Want to announce a new film screening/premiere/launch through a press release and don’t know where to start? No worries, this article will cover everything that is required to create and distribute a press release for a film. This article provides template, example, film PR benefits and key points to know for writing and distributing a film press release. Let us get started with the different sections.
Aim: To create a film press release and to get the best possible visibility through PR.
Tools: The tools required to achieve the given aim are template, sample, tips for writing and distribution. All the tools are given and clarified in this article. So make sure to read it fully to get the best results.
Ready-to-Use Template:
The film press release template is given below:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Headline] /* Film name + launch date + attractive news angle*/
[Sub-heading] /*A summary of 2-3 sentences.*/
[Location City], [Date]. The film [name of the film] is set to release on [date]. Directed by [director name], this film is [general focus of film]. With stars like [name of stars], this film [expected results]. [How can viewers watch it + trailers available on channels]
[past notable films by director/actor/producer] + [Budget + film shooting + partners of film].
[quote from film director/producer/actor]
[details of debut actors (if any) + some basic information of storyline + review or critic by an authorized person/organization]
[Quote from sponsor or film critic or media partner]
[link to URL and other online assets like FB, Twitter, Youtube for more information on film]
About [Production company]
[Production company (establishment) + past achievements + mission + vision (2-3 sentences max)].
Media Contact:
[Name]
[Job Title]
[Email address] /*official email, not free ones like gmail, yahoo*/
[Phone number]
[Website URL]
[Location city and state]
Example for a Film Press Release Writing
[Headline] Action-packed Thriller “Rogue Agent” Set to Release in Theaters on August 12th
[Summary] “Rogue Agent,” a high-octane action-thriller directed by Michael Johnson and starring Chris Evans and Charlize Theron, is set to release in theaters across the country on November 15th, 2021. This film promises to be an adrenaline-fueled ride for audiences, featuring stunning visuals and pulse-pounding action.
Los Angeles, CA, November 10th, 2021. The action-packed film “Rogue Agent” is set to release in theaters nationwide on November 15th, 2021. Directed by Michael Johnson, the film stars Chris Evans and Charlize Theron in leading roles, promising an adrenaline-fueled ride for audiences. The film’s stunning visuals and pulse-pounding action is sure to leave viewers on the edge of their seats.
Viewers can catch a glimpse of “Rogue Agent” through its official trailers, which are available on the film’s official website RogueAgent.com and social media platforms.
“Rogue Agent” is the latest film by Michael Johnson, who is known for his previous work on “The Expendables” and “Death Race.” With a budget of $80 million, the film was shot in multiple countries and features cutting-edge special effects.
“We’re excited for audiences to experience the high-octane action and stunning visuals in ‘Rogue Agent’,” says Michael Johnson, the film’s director. “Chris Evans and Charlize Theron deliver incredible performances, and we can’t wait for viewers to see what we’ve created.”
“Rogue Agent” follows the story of a CIA agent who goes rogue to stop a dangerous arms dealer, risking everything to save the world from destruction. The film has received positive early reviews, with critics praising its thrilling action sequences and dynamic performances.
The film’s official website features more information on the film and its release, along with links to social media channels for further updates.
About Tribend Productions
Tribend Productions, established in 1995, is a leading production company known for producing high-quality films and delivering compelling stories that captivate audiences. With a mission to create meaningful entertainment, Tribend Productions has produced multiple award-winning films, including My Spiritual Growth, Next Stop-The Top, No Deal.
Media Contact:
Jee Tim
Public Relations Manager
j.tim@tribendinc.com
2310-555-1234
www.tribendinc.com
Los Angeles, CA
Advantages of a film press release
The benefits that you can avail from this press release are:
Generate Attention
For any film premiere/launch to be successful, one of the key elements is to get the attention of media and people. Press releases are cost-effective means to generate the initial momentum as it good coverage through many platforms involved in a PR distribution system. Many big production houses regularly issue press releases to announce events/films and other relevant subject matter.
