How to Get Press as an Actor or Filmmaker

Entertainment media looks wide open from the outside. There is a constant stream of stories about film and television. But much of that coverage goes to projects with distributors, studios and publicists already behind them.

Independent actors and filmmakers do get covered. It takes a clear understanding of which outlet does what, and when to approach it.

Trade press versus consumer press

They serve different readers and want different stories.

Trade publications such as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety Australia cover the business of the industry: projects in development, casting, financing, sales, festival selections and executive moves. Their readers are producers, agents, commissioners and financiers. Coverage is written by staff journalists, and it is selective.

Consumer and culture publications cover what audiences will watch and the people making it: interviews, reviews, profiles and features. Titles such as Rolling Stone UK sit here, alongside general-interest publications.

A casting announcement belongs in the trades. A thoughtful interview about the making of your film belongs in consumer press. Pitching the wrong one wastes your time and the editor's.

Specialist and regional outlets matter too. Festival coverage, film newsletters and industry podcasts reach programmers and buyers, and they are often more open to independent work than the largest mastheads.

Earned coverage versus paid features

Reviews, trade news stories and editorial interviews are journalists' decisions. Nobody can buy a review, and no agency can place a story in a staff-written trade on demand. If someone promises you coverage in one of the major US trades, ask exactly what they are selling.

Agency-placed profiles and features in personality and general-interest publications are a different, legitimate product. They give you a permanent, searchable article about your work. They are not reviews, and should not be quoted as critical endorsement.

Sponsored content and trade advertising also exist, normally labelled. Useful for some campaigns, and not the same as being covered.

What a story looks like at each stage

Most people wait for release. The record is easier to build if you start earlier.

• Development and financing. Trade-relevant if a notable name, partner or deal is attached. Otherwise usually too early for consumer press.
• Production. Behind-the-scenes angles, an unusual location, a subject with public interest.
• Festivals. Selections, premieres and awards are the clearest hooks independent work gets. Plan press before the line-up is announced, not after.
• Release. Reviews, interviews and features, competing with every other title out that week.
• Between projects. For actors especially, interviews about craft, career and perspective keep the name connected to the work.

The materials you need

Editors and programmers move quickly. Have these ready before you pitch:

• Professional headshots and production stills, cleared for press use and properly credited.
• A short, factual bio with credits that can be verified.
• A logline and a one-paragraph synopsis for any project you are promoting.
• A trailer or private screener link, password-protected where appropriate.
• Key details: cast, key crew, running time, festival or release dates, and who handles sales or distribution, if anyone does.
• Representation contacts, where they exist, so a journalist knows who to call.

Check your agreements before you publicise anything. Distributors, sales agents and festivals can set rules on announcements and premiere status, and breaking them can cost more than the coverage is worth.

Handling interviews and reviews

When a journalist agrees to talk, prepare the way you would for an audition.

• Know the outlet. Read recent interviews in the same publication so you understand its tone, its length and what it tends to ask.
• Have two or three things to say. The idea behind the project, a specific moment from making it, and why it matters now. Specific details make usable quotes.
• Agree the ground rules first. If anything is not yet announced, such as cast, dates or distribution, say so before the conversation starts, not afterwards.
• Leave reviews alone. Do not argue with a critic in public or ask for a verdict to be changed. Correct factual errors politely, and only those.

Screen journalists talk to one another. Being easy to work with is part of how the next piece happens.

Building a record that makes trade coverage plausible

The trades are rarely the right first placement for independent talent. A body of interviews, profiles and festival coverage gives trade journalists something to verify, and makes a later pitch credible.

Start with festival and regional coverage, specialist film sites and podcasts, and profiles in personality titles such as Famous Times. Keep everything linked from your website and professional profiles, and describe each piece accurately.

Digital Networking Agency writes and places features for actors and filmmakers, and builds the positioning that supports trade pitching. We are candid when a trade is not yet realistic, and we do not guarantee staff coverage in any entertainment trade. See PR for actors and filmmakers for how we work.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a publicist or an agent to get press?

Not to start. Independent filmmakers regularly pitch festival and specialist coverage themselves. As projects grow, a dedicated screen publicist is often worth it for trade announcements and release campaigns.

Can early press affect a film's festival premiere status?

It can. Some festivals care about prior screenings and publicity. Check the festival's rules, and your sales agent's view, before releasing clips, reviews or screening details.

Is a feature in a general-interest publication worth it for an actor?

It can be, as long as you describe it accurately. It gives casting directors and producers something substantive to find when they search your name, which is its main job.