The next instalment of the blockbuster Batman movie franchise, The Dark Knight, isn't slated to hit cinemas until next July, yet teaser trailers for it are topping the most-viewed list on YouTube.
Meanwhile, JJ Abrams, creator of cult TV series Lost and director of Mission: Impossible III, has created a viral frenzy with a trailer for his next film, which has been produced under a veil of secrecy. The clip, showing hand-held camera footage of destruction raining down on New York City, carries no title, just a release date. It was first shown before Transformers in US cinemas this summer, and almost immediately leaked online. After Paramount Pictures took action to get those links taken down, it made the authorised trailer available via Apple.com. Still in post-production, the film is being referred to as Cloverfield.
These are the latest instances of film studios using the internet, and social-networking sites in particular, to connect with fans and attempt to create a buzz around releases. Generating audience anticipation is nothing new, but the fact that the activity is beginning so early in the films' production reflects the growing importance of viral marketing.
An increasing volume of viral work is beginning when films start shooting, according to Dan Light, head of interactive at Picture Production Company (PPC). 'We are seeing much more content tailored for the web, from webisodes to developing characters on sites such as Bebo prior to the release.'
Too much of a good thing?
One of the most high-profile examples of viral film marketing was for last summer's Snakes on a Plane. The movie underwent a comprehensive reshoot to take it from a PG-13 to an R rating in response to a frenzy of blogging activity. But the film failed to live up to its hype and critics suggested the marketing had been the most creative thing about it.
While there is always a risk in attempting to spark audience anticipation too early, Dylan Close, head of viral at video-hosting site Kontraband, believes it is essential to build momentum around a release. 'The power is shifting away from the big film and trade magazines,' he says. 'Blogs and communities are becoming far more powerful - it is vital to communicate with them.'
Film companies are surprisingly reticent when it comes to online marketing; insiders say Warner Bros wants its activity for The Dark Knight to appear 'organic'. One agency director describes viral as a double-edged sword. 'On the one hand, Warner is going to extreme lengths to keep the plot secret, even using the production title of Rory's First Kiss, but on the other it is releasing images and running unbranded campaigns,' he says.
Traditionally the studios have viewed sites such as YouTube as a threat for distributing their content for free. At the same time, however, such sites offer huge potential and minimal cost as a distribution channel. Patrick Walker, head of video partnerships, EMEA, at YouTube, says trailers and short films have always been core to its offering. 'We are now seeing a more sophisticated approach to film marketing and our relationships with the studios have formalised.'
While YouTube does carry legitimate trailers, often seeded by the studios, most content is still fan-made. A search for 'The Dark Knight' reveals myriad montages and homages to the franchise, purporting to be real trailers. A number of film icons click through to items that have since been removed and YouTube has bolstered its systems to ensure that illegal content is removed even faster.
However, as an increasing number of leaks originate from studios and their agencies, there is a growing sense that heavy-handed clampdowns on users' content are hypocritical. Universal recently placed deleted scenes from its comedy Knocked Up on the internet with substantial success. 'The film companies are terrified of losing money and control, but the fact is consumers have control, and once they have the content they can use it as they like,' says Close.
Some savvy film companies are using these fan-created clips rather than banning them. Walker points to the example of a band that created a popular Die Hard-themed music video that Fox asked it to remove. But when Die Hard 4.0 was released, Fox got in touch again, asking the group to resubmit the video incorporating footage from the movie.
Most agencies agree that a good marketing campaign can't save a bad film. As ever, content is key. Despite the ongoing obsession with web 2.0, many of the most successful promotional campaigns are very simple. Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, set up a hugely successful blog and engaged directly with critics and audiences, while Transformers director Michael Bay used his own forum to rail against Paramount's decision to exclusively back HD DVD. 'A director doesn't need a marketing agency to police a blog; the defining characteristic of a good one is that it has to be authentic and connect on a personal level,' says PPC's Light.
Damian Moran, operations manager at New Media Maze, says that, ultimately, films are judged at the box office but there is never any point in underselling a release. 'Exposure is an issue, as once content is out there, it is difficult to control - the likes of YouTube have made trailers extremely accessible and given consumers unprecedented access.'
How film companies deal with this is still a matter for debate. While it must be galling for big-name directors to see their labour of love reduced to a comedy montage, the fact that film companies are now scouting YouTube for future talent suggests that, for the time being at least, they have little choice.
DATA FILE - YOUTUBE MOVIE LINKS
- Universal Pictures leaked deleted scenes from Knocked Up to great success
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3O6H8bib9o
- The producers of Saw III created a trailer specifically for YouTube audiences
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqAbPfraJ_g
- Michael Moore asked users to share healthcare horror stories to promote Sicko
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEFoq_5RbC4
- Leonardo DiCaprio recorded a video message exclusively for YouTube to back The 11th Hour, an environmental film he narrated, which was released this summer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OhdMULRkAs
- Users have posted videos of a building being blown up in Chicago, which is reported to be a scene from next year's Batman movie, The Dark Knight
www.youtube.com/user/tvsharkvideo.