Chapter 116: Online Marketing

Sitting in the study-cum-office on the second floor, Murphy carefully examined the budget report sent over by Fox Searchlight. In Hollywood, there were countless low-budget films costing less than a million dollars to produce. For these independent films, marketing and promotion were essential to recoup their investments.

The film industry had changed drastically. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that marketing and promotion played a crucial role in a film's success or failure.

The larger the marketing campaign, the more people would know about the film, but it also meant spending more money.

Murphy knew that a film like "Saw" wouldn't require a high marketing budget, but the numbers presented by Fox Searchlight were unexpectedly low.

The document in front of Murphy outlined a marketing plan totaling two hundred sixty thousand dollars, detailing various projected expenses:

- "Print media and newspapers - $50,000."

- "TV commercials and trailer TV spots - $100,000."

- "Outdoor billboard posters, materials, and labor - $30,000."

- "Outdoor billboard rental and printing - $20,000."

- "Official website and online promotion - $10,000."

- "Promotional events, press releases, and screenings - $30,000."

- "Other expenses - $20,000."

The total amounted to two hundred sixty thousand dollars, excluding the cost of making and shipping film copies.

Upon reading this, Murphy immediately furrowed his brow. While he didn't expect Fox Searchlight to allocate a million-dollar budget for marketing, wasn't two hundred sixty thousand dollars too little? It seemed inadequate.

What could two hundred sixty thousand dollars accomplish?

He picked up the phone and dialed Tony Gusman's number.

"Tony..." Murphy suppressed a hint of impatience and spoke calmly, "I just reviewed the marketing budget for 'Saw.' Is it a bit low?"

"Low?" The voice on the other end sounded puzzled. "How could it be low? This budget was carefully crafted by the company based on market estimates."

He understood Murphy's concern and quickly added, "Murphy, you should know that every company has strict regulations and audits when it comes to budgeting. It's the foundation for ensuring the smooth progress of projects and it's company policy."

"This is just a preliminary budget." Tony Gusman's voice continued from the receiver, "If the film's trial screenings receive better word-of-mouth or market response exceeds expectations, the company will definitely allocate additional funds for marketing."

After negotiating with Tony Gusman for a few moments, Murphy hung up the phone. With some time to reflect, he calmed down. It was normal, wasn't it? Distributing such an independent film inherently carried risks. By allocating a low initial marketing budget, Fox Searchlight could minimize their risks. Although Murphy believed in the potential success of "Saw," there were countless films that had been expected to perform well but flopped in the end.

By initially investing a modest amount in marketing, the film could have limited screenings in a few theaters. If things went well, Fox Searchlight could increase the marketing efforts, but if not, they wouldn't incur significant losses.

These distribution companies weren't fools; risk management was essential for survival.

Murphy looked at the figure of two hundred sixty thousand dollars again and suddenly understood. The marketing budget set by Fox Searchlight was likely standard for distributing independent films. Two hundred sixty thousand dollars was approximately one-tenth of Fox Searchlight's expected revenue, wasn't it?

This budget seemed reasonable from the distributor's perspective, but Murphy didn't share the same view. He scrutinized the specific expenses again, and while other aspects seemed acceptable, the ten thousand dollars allocated for online marketing seemed too low.

He was unfamiliar with Lionsgate's previous marketing investments and strategies, but it was unlikely they were as minimal as this. The success of a film heavily relied on its marketing efforts. Murphy leaned back in his chair, staring at the marketing budget, lost in thought.

"Saw" held many of his hopes. He didn't expect it to match the box office numbers of its predecessor, but he hoped it would surpass Miramax's offer. According to the message from Bill Rossi, Harvey Weinstein was displeased upon learning of Murphy's deal with Fox Searchlight, accusing Bill of lacking sincerity...

The connection with Miramax should probably be severed.

To pave the way for smoother future endeavors, "Saw" had to succeed. Ideally, it would exceed Fox Searchlight's expectations of success.

Tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair, Murphy couldn't help but sigh. Why were none of the executives he encountered in Hollywood fools? Instead, they all fought for their own interests as much as possible. Why wasn't Hollywood like what he had read on the internet before coming here, where a good film automatically attracted box office success and fame, leading its creators to prosperity?

