‘Learn Promotions First, Then Make Films’

Promotions play a significant role in a film’s success, particularly in the digital era. But even now, most of the films in the Telugu film industry opt for a traditional promotions template, which is outdated and doesn’t attract audiences anymore. Many producers just hold a trailer launch event, a pre-release event, a press meet, and interviews with the print, broadcast, and digital journalists, and social media influencers.

In a recent interview with the Gulte Pro, producer Dheeraj Mogilineni was asked about this dated approach to promotions. He said that many producers don’t know how to promote their films and don’t even have that subject in their filmmaking syllabus. He stated that unless or until makers uniquely promote their films and grab audiences’ attention, people will not come to theatres.

He said, “Many producers don’t know how to promote their films. They don’t even have it in their filmmaking syllabus. They are following a template which has been there over the years. Many small-time producers come to me seeking help in releasing their movies. When I watch them, some films look decent, but those producers just spend money on making the movie and not marketing.

“Anyone who has money can make a film. But unless you don’t know how to promote or market your project, you should not make a film. It is better to learn how to market your project and then start making a film. Apart from spending money, a producer has to know how to promote it to make people come into theatres. In other cases, some actors don’t even give dates to promote films. At the end of the day, we should do something new in promotion to grab people’s attention,” he added.