2. 2
Executive Summary
The Manhattan Front, a film by Cathy Lee Crane, was invited to participate
as a client in the Department of Strategic Communications Public Relations Lab
“Lab16” during the 2016 Fall semester. Lab16 is a senior capstone course of the
Roy H. Park School of Communications designed to operate as a real world public
relations agency to enhance learning in an experiential setting.
The agency was tasked to design and develop strategic initiatives that will
work to enhance the brand, increase fundraising efforts and garner publicity for
the upcoming film. As such, the agency has designed a campaign to establish a
consistent brand image for the film. There is also a need to raise audience awareness
of the film in the media for potential film festivals and distribution deals while also
funding the final post production elements of the film.
We believe that The Manhattan Front currently lacks a clear branding strategy
across its social media platforms and that a strategic branding and social media
campaign is immediately necessary for its short term success and, ultimately,
showcase the film in both an artistic and educational capacity. The Manhattan Front
brings together a unique, aesthetically engaging and interesting concept to the
forefront of the independent film market and we must be ready to capitalize on this,
primarily through social platforms.
The strategic initiatives suggested in this proposal will allow The Manhattan
Front to communicate key messages to the public through the use of strategically
chosen communication channels, including its website, social and mobile platforms,
and press releases to more traditional media outlets.
3. 3
Situational Analysis………………………………………………………………………….4
SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………………………………...7
Competitor Analysis…………………………………………………………………………9
Target Audience Analysis…………………………………………………………………..11
Objectives and Strategies…………………………………………………………………...16
Objective One………………………………………………………………………17
Objective Two...……….……………………………………………………………20
Objective Three…………………………………………….………………………21
Research Methods……...…………………………………………………………………...22
Key Messages…………...…………………………………………………………………...22
Communication Vehicles...………………………………………………………………...23
Implementation…………………………………………………………………………….26
Timetable…………………………………………………………………………...27
Measurement and Evaluation…………………………………………………………...…28
Estimated Fees……………………………………………………………………………...30
Staff Bios…………………………………………………………………………………….31
Agency………………………………………………………………………………………32
Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………....33
Table of Contents
5. 5
The Manhattan Front, a film directed by Ithaca College Professor
Cathy Lee Crane, was shot in Ithaca, NY and New York City in June
2016 and was picture locked, a stage in post- production where no
revisions that change time or selected shots are made, by the end of
October. The film and its production team are currently reaching
out to sales agents, applying to a multitude of film festivals both
nationally and internationally and all while going through the final
phases of post production work. The film established their Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube at the start of the project in 2014.
During the website’s monthly archival updates, social media channels
shared links to stories, images, and newsreels published on the site.
Audience engagement strategies focused mostly on boosted social
posts targeting users interested in history, independent film and
promotional giveaways, such as a ticket giveaway to performances.
Since production wrapped and the film has entered post-production
the website was redesigned; however, the film was not active on
social media . The film and its production team is at a pivotal
point in preparing not just the film for release via festival and final
crowdfunding efforts but also taking on The Manhattan Front brand
for its potential audiences. This plan will outline and give a roadmap
of how to successfully integrate these seemingly separate elements into
a cohesive campaign.
6. 6
Plot Summary
The story follows young stenographer, Janey, as she leaves her life in
the rural Bronx in October 1914 seeking independence in Manhattan.
She finds work as a stenographer for Ward Moorehouse, a lobbyist who
represents powerful industrialists. The story, told through a young girl
playing with her dollhouse, utilizes artistic and historical elements that
make The Manhattan Front truly different as it enters the independent
film market. Set in a time where the the United States was neutral in
WWI the main character Janey is exposed to a world of unparalleled
opportunity for industrial profit that is threatened by agitations
from the labor unions in New Jersey and the revolution in Mexico.
As strikes demand the 8-hour workday, Janey’s new friend Mac, an
itinerant linotype printer, introduces her to the International Workers
of the World (the Wobblies) at their Harbor Pub meetings with soap-
boxer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn. When Rintelen needs dockworkers to
implement his plot, he turns to an old acquaintance, vaudeville chanteuse
Lenore. She sends him an Irish stevedore with a vast network of harbor
laborers in Hoboken. As Rintelen suspects, the Irish hate the British
as much as the Germans do. These stories collide in the betrayals and
suspicious alliances that come to their conclusion in the destruction of
the munitions depot of Black Tom Island in 1916; the final vent on The
Manhattan Front that leads the nation to War.
