Degan Schloemann

Tag: film

  • A Deep Dive: How Public Relations Works With Entertainment

    A Deep Dive: How Public Relations Works With Entertainment

    Cover Photo From Creative Commons

    Written by Degan Schloemann, assisted and edited by AI tools.

    This week, we’re taking a deep dive into the theme of my blog. 

    I have written this blog with a focus on the intertwined fields of public relations and the entertainment industry. While this may be an obvious correlation to some, public relations plays such an important part to all parts of the entertainment industry’s success. The creativity, strategies, and planning are analyzed to perfectly fit each concert, movie, or show. 

    Let’s look at three ways PR and entertainment work together: 

    Building Suspense

    Public relations works hand in hand with the entertainment industry to build anticipation. Whether this is through concerts, tours, shows, movies or so many more, the suspense is crucial to creating a post-release audience.  

    Key tactics include:

    • Strategic leaks or previews (like teaser trailers or exclusive footage)
    • Behind-the-scenes clips and celebrity interviews
    • Merchandising and brand partnerships

    From books such as Marvel’s graphic novels, to Frozen’s dresses and apparel for sale, to Toy Story’s action figure toys, brand partnerships and products greatly boost viewership and suspense. 

    Behind-the-scenes clips also find their way into media and capture viewers attention. For example, in the 2016 film, Deadpool, test footage was leaked online. Fans instantly took interest and were eager to see more. Though this “leak’s” credit was never officially claimed, it may have worked in the studio’s favor. 

    Relevence 

    Capturing cultural and social relevance is also a critical part of how public relations connects to the entertainment industry. Trends, fashion, and media are constantly changing and it is important for artists, producers, and studios to stay up-to-date with their target audiences. 

    How this looks in action:

    • Strategic branding through logos, visuals, and themes
    • Partnerships with trending influencers or movements
    • Campaigns that reflect the moment

    For example, we have seen this strategic branding with the release of the film Avatar and its immersive theater experience and environmental themes. 

    Long Term Engagment 

    Building long-term engagement can be challenging to do, but with the right public relations tactics, it can be done and achieved smoothly. 

    Effective PR strategies include:

    • Post-release interviews, reunions, and cast Q&As
    • Ongoing social media interaction and community building
    • Bonus content, retrospectives, and fan events

    Capturing long term enagemnet is super important! Whether this is done through rewatching movies or shows because fans love them, or listening to an artists album after going to their concert, it creates a long lasting impact of brand, fan, and viewership loyalty. 

    We have seen these methods through interviews with the cast after the show. This creates a bond with the viewers, the characters, and the actors that make fans fall in love with the show. 

    Final Thoughts

    Public relations is an incredibly important and strategic tool in the entertainment industry and is used more than people think. Next time you are anticipating the release of a film or concert sneak peeks, maybe you can notice some of these strategies.

  • Staying In The Spotlight: Films and Public Relations

    Staying In The Spotlight: Films and Public Relations

    Cover Photo From Creative Commons

    Written by Degan Schloemann in collaboration with AI tools.

    This week, we will examine three famous movie public relations campaigns and discuss some of their strategies and impacts. We will examine, starting with the most recent, the 2023 Barbie movie starring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie; then the 2010 film Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio; and, to consider a movie that stayed in theaters for nine months and topped box office sales, the classic 1997 Titanic starring DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

    The entertainment industry spends a lot of time and money of film production, advertising, and public relations. Incorporating a campaign is something that near all films do through trailers and sneak peaks, events, themes, and suspense to engage and captivate viewers. When done well, these strategies can be a gateway to a movie classifies with “the classics.”

    Barbie 2023

    First, let’s look at Barbie (2023), for example. With its high-concept branding and saturation marketing strategy, Barbie Pink became a known color that was impossible to ignore. From real-life Dreamhouses on Airbnb to Google turning pink when users searched the film, Barbie wasn’t just a movie but something incorporated into media users’ lives. The Barbie  film captivated audiences inspiring outfits, themes, and nonstop media attention. 

