As a reviewer, I often get movies in the mail. They come in all sorts of packages. Some of them are small and contain just a disc with a handwritten title on it. Some of them are large bundles that include a stack of paperwork haphazardly put together and stapled in the corner in a way that says “Here’s all the crap about my movie, you sort it out”. Still others just send a supplemental DVD filled with still images that I might use for promotional purposes in my review. It might come as a shock to some of you that I actually DO read all of the “press kits” that come my way, or what passes for them anyway. Believe it or not there is a relative standard for creating a press kit…And guess what folks, I’m here to show you how it’s done. I’m going to give you a couple examples from good press kits that I’ve gotten recently to give you a head start on the road to a good first impression!

Press Kit Example #1 – From Elisabeth Fies “The Commune”

When I first got the large manila envelope in the mail and felt the heft of it I thought to myself…”Great, homework”. But upon opening it I noticed a variety of goodies that awaited me. First out came the movie. It was in a standard DVD case with full printed artwork on the back and front. Just like you’d see in a retail store! (And folks, if you create something you want to be taken seriously alongside other professional movie makers, then presentation in this case is the best first impression you can make. It allows me to add it easily to my current DVD collection without having to buy a case for it or stick in in some DVD album sleeves where it will never be watched again after my initial review.


Next there came the movie postcard. This is a quick, inexpensive, and efficient way to quickly communicate what is basically on the back of the DVD cover anyways. It gives a quick plot synopsis, possibly a couple blurbs from other reviews, and best of all, contact information for either the director or the production company. There are many times that either before or after my review I’ve called up the filmmaker to either congratulate them on their work, or give them the courtesy that what I might print about their piece might be less than flattering. If I have no contact with you, then how do you expect the reviewer to care about your movie BEYOND the review?


Okay, in Ms. Fies case, she included a manila folder (like you’d find in an office) that contained all the information in her press kit. At first I thought “what, you couldn’t invest the extra $1.00 in buying a real pocket folder?”. After watching the movie I realized this was more like an inside joke or tie-in rather than pure laziness. I also got a groovy “Commune Movie.Com” peace sign necklace stapled to it as a little extra gift! And believe me when I say little things like that DO actually effect my opinion. Maybe not of the movie itself, but certainly the filmmaker.


The first thing I saw when I opened the folder was a list of one-liners and blurbs from other critics about her movie. “Well played Ms. Fies”, I thought. She might be trying to influence my opinion by planting suggestions in my head that her movie was popular, well-liked, and worth my time to watch. Not really a bad move! Another thing this tells me is that the filmmaker is out there hustling and getting the word out on her film. Just because you are not currently screening in a theater (or don’t have the money to GET your movie into a theater) doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be showing your flick to everyone with at least one eye! Also, critics talk to each other, and while we might not necessarily influence each other’s opinions, there might be an angle that I might have missed that a fellow reviewer picked up on. This might make the whole different in the review! You never know!


Next came a press releases of her movie. In her packet she included a press release from her movie’s write up in the “Huffington Post”, another press release showcased the movie’s star Chauntal Lewis, and then another showcasing their involvement in a charity fundraiser. This shows the filmmaker being active in the community and is a great source of publicity for the film. Also, who are other people that are at charity events? People that have money to donate of course! Maybe they’ll be willing to finance part of your next endeavor (some investments in film can be written off on taxes as well you see). Are you trying to play on my sympathies Ms. Fies? Okay, I’ll allow it just this once!


After this it was all business. The next page showcased her movie’s logline under 25 words, her full logline, and a full synopsis (you’d be surprised how many times I’ll head to IMDB to look at the synopsis of a movie before I see it.) She also included info like the running time of the movie, when it was completed, who owns the foreign and domestic rights to the film, and where her world premiere was held. It also gives cast and crew info, and information specifically for distributors. Some of you out there might think…Who Cares? Well what if I as a film reviewer liked you movie so much that I wanted to do an in-depth interview about your film? I already have a wealth of information in my hands. Also, do you not think that I might not have some distributor friends or film festival programmers in my stable that I chat with from time to time? It makes it very easy for me to make a good case for your film when I have all the information at hand.


What followed this was another article written by another source about her movie. And then there came the bio for the director herself. I now have enough background information that I can have an intelligent discussion with the filmmaker as a person rather than having to resort to saying things like, “nice lighting in that one scene huh?”. I enjoy talking with filmmakers, and if I know a little bit about them as a person, and what kind of struggles they had getting their movie made, sometimes that gives me a little extra “oomph!” to champion a movie and make sure that I tell other people about it. I also find it personally rewarding to see how filmmakers grow from project to project. Having a rapport with a critic you can trust means that you will always have someone there who’s job it is to tell you when you’re on the right track from an outside perspective.


Next, and this might not apply to ALL movies, but for this one she included information from news stories that had similarities to her plot. This is especially effective in her case because her movie is of the horror/thriller genre and it lends a little bit more scare since it can be related in the real world. TV does this all the time, and some shows live on the “ripped from the headlines” type of programming they put out. It’s especially effective if your story is outlandish because you give the viewer something real to cling to. Ms. Fies included two such stories in her press kit.


Another review and press release later, and I was at the last page, which was a press release for an award that the film was honored with. Nice to know that what I’m watching is accepted by other people than just myself. Now I have a mind full of information that I can refer to when I talk about this movie, both in my reviews and to other people. This, ladies and gentleman of the jury, is how to create a proper press packet!