8. 8
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
• Social media pages already built
• Recent website redesign
• Unique artistic and archival
elements that created a historic
fiction like no other film to
date
• Associated with the Ithaca area
and Ithaca College
• Directed by Guggenheim fellow
• Associated with certain areas on
Manhattan along with several
public interest groups
• Micro -budget film almost solely
based on grants and
crowdfunding
• Unknown competitor market
• Niche topic/subject matter
• Rarely utilized social media
accounts
• Filmmaker without mass appeal
in the film industry
• Potential festival recognition
• Crowdfunding provides a captive
or intrigued audience
• Educational or historical content
distribution
• Upcoming trailer release
• Historic relevance of upcoming
WWI centennial
• Festival acceptances are not
guaranteed
• Unknown competitors until
acceptances are released
• Smaller indie film market
populated with a lot of different
types of films.
10. 10
Competitors
The independent film market is bustling with new and exciting films,
most of which take their first steps out of post- production and into the
film festival circuit. Due to the timing of this film, which is wrapping up
post production in December 2016, a full competitor analysis is difficult
to establish due to the fact the film festival applications and acceptances
are going to be issued. Starting December 2016, this will be an ongoing
process from then on. Once acceptances to the festivals are announced
that will allow for a more complete competitor analysis to be done.
Even with the current lack of competitors to discuss, The Manhattan
Front offers an interesting and untold story of history. There has never
been a World War I film about life in America during the period
of neutrality, or the beginning of the war (list this in strengths and
opportunities). No other films to date have featured this history including
the sabotage of munitions and its connection to labor activists.
12. 12
Primary Audience
The independent film market has a mixed audience ranging in gender,
age, and more psychographic information however, for this particular
campaign the best approach would be to first look at what The Manhattan
Front already has. This film has been in the works for several years and
has already captured a small but dedicated audience that follow the film
on its social media accounts. The primary audience of this film, at its
current juncture, will look to the audience the film has already garnered
through the film’s social media pages and through crowdfunding
efforts that have already taken place. These people individuals already
have a dedicated interest in the success of the film, either financially or
aesthetically and are anxious to see the final production.
The Manhattan Front is a micro budget film which means that the film
does not have the luxury of a multi million dollar budget mass market
approach to distributing to the film and reaching their target audience.
The best approach to take would be to start with a known audience and
then start garnering new audience members . Success in that target
market will lead you into festival opportunities and other international
audiences. The Manhattan Front should then consider the list of potential
stockholders as companies or larger groups that might have a vested
interest in the film for a variety of reasons.
13. 13
Secondary Audience
After establishing their core target audience The Manhattan Front can start to
look outside of that area to create a national and international presence. Cathy
Crane, the director of this film, has shown work at Arsenal, BFI London,
Union Docs, MIX/NYC, Northwest Film Forum, San Francisco International
Film Festival, Athens International Film Festival, Festival du Noveau, Finger
Lakes Environmental Film Festival, Southern Theater Circuit, Univeristy Film
and Video Association, Le Festival du Film Strasbourg. Crane is a 2013 recipi-
ent of the Guggenheim Fellowship and has done very well in the international
and European markets.
Tertiary Audience
The last audience to mention for The Manhattan Front would be
stakeholders that would have a designated interest in the film from an
artistic or historic perspective. Some of the possible stakeholders are:
• The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the
nation’s record keeper. The archival footage used in this project is from
NARA and lends an air of realism to the film.
• The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s pre-eminent
cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research, presenting
history and art exhibitions, and public programs that reveal the
dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. With this
film being based in New York and specifically Manhattan there is a
large state history element to this film.
• PBS and its member stations are America’s largest classroom, the
nation’s largest stage for the arts and a trusted window to the world. In
addition, PBS’s educational media helps prepare children for success
in school and opens up the world to them in an age-appropriate way.
From a potential educational distribution point of view this could be
an excellent stakeholder to connect with.
14. 14
Tertiary Audience Continued
• NPR is a mission-driven, multimedia news organization and radio program
producer. It is a network with a strong base of member stations and supporters
nationwide. The NPR employees are innovators and developers, exploring new
ways to serve the public via digital platforms and improved technologies. NPR
is also the leading membership and representation organization for public radio.
Again, from a potential educational distribution point of view this could be an
excellent stakeholder to connect with.
