#TBT CRI-Style: Josh Penn & Michael Gottwald on Grassroots Distribution
John Tintori
Welcome to Throwback Thursday at the Cinema Research Institute!
Over the next few months, we will be posting throwbacks to some of the highlights from the CRI Blog and Research, in addition to the fresh content being published by our current Fellows. Our #TBT series begins with a look at 2013 CRI Fellows Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald's white paper on Grassroots Distribution.
The paper, available in full in the Projects section, is a thoughtful and thorough consideration of the ways in which independent filmmakers can apply grassroots organizing principles to their film distribution campaigns to establish strategy, build enthusiastic audiences, and maintain momentum for their film's success. The recommendations noted in Josh and Michael's white paper are informed by their experiences as Obama for America campaign staffers, producers of the Academy-Award nominated film BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, and as CRI researchers who had the opportunity and access to interview filmmakers who have applied grassroots organizing principles to their own film campaigns. The paper is a must-read for filmmakers who are building an audience for their next project, thinking about marketing and distribution strategies, and who would like a basic roadmap for getting their film to the public beyond a festival run.
For those of you on-the-go, we'll summarize the key points in blog posts published every Thursday for the next two months. Stay tuned, talk back, and share with friends and fellow filmmakers!
To kick things off this week, we thought we'd introduce (or re-introduce) you to Josh and Michael via this conversation hosted by the CRI and illy Cafe. Enjoy!