There is a lot of money to be made in movie advertisement, whether starting out in the career, or looking to expand a current film production company, advertising firm or graphic design business. The movie industry is constantly growing and as more movie production companies create movies at a much greater quantity, quality advertising is needed to set them apart from the competition, making film advertising a thriving industry all in its own.

While there is no specific path to take to become an expert in movie ads, a compilation of various areas of knowledge can provide the film advertising education and training needed for success.

1. To prepare for success in movie advertising, a grasp is needed on the creative and artistic aspects of film making.

2. Talent and skill in general advertising and marketing is required to make movie ads.

3. Film advertising education and training should provide an understanding of the technical aspects involved in film advertising too.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take film advertising courses

There are very few courses specifically designed for film advertising, but finding them and taking them can provide invaluable education and experience in this industry.

I recommend: The University of Minnesota offers a series of documents on advertising that includes media advertising for television and film that is accessible online for free download. Queen's University Kingston Department of Film and Media offers a course on film and media advertising.

Learn techniques used by film advertising companies

Work in film advertising by becoming an expert in one of the commonly used advertising techniques: movie trailers and movie posters. Most people who create movie trailers studied film-making in college, and acquired a special interest and talent in the digital arts and film editing. Study graphic design to learn the art of poster making; posters might be used by a film ad company or in cinema advertising.

I recommend: Full Sail University has an award-winning film studies program that includes editing and post-production. The New York Film Academy offers Master's, Bachelor's and Associate's degrees in film making, as well as workshops in film editing and digital arts. The Art Institutes International offers graphic design programs at locations across the nation with specifics in digital arts and entertainment arts. The International Academy of Design and Technology offers flexible online Bachelor's and Associate's programs in graphic design.

Get film advertising experience with an internship

Get hands-on experience and make important contacts with other professionals by scoring an internship with a film company or an advertising company.

I recommend: Search for business film advertising internships at Creative Jobs Central. Find both film and advertising internships listed at University of Dreams.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be willing to do film advertising work for free or very cheaply to get important experience. Make trailers or posters for student or low-budget films.
• •  Prepare for a successful career with a film advertising company by double majoring in college in film and advertising.

Before the first television ad ever aired, business owners used movie ads to promote their products and services. Advertising messages flickered across the screen before main features, much as trailers do today. As television advertising gained a marketing foothold, cinema advertising dwindled but did not completely die out. With the advent of DVD and DVR devices that allow viewers to skip around television ads, businesses are again looking at film advertising as a viable marketing option.

Film advertising companies are there to meet the growing demand, offering campaigns and theater placement that let businesses target local and even national audiences. A 2005 impact survey by an independent research firm shows that moviegoers find cinema ads 65% more memorable than local newspaper ads while 73% of moviegoers familiar with a local business demonstrate the likelihood to purchase. If you are considering movie theater advertising as a way to expand your business, here are a few tips to consider:

1. Find film advertising companies that create campaigns and place ads in theaters.

2. Consider in-film advertising that can get your product featured in a movie or television shot.

3. Find sites with sample movie ads and portfolios to get a feel for what you want.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search for consultants who are expert in film advertising and placement

Most movie advertising companies offer several spot options: non-digital static slides appear onscreen for a few seconds and are featured a number of times before the feature begins; digital provides animation with or without voice-overs; while rollingstock is attached directly to the film and rolls before the feature begins.

I recommend: Screenvision helps small and midsized businesses grow their market both locally and nationally with a variety of movie ad options, including static, slides and digital. It also offers lobby promotion, where entering moviegoers can view your ad in the main lobby. Velocity Cinema Advertising also provides slides, digital and rollingstock and specializes in placing regional ads in theaters across the nation.

Find in-film services to place your products in movie scenes

You don't have to be a name brand to be featured in a Hollywood flick or an independent movie. In-film advertising, also known as brand integration, is more commonplace and attainable for regular products. Find consultants who can pair your products with major and independent studios.

I recommend: PlaceVine is an information service that searches and assesses in-film marketing opportunities for companies. They then negotiate with film studios and movie production companies for product placement. Eclipse Worldwide helps companies identify which film releases would offer great opportunities for product placement.

Look for a movie advertising company that provides samples and portfolios on its site

As with any service, you need to research the services that meet your needs. Find a movie advertisement service with samples and portfolios right online to get an idea of what you want for your movie ad.

I recommend: Entertainment Media, LLC, provides movie advertising services that places ads both locally and nationally. They offer client ads that give you a sense of the finished product. Ostrow Alliances, a consulting service that does in-film advertising, has a great portfolio of the various campaigns it has done for other clients, including the shows and films in which they were featured.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  With the expansion of DVD premiums, marketers are noting future opportunities to advertise. DVDs may provide the next wave of film advertising.

Film advertising has always been a viable option for some companies. The desirability of ads in movies goes through trends, as compared with television, radio and newspaper advertising options. But some elements of film advertising make it an especially good choice for some businesses. Learning about some of the terms in film advertising helps a business evaluate whether it needs this kind of option for reaching its audience.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Captive audience

Part of the appeal to advertisers who choose film advertising is that the viewers can hardly ignore the ads as they can in other venues. The movie ads are center stage, and that's why investors find them to be practical ways to reach consumers.

I recommend: Find out more about the captive audience at CMPAA, the Captive Motion Picture Audience of America.

Rollingstock

The kind of ads known as 'rollingstock' are actually spliced to the beginning of the film reel to run before the previews.

I recommend: Find out about what film advertising companies mean by "rollingstock" at Velocity Cinema Advertising.

Digital preshow

Another kind of film advertising is called 'digital preshow'-this kind of advertising is more in a 'social' format, with 'segments' that appeal to the attention of the viewer with an educational or current events slant. Digital preshow is a way of making ads more interactive and integrating them into the 'show experience.'

I recommend: Find out more about digital preshow options for film advertising and what the term means at ScreenVision.

Product placement

Another way of advertising is integrated completely into the film: Product placement is when a company gets its products on the screen during the actual movie.

I recommend: Learn about the ins and outs of product placement at How Stuff Works.

Static ads

Static ads, or 'slides,' run at various points of the preshow process, but as still (and often silent) images. Viewers tend to see static slides at the very beginning, as they are waiting for the reel or digital previews to begin.

I recommend: Check out guidelines for creating static slides and ads at Cinema Advertising online.

Lobby ads

Lobby ads and promotional programs focus on putting messages beyond the screen: where the viewers come in to the theater. Lobby advertising is often combined with a bigger campaign to reach consumers throughout the film experience where screen ads alone may not be enough.

I recommend: Matrix Media shows readers a basic definition of what lobby ads generally include.