Shaking his head, Murphy dismissed these thoughts and continued to ponder the potential outcomes of "Saw." Insufficient marketing efforts could lead to unforeseen difficulties, directly impacting the film's final performance.

At the end of the day, it all came down to money. If he had the funds, he could easily hire a dedicated marketing team.

Especially for online marketing. The internet in North America was much more developed than across the Pacific during the same period, boasting a massive user base.

Thinking of the internet, Murphy called Bill Rossi, arranging to meet at Century City.

After hanging up the phone, he left the studio and quickly arrived at Century City, meeting Bill Rossi at the agreed-upon coffee shop. After ordering a coffee, without wasting any time, Murphy expressed his thoughts on Fox Searchlight's marketing budget proposal.

"Low-budget film marketing plans focus on advertising on different regional television and print media." Bill Rossi believed the budget was reasonable. "Increasing the number of advertising channels would directly lead to an increase in the budget."

"They've overlooked the internet!" Murphy tapped the table and emphasized, "Online media has grown significantly and plays an essential role in film promotion. 'The Blair Witch Project' is the best example."

Bill Rossi nodded in agreement.

Murphy had an idea before coming here. Changing the subject abruptly, he asked, "Bill, do you know any companies specializing in online marketing?"

Bill Rossi initially shook his head, then thought for a moment before saying, "I have a friend in public relations who might know."

"I see," Murphy pondered for a moment, then said, "Could you contact them? It would be best to ask about the specific services they offer."

Taking out his phone, Bill Rossi made a call, jotting down the provided number. He made another call, speaking with the person on the other end for a few minutes before putting away his phone.

"This is a company specializing in online public opinion management. Would it suit your requirements?" Bill Rossi explained simply, "They work with several public relations companies in Hollywood, specifically assisting in removing unfavorable comments about celebrities on the internet or posting praise behind articles about celebrity events, essentially helping public relations companies maintain their clients' images."

Murphy nodded thoughtfully. Wasn't this similar to what is known as 'water armies'?

It made sense. With the internet developing so rapidly in North America, 'water armies' were probably not a secret profession or a high-difficulty job; they likely appeared much earlier than those across the Pacific. The viral marketing of "The Blair Witch Project" could technically be classified as a type of '

water army' marketing.

"What do you want to do?" Bill Rossi's thoughts wandered again, "You're not targeting Lionsgate and Miramax, are you?"

"Don't worry, Bill," Murphy gestured reassuringly, "Keep your worries to yourself. I'm too busy with my own work to bother with them."

He organized his thoughts and continued, "I want to hire some people who specialize in online work to post information on major film and television websites about 'Saw.' We don't need to promote the film; instead, we'll select some gruesome images from the traps and have them posted on several websites frequented by horror fans. Then, we'll create topics related to notorious murder traps to attract attention."

"Such as statistics on sadistic murder traps," Murphy thought aloud, "The untold stories of serial killers and their murder traps. Then, we'll link these to the film to pique the interest of the target audience."

Perhaps this approach would disgust some who saw the images, but horror movie enthusiasts wouldn't mind. These sadistic murder traps were likely to pique their curiosity, and curiosity often drove ticket sales.

These explicit materials couldn't be used on public advertising channels like television and print media, but they were perfectly acceptable on the internet. Although this wasn't the film's main selling point, it would undoubtedly bring a significant amount of novelty compared to traditional gore films.

"It has some feasibility," Bill Rossi furrowed his brow, "But, Murphy, it will be difficult to convince Fox Searchlight. Film companies rigorously audit every budget."

"We won't go through Fox Searchlight's channels," Murphy shook his head, "I have some money on hand, and Stanton Studios can cover these expenses."

"Bill..." he continued, "Can you quickly arrange a meeting with the person in charge of that company?"

Involving a substantial expenditure, Murphy was equally cautious. Having a detailed discussion with the other party could also determine if the partnership was suitable.

With the release of "Saw" imminent, both Bill Rossi and Murphy harbored high hopes. Their efficiency was commendable. A day later, Murphy met with the person in charge of the online public opinion management company that collaborated with public relations firms. To be precise, they weren't a company but rather freelance professionals who relied on various methods to make a living.

After discussing for most of the day, Murphy eventually finalized a partnership agreement with them for forty thousand dollars.