Whether you’re writing a script or preparing to bring a finished script into production, you should have a clear understanding of who your target audience is. Knowing who your audience is will help you shape your story. Your audience influences everything—from tone and dialogue to casting choices and marketing strategies.

Once you’ve identified your audience, this insight will inform the decisions you make when developing your strategy for the film’s distribution. Audience development takes time—often 6 to 12 months—which is especially important if you don’t have a large P&A budget or a big-name cast. Below is a step-by-step guide for developing an audience for your film.

1. Create an audience persona- Identify demographic information for your ideal audience. This includes age, gender, geographic location, personal interests, faith, and movies they are interested in.
   
2. During Pre-Production- Develop a social media following. Share a teaser trailer. Create an IMDB listing. Create a PR campaign to announce the production of the film to get early press.
   
3. During Production- Continue to share to social media. Shoot behind the scenes videos on set and roll them out over time. Create specialty videos that dive into the films themes and will engage the audience further. Invite press to the set and implement an embargo on when any information that they gather can be released publicly.
   
4. Post-Production- Release an early trailer and behind the scenes videos on social media. Submit your film to film festivals if you don’t have distribution. Do test screenings to get feedback before picture lock. Do influencer screenings. Set-up partnerships with organizations and media partners that are actively involved with your target audience.
   
5. Distribution- Post the official trailer and poster to IMDB. Announce the release date of the film. Set-up premieres, press junkets and interviews with publications, tv and radio stations that your audience read, watch and listen too. Work with partners, agencies and media parters to promote your release to their audience on social media and email.
   
6. Theatrical and Home Video Release- Promote your theatrical, home video and streaming release to your audience and through your partners.

Following this step-by-step plan will get your film on the right footing in reaching the ideal audience from the beginning to distribution. What are some other steps you have taken developing an audience for your film?