Opinion

At Cannes this year, Terrence Malick famously skipped the press conference of his own movie, Tree of Life. Brad Pitt, defended his director’s action, explaining that as an artist, Malick should not concern himself in selling the film as well. While that might be true for a reclusive auteur, most directors can benefit greatly from having a hand in sending his or her "baby" out to the world.

As a young, aspiring director, I see promotion as not only an obligation but also an exciting opportunity to interact with the press and the audience. On May 3rd, my short, Stranger Now, premiered at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF). The story centers on an unlikely friendship between a boy and a homeless man as they rebuild a home model together. FIND, NBC-Universal and others sponsored the film, which starred Collin Chou from The Matrix Reloaded.

I saw the premiere as an opportunity to "practice" my PR skills. After receiving the festival’s invitation, I decided that I would focus on the Chinese-language press. Because Collin is well known in Asia, World Journal, the biggest Chinese-language newspaper in North America, had already written up a full-page article on Stranger Now. It made sense to contact World Journal and other Chinese-language news outlets as well.
 
I contacted three global news organizations. I sent each of them an introductory letter, which contained a short synopsis of the movie, a description of the festival, and reasons why their audience/readership would be interested in us. I also enclosed a production still. After some back and forth, all three organizations interviewed me, and their excellent reporting was picked up by other agencies. In the end, over 50 print and online organizations reported on Stranger Now and me. This experience was a blessing.
 
I learned many things from interacting with these journalists. Some general observations: they are extremely busy juggling multiple assignments. Be proactive and respectful with them. Help them to do their job more easily, such as providing the pertinent photos for the article.
 
Also, be aware of the type of media’s narrative your piece fit into. Listen closely to the questions they ask.  I think it is up to the individual how she or he wants to work with these pre-conceived notions; the important thing is to be aware of them.
 
Thirdly, understand what topics fascinate the reporters – whether it’s filmmakers’ accolades, social relevance of the movie, or the craft of directing. Come very prepare to the interview, be helpful without being intrusive, know how you like the interview to go, and most importantly listen.
 
Filmmakers can learn so much from the journalists about mass communication. As the filmmakers nurture their "baby" (film) to adulthood, there comes the day when they have to send their baby out to the world where that young adult will thrive or wither due to the opinions of others. As a "new" parent, I prefer a more hands-on approach to sending my baby out to the world. In the future, I might be able to let go more easily as Terrence Malick does. For now, I’m learning as well.