Three Crows Media » Marketing

Relentless documentary due out soon

David — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:34:27 +0000

Three Crows filmmaker Justin Smith’s new documentary, Relentless, is coming out this winter. It traces a year in the life of a team of OSU engineering students who build and race a formula car on an a grueling international circuit.

Justin captured the personalities behind the team and followed them to Germany and the UK to document the highs and lows of the competition.

New Kickstarter campaign launched

David — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:58:27 +0000

We’ve launched a new Kickstarter campaign. We didn’t make our goal last fall, but that didn’t deter us. Since that time we’ve filmed dozens of interviews in three states, and we’d like to expand the reach farther. You can help us by pledging to our campaign by July 4th. If we make our goal, you can vote for the region we visit next.

Asking strangers for money

David — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 04:39:50 +0000

As we combed the streets of Corvallis during the annual Rhapsody in the Vineyard wine walk, my partner-in-crime Kegan Sims pointed out to me that three of the greatest fears of modern humans include public speaking, being on camera and asking strangers for money. We just experienced all three as we passed out postcards on Vino Veritas, promoting our Kickstarter campaign.

There were 30+ wineries pouring at various locations in town, and crowds were roaming the streets with wineglasses in hand. I expected that we’d be able to garner some interest, and perhaps we did. But it’s hard to approach strangers, even strangers drinking wine, and ask them for money. Our approach was soft: check out the website, give a buck or two if you’re inclined, consider following us on Facebook, tell your friends, etc.

The event itself seemed to be a success. The wineries were positioned in different stores, and participants bought a $5 glass and taste tickets at $1 each, then wandered the town. Many of the tasters seemed to be shopping and making purchases. Wineries from all over Oregon were pouring and getting exposure. We met some winemakers from various backgrounds and even landed a prospect or two for the film. It was awkward trying to pitch our film to potential donors, though. After all, would you give strangers money for a film project if they approached you in a crowded store when you were just interested in getting a one-dollar taste of some local wine? We’ll see.

We’re at 5% of our $5,000 fundraising target. Not a bad start with more than fifty days to go in the campaign. But I also know it’s going to take a lot of work to get to the amount we need.

The best thing about telling people that you’re making a film is the fact that the more people you tell, the stronger the pressure to complete the project on time and make it impressive. Even if they don’t donate to the campaign, I want these folks to be able to someday be able to brag that they knew about this movie when it was just getting off the ground.

Whatever the case, it was still a good opportunity to get word of our film out to the local community. We met some nice folks. And if you’re ever in Corvallis, stop by Oregon Camera to replace a lens cap or pick up a new 7D, and be sure to visit Corvallis Brewing Supply for the best selection of local microbrews in town, or to get your yeast, carboys and advice.

Vino Veritas Teaser

David — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:11:53 +0000

It feels a little strange to put together a trailer/teaser for our new film project with only about 5% of the filming completed, but this piece attempts to capture the spirit of what we’re trying to do. Please share this video with friends and family interested in wine, documentaries or both. Recruit some new members for our Facebook page and mailing list, and join us in the process of telling some amazing stories.

Help us choose a poster/postcard

David — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:32:55 +0000

We’re working on marketing materials now and we’ve got a few options for the poster, DVD screen, postcards and other collateral. What do you think? Have any favorites among the three we’re showing here? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments of this blog post.

(click on the posters to see a larger version)

We’d like you to help make the decision. So if you’re a member of the cast or crew, friends, family or curious bystanders, share your thoughts in the comments. You get to choose!

Be sure to keep several things in mind:

Which design are you most likely to remember a day later? How about a month later?
Which one truly makes you wonder what the film is about?
Which one makes you curious enough to buy a ticket or to at least check out the website?
Which one is the most likely to stand out on a wall with posters from many different movies from different genres?
Which is the most professional?