I know it’s thrilling when you’re in the midst of creating something. However, many put off working with publicity, even for consultation, because many think it’s going to be really expensive. To be sure, a full-scale publicity campaign can get quite expensive—depending on several factors. However, consulting with publicity in a limited capacity can be a smart investment to help you figure out your specific publicity strategy without making a total commitment until you’re ready. Which in the long run will help you save time and resources.
Let’s get into some of the ways working with a savvy publicity consultant can help you spend your publicity dollars strategically and stay within budget.
Working with a publicity consultant is like adding a strategic partner to your team on an as-needed basis. Engaging a consultant is best when you’re looking to build a strategic plan, ask granular questions, or want a detailed publicity roadmap. Consulting isn’t meant to execute your campaign or handle a PR crisis—as that would most likely need to be a longer commitment with a retainer. Rather, it’s meant to assist you by helping you bridge your knowledge gap and ultimately work with you to align your artistic vision with the realities of the cost of publicity—which may help identify funding gaps that need to be filled before aggressively starting a publicity campaign.
At our agency, and those like ours, initially you’ll commit to a set number of hours at a specific hourly rate. The minimum commitment is usually between four and 32 hours (or less than a week’s time). But if you have precise questions, some consultants will offer 2-hour blocks. From there, a publicity consultant will first have you fill out a comprehensive questionnaire or meet with you to assess your project’s publicity challenges and get an understanding of the project’s history to date. They’ll also need to watch your film or a rough cut.
They’ll want to understand your goals and your questions. Then, they’ll dive into the nuances of your work to create a tailored plan or other deliverables that align with your creative objectives and financial constraints. This process is collaborative; you remain in control of your vision while the consultant offers strategies and solutions to maximize your project's reach and impact without overspending.
A great publicity consultant will also offer valuable guidance on media relations, audience engagement, and social media—or other specific topics that are unique to your needs, goals, and challenges. Some may also be available to help with festival strategies or submission materials.
Some consultants may also be available to review your script for possible PR headaches and provide script notes. Sometimes, this can be more costly as the consultant will need to spend time reading your script. Or listen to your script—which, admittedly, when I take on such work, I opt to listen to scripts—kind of like turning it into a podcast. I’ll use a screen reader or listen to a taped table read if one is available because it goes quicker, and I can listen to it as I go about my day.
A common misconception is that publicity consultants are an expense best reserved for later in a project. However, involving them early—in a limited capacity—can be a cost-saving strategy. A publicity consultant can help you create a realistic and effective budget by identifying the key areas where publicity and marketing efforts will have the most impact. But they can also give you a list of publicity tasks for various states of production that can help you prepare your publicity efforts while you’re going through the development and production lifecycle of your filmmaking process. This can help you allocate funds strategically from the start rather than having to scramble for additional resources when it may be too late.
For example, instead of investing heavily in every available promotional opportunity, a publicity consultant will help you identify targeted ways to reach your intended audience, provide guidance on which publicity tools are essential, and work with you to create the most effective messaging. They can provide insights into what works and what doesn’t based on industry trends, audience behavior, and media landscapes.
With a clear understanding of where your funding will have the greatest impact, you can avoid wasting time and resources on strategies that aren't right for your project. This targeted approach is often more cost-effective and bespoke—taking into account your unique constraints.
Bringing in a publicity consultant is a solid first step in engaging publicity without a full commitment. Whether your goal is complex media rollout, help with festival planning, or understanding the dos and don’ts of social media film promotion—they’ve been asked it all, they’ve seen it all, and chances are, they’ve solved it all. Meaning, the right consultant will have the expertise needed to help you solve your wildest plan.
Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Ashley at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!
Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32 , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .
![]() |
Navigating Social Media Marketing For Creatives |
Stage 32 Certification Welcomes Pecs, Hungary! |
![]() |
Blog Post by Tamaryn Tobian, posted on Friday, September 6th, 2024
There are now 3749 blog posts for you to enjoy. Search them all by tags below.
Acting, Advice, Cinematography, Coffee & Content, Composing, Contests, Distribution, Featured, Filmmaking, Financing, Inspirational, Networking, Producing, Screenwriting, Success Stories, Tips, Trending,
Hi Tamaryn, thank you so much for writing this blog. I will bookmark it and sue it for reference points.
You mentioned seeing the film, but also of the filmmaker reaching out in the development process, which of course means there won’t be anything to see, save for probably a pitch deck, I suppose. W...
Expand postHi Tamaryn, thank you so much for writing this blog. I will bookmark it and sue it for reference points.
You mentioned seeing the film, but also of the filmmaker reaching out in the development process, which of course means there won’t be anything to see, save for probably a pitch deck, I suppose. When approaching a publicist what are the basic materials they will ask for, or is it all down to the questionnaire?
I currently have my human trafficking film, Seeing Rachel, in development. From our own research we have noted that there’s a split in the male/female viewer demographic - female 18-35 y/o and male 45-65 yo. That looks like it could be quite a challenge for a publicist.
Lastly, how important is it for the publicist to understand the different territories for the release? I’m sure that there will be differences in the dominant modes of communication - social media vs traditional media, for example. What advice would you give the filmmaker about this, when they are preparing to approach a publicist?
Many thanks again for this blog post.
Copy the link below to share this page:
3 people like this
2 people like this
That's a lot! What a publicist needs to see depends on what is available at the current stage of the lifecycle. In development, it may be a pitch deck & treatment (or the script). In production (Unit...
Expand commentThat's a lot! What a publicist needs to see depends on what is available at the current stage of the lifecycle. In development, it may be a pitch deck & treatment (or the script). In production (Unit Publicity), there are other needs. As there are for release. Typically Social Media is a function of either PR or Marketing (or both) and it really depends. What I will say about social media is that it's best to consult with someone who can address some truths—it's not unimportant but it needs to be well understood. Most of the success of Social Media, though, comes down to budget and ad spend. Demographics are important for a PR person to understand, but again that's often more a role for marketing. Understand, PR & Marketing overlap but they're not the same thing (nor is Advertising). The PR person needs to understand the territories geographically. Meaning, you probably wouldn't hire a European-based publicist for a North American premiere (but you might hire a US-based publicist for a European film festival such as Cannes as well as a local European-based publicist. Partly because most of the film trades are US-based media outlets. Hope that helps.
1 person likes this
Thanks, Tamaryn Tobian that’s really helpful.
This was very helpful. Thanks, Tamaryn!
Copy the link below to share this page:
2 people like this
Thank you, Tamaryn
Copy the link below to share this page:
4 people like this
Thank you Tamaryn! This really lifts the veil of fog when it comes to how to work with and cover a publicist. It’s one of those invaluable posts that is good to keep on hand.
Copy the link below to share this page:
4 people like this
4 people like this
Thank you for your very kind words, Leonardo!
Thank you, Tamaryn
Copy the link below to share this page:
4 people like this
Extremely helpful, Tamaryn!
Copy the link below to share this page:
2 people like this