split the profits. The group doesn’t know exactly what they’re doing, though, and the people they encounter aren’t exactly of the highest moral character.

The Posters

As is often the case, studios don’t know quite how to sell Shelton’s movies. While it’s natural to focus on the characters when promoting a character-driven story, there’s nothing here beyond an arrangement of faces and a title treatment that looks like it’s pulled from a 90s low-budget teen comedy. It’s underwhelming.

The Trailers

Cynthia and Mary are trying to pawn their grandfather’s sword as the trailer opens, an item they claim proves the Confederacy won the Civil War. Mel is understandably skeptical. Word gets out that the sword exists and a lot of people wind up looking for it, leading Mel and the women teaming up to try and sell it for as much money as possible. No one knows what they’re doing, though, and there are lots of misadventures along the way.

Online and Social

Nothing much beyond the very basics on IFC’s page for the movie. It’s received support on the studio’s brand social channels but that’s about it.

Advertising and Cross-Promotions

Nothing I’ve seen, but it’s likely the studio has done some location-targeted advertising in New York and LA for opening weekend that could expand as the movie does.

Media and Publicity

The movie was among those debuting at SXSW, a debut that brought mixed reactions. IFC picked up distribution rights at the end of March. It was later announced as the opening night feature at the Seattle Film Festival.

This weekend’s limited release includes a Q&A with the cast and Shelton at New York City’s Landmark Theater.

Overall

It’s actually kind of remarkable how small-scale the campaign has been. While I understand this week’s release is just limited and that there’s little chance the movie achieves any sort of breakout success in the near-term, it’s still surprising there hasn’t been more of an attempt to capitalize on the positive buzz generated by the SXSW screening.

The trailer is quite good and does a decent job presenting the premise and the talent of the cast, but the rest of the marketing doesn’t know what’s going on or how to deal with things. Given Shelton’s reputation as a high-quality filmmaker with a sterling reputation, that’s surprising, even as it offers some indication of where the movie industry is at the moment.

Picking Up the Spare

Another interview with Shelton here about creating the characters and how her career has been going.  She also did an interview with Maron talking about conspiracy theories like the one featured in the movie. 

The notion of alternate histories also came up in this conversation while Maron appeared on “The Tonight Show” to talk about the movie. He was interviewed about working with Shelton and his own take on conspiracy theories as well. 

Ophelia – Marketing Recap

ophelia posterFor as much of a masterpiece as Hamlet is, the female characters in the play are more than a little underwritten. Gertrude has little to do but watch her son descend into madness while being positioned as the disloyal wife now sleeping with her husband’s killer. Then there’s the subject of this week’s new movie Ophelia, which seeks to change the perspective of the events depicted in the play from her perspective.

Daisy Ridley stars as the title character, who is taken in as a young child by Queen Gertrude (Naomi Watts). That brings her into the life of young Hamlet (George MacKay) as well, a fateful pairing that will have repercussions for both after Hamlet’s father is killed. It’s then up to Ophelia to walk the line between her responsibilities in the court and what her heart is calling her to do.

The Posters

The title character is shown from behind on the first and only poster, her blue dress blending nicely with the wall covering behind her. Copy makes it clear the story will be telling “Hamlet through her eyes,” a nice way of communicating to the audience what they should expect.

The Trailers

IFC debuted the first trailer in late April. It shows Ophelia’s life before the events depicted in the play, including her relationship with the young prince Hamlet. When his father is killed and uncle assumes the throne we continue to get her perspective on events, seeing how her world is thrown upside down. She wants to help Hamlet, including encouraging him to run away with her, but no one seems to take her seriously and she gets caught up in the madness infecting the whole kingdom.

Online and Social

IFC Films’ official website for the movie has a good synopsis, the trailer and a cast list, but that’s about it. There are no social profiles, but the studio did promote it on its brand channels.

Advertising and Cross-Promotions

Nothing I’ve been exposed to.

Media and Publicity

A first look photo showing Ridley as the title character appeared in EW’s Fall Movie Preview issue. More stills were released later on providing more looks at the film alongside comments from Watts just before its scheduled debut at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018, a debut many critics were anxiously looking forward to. While there McCarthy and Watts talked about the film and how telling the story from a woman’s point of view is super-timely and relevant.

IFC finally picked up distribution almost a year after that Sundance premiere.

The first clip was released in early June showing Ophelia having a pointed conversation with the Queen about their respective status in the castle. Another shows a flirtatious moment between Ophelia and Hamlet.

There was an interview with Watts about the movie but, surprisingly, nothing with Ridley, at least not to date. Most of the recent stories about her have been about Star Wars or her personal life.

Overall

More so than many other movies, this really does seem like a reimagining of a familiar story that may add something new and interesting to the original. As I mentioned, Ophelia’s role in Hamlet isn’t exactly a portrait of an empowered young woman, but there’s nothing in the marketing for the movie that suggests it detracts from the classic Shakespeare play so much as it adds shading and coloring, bringing out aspects not previously given full attention.

Ridley’s absence from the publicity circuit is disappointing given her place in the title role, but it may also be a symptom of being part of other, bigger productions. If that had been a bit more pronounced the campaign as a whole might have been a bit more engaging, but there hasn’t been anyone out there in the time leading up to release playing the story up as vital and important for contemporary audiences. That’s a shame.

Picking Up the Spare

Ridley finally started doing a little press for the movie, including an appearance on “The Tonight Show.” 

There have been a few more clips released by IFC Films. 

How the filmmakers sought to expand the story of the character was covered in this feature interview with the crew.