    Inception 2010

    In contrast, Inception (2010) took the opposite approach, mystery. The trailers hinted at the films dream-sharing technology but revealed little about the actual plot. Combined with viral websites that delved deeper into the lore, the campaign fueled speculation and debate, which only heightened viewers interest. Rather than sell trailers and plotlines, Inception sold curiosity, and it worked in this case. The anticipation grew within viewers, curious of the complex story line. This movie is one of those movies you may have to watch multiple times to fully understand, growing the viewership and increasing the number of fans who return to watch.

    Titanic 1997

    Then there’s Titanic (1997), a film that combines emotional connection and tragedy. Titanic was a hit! It became the highest grossing film for about 12 years until Avatar came out in 2009. The film incorporated Celine Dion’s unforgettable track, “My Heart Will Go On,” which topped charts before the movie was even released. The director, James Cameron, leaned heavily into the media to promote the movie through making debuts on television shows to staying relevant in the most popular headlines!

    While technically a disaster movie, its PR and storyline leaned into the romance, presenting Jack and Rose’s love story as the film’s heart. The film stayed in theaters for over nine months in some areas, which is nearly unheard of today. Titanic wasn’t just an incredible movie, it became a classic watched by most. 

    Final Thoughts

    Though different in tone, genre, and era, all three films used PR to promote and immerse audiences. These campaigns show how public relations in the entertainment industry can turn marketing and strategy into a movie worth remembering.

  • NonProfits: A Platform for Artists

    NonProfits: A Platform for Artists

    Cover Photo From Creative Commons

    This week, we’re going to take a deep dive into a few nonprofits that are within the film industry. This is an exciting area to explore, as it drives competition in the ever-evolving film world. Specifically, we will look at the Sundance Institute and The Entertainment Industry Foundation. 

    Sundance 

    The Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mission that is dedicated to independent artists and audiences. Their organization has over 165 employees and grants over $3 million every year. Each year, Sundance Institute holds a film festival that showcases a collection of independent films. The film festival is centered around advancements for these independent artists. The festival spreads the word about artists and creators, as it has a diverse crowd of artists, directors, film producers, and more. 

    The festival will be held in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, for the annual 2026 showing. Excitingly, Sundance just revealed that their new home for the 2027 Sundance Music Festival will be in Boulder, Colorado. 

    The Sundance Institute does an incredible job at promoting the festival, as well as its mission, through social media. Their social media accounts are active and constantly updating eager participants of the festival application processes and deadlines. In 2023, the festival attracted over 86,000 people to its in-person film events. 

    Not only is the Sundance Film Festival an incredible platform for a nonprofit, but it is also efficient. It has become an esteemed event that hundreds of thousands of people have attended over the past several years. The film festival helps over 1000 emerging artists each year. 

    The film festival also brings incredible resources to where it is held, boosting tourism and attracting visitors from all over the country to attend. This money supports local businesses and foundations, as well as the money that The Sundance Institute receives. The film festival is an incredible way to provide incentives through nonprofit support to help emerging indie film artists reach mainstream media. 

    Sundance

    The Entertainment Industry Foundation

    For over 80 years, one of the most prominent nonprofit organizations in the entertainment world, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), has been paving the way to raise awareness and funds for health, social issues, and education. The EIF has over 50 employees and has raised over $1 billion to date. The EIF also supports over 200 charities each year and has donated more than $1 billion in advertising support. 

    The Entertainment Industry Foundation supports hundreds of different causes, including fiscally sponsored funds, EIF programs, and public service campaigns. Some of their campaigns utilize celebrities to gain awareness and become the face of the campaign. For example, Olivia Rodrigo has a campaign called “Olivia Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good” that builds an equitable and just future for women and girls.

    The foundation is very active in promoting events and raising awareness through its social media, sharing upcoming events, fun facts, news updates, and donation opportunities. The opportunities to donate and campaigns that have been launched are always current and focus on the most pressing and timely issues. 

    These nonprofit organizations have a strong foothold in the entertainment industry and continue to revolutionize the field. While these are just two of the most popular nonprofits in the entertainment industry, there are many more to support!

    The Entertainment Industry Foundation