Opens Organic Coverage Possibilities
Many reporters and industry-specific experts go through the feeds of PR platforms regularly. This opens new avenues of getting featured organically through voluntary pick-ups. If the film PR stands out from the generic ones, then it holds better chances of getting seen on entertainment sites and news portals. Once it gets organic pick-ups, then the reach of the film promotion increases by leaps and bounds.
Multimedia Branding Opportunity
A film has various marketing materials like video trailers, teaser images and banners. By using a press release, one can provide a link to this content on the press release thereby getting these marketing materials into the public domain which can open a new dimension of organic promotion through shares on social networks.
Creates the Feel Big Factor
A production house or company that actively markets its films through press releases and other means creates a positive perception of the company/production house. This creates a good brand image of the entity behind the marketing and can lead to more trust among people who are involved in financing and investing in the film industry.
Film press release writing and distributing tips:
Remember these points while creating and distributing PR for film release
1. Restrain Promotional Content in PR
While it is true that press releases are used as one of the promotional mechanisms, this does not imply that the press release itself should sound like a promotional piece of content. Minute promotional content may not raise any kind of objection but if the PR sounds explicitly like marketing, then most probably it won’t even get approved for distribution.
2. Must not sound unplanned
A good press release must be properly planned. It means that any person coming across your press release must not be wandering about the basic components of a press release. Basic things like film release date, main cast, relevance, etc must be answered. While answering basic questions related to the film release, don’t go in-depth else it will negatively affect the length of the press release which will have in turn have a bad effect on the readability and promotion.
3. Full and Final Mode
Remember that whatever you write in the PR content is full and final. It means that there is no chance of making any edits to content later. This is due to the mass syndication of the press release and its placement on 100’s of different sites. So any mistakes in the PR will go across multiple sites and it will be extremely cumbersome to contact each and every site and ask for correction. Some sites may agree to edits but they charge hefty fees, still, there will be many sites that would not accept such requests. So before you hit the send button, check it 3-4 times.
4. Make sure to link multimedia
Always make sure to put all marketing materials for the film accessible to readers. Though press release portals limit the number and type of multimedia used, they do provide the option to link to websites and social networks. You can put marketing materials (trailers, banners) on a website and can provide the link to readers so that they can interact more with your upcoming film.
5. Correct and Responsible Media Contact
The media contact option at the end of the press release is very significant. Use the details (name, email, phone number) of a person who can responsibly handle queries aimed at the media contact section. Many times media people and film critics may try to contact for more information on the film and if the communication is not handled properly, it can cause a loss of opportunity to get greater coverage.
6. Make it Unavoidable
Journalists and industry-specific bloggers come across many press releases every day. Hundreds of PR headlines reach their inbox and they scan through them quickly due to which each press release headline gets a fraction of seconds to either catch their attention or to get ignored. If the PR headline is generic like 100’s of others, the chances are it will go unnoticed. So put more time in making the headline and content attention-seeking to ensure more chances of visibility and coverage.
7. No I, We, You
Press releases don’t accept blog-type content that contains direct referencing words like I, we, you (technically called first person and second person in English). Make the content in third-person reference. One thing to note here is that such direct words (I, We, You, etc) can be used within the quotes section of PR.
8. Don’t Compare
While showcasing your positive points, don’t get into accusing competitors. PR portals stay away (mostly) from content that goes against any individual/organization. Some portals have a clear policy of rejecting any accusation-related content.
9. Distribution Plays the Most Vital Role
All things aside, if the distribution is not of quality, then the entire task of creating the PR content would become useless. People new to the PR industry think that getting published on a maximum number of portals is the most significant. They are ignorant of the fact that Google only selects a few high-end portals for ranking in search engines. If they miss the high-end portals (like Yahoo Finance, Associated Press, etc), they won’t get any significant advantage.