• The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service
broadcaster. It is headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, and is the
world’s oldest national broadcasting organization. This would be a stakeholder
once the film is introduced internationally and has a vested interest in the WW1.
• The New York State Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television
Development is responsible for the growth of the film, television and commercial
production, and related industries in New York State and is a subdivision of
Empire State Development.
• Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education,
and research complex, consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National
Zoological Park, and nine research facilities. This would be an excellent
stakeholder in The Manhattan Front because of its vested interest in American
history and international ties.
• From an education standpoint the New York Public Library would be a
stakeholder in this film. The New York Public Library has been an essential
provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers
for more than 100 years. Founded in 1895, NYPL is the nation’s largest public
library system, featuring a unique combination of 88 neighborhood branches and
four scholarly research centers, bringing together an extraordinary richness of
resources and opportunities available to all.
• The Geena Davis Institute for Gender in Media is the only research-based
organization working within the media and entertainment industry to engage,
educate, and influence the need to dramatically improve gender balance, reduce
stereotyping and create diverse female characters in entertainment. Although
mainly works with content for girls under 11 years of age because of the strong
female leads and historical educational significance this film would be of interest
to this institute.
15. 15
Campaign Objectives
For this campaign, The Manhattan Front will take on a total of three
campaign objectives with designated strategies for each. Based on
discussions about The Manhattan Front’s release date, which is still
being determined, upcoming fundraising efforts and researching the
indie film market the film should keep in mind these three objectives.
• Continue to develop the brand of The Manhattan Front
for external audiences
• Raise funds to finish final post production elements of
the film
• Garner publicity for festival acceptances and
distribution efforts
17. 17
Objective One:
Continue to develop the brand of The Manhattan Front, came from
looking at the current state of the project and realizing that it lacked a
cohesive element across all of its social media and web based content.
It is important, especially for an indie film, to make sure that it is
represented as a cohesive brand across specific platforms that most
relate to the messaging the film is putting out.
Strategies
STRATEGY I: Narrow down and utilize social media platforms that
most relate to the branding of The Manhattan Front.
When The Manhattan Front started its pre-production operations back
in 2014, the project signed onto a great many of different social media
accounts, some of which make sense for the project while others are
less effective to accomplish goals. Currently, the film has the following
accounts:
• Facebook (555 likes)
• Twitter (37 followers)
• Instagram (81 followers)
• YouTube (12 subscribers, 1,856 video views)
• Tumblr (6 followers)
• Imgur (3 uploaded images)
The Manhattan Front should narrow down and utilize platforms that
make sense for the film. The best platforms to utilize for the project are
going to be Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
18. 18
STRATEGY 1 continued:
Based on research and data from a national survey of 1,520 adults
conducted March 7-April 4, 2016 (Pew Research Center), found that
Facebook continues to be America’s most popular social networking
platform by a substantial margin: Nearly eight-in-ten online Americans
(79%) now use Facebook, more than double the share that utilize Twitter
(24%), Instagram (32%). See Appendix A for other data and graphs about
social media usage. The YouTube account held by The Manhattan Front
will be used as an intermediary between the home of the films potential
video content and the social media platforms that are easily accessed and
used. The film should not necessarily be creating content for this platform
however, uploading content to link to on other platforms is crucial to
building an audience and subscriber base.
The narrowing down of platforms will make posting easier to manage
as well as, specializing the content to the platform. The film at one point
also utilize Buffer, a social media posting and scheduling web based
application which, has not been actively utilized since the creation of all
social media platforms.
STRATEGY 2: Create a style guide so branding stays consistent across
platforms
The creation and development of a branding style guide will allow The
Manhattan Front to create a consistent brand image and compile all of
the brands assets in one place. A good style guide should set the tone of
voice for the brand, makes the brand look professional, pull together key
messages (which will be discussed later in this proposal) and from an
efficiency standpoint a style guide saves time and makes communication
between teams more efficient.
19. 19
STRATEGY 2 Continued:
The actual content of this style guide will include multiple, high resolution
images of the logo, the designated font and other accepted fonts that are
used for design purposes, an outline of the key messages, outlining each
social media platform and its content use etc. The overall tone of the
brand would be more informative yet still playful. This overall consistency
will bring The Manhattan Front success from a branding standpoint. An
effective style guide will bring together components like Brand Identity
which can include the films logo, color choices, font specifications, any
guidelines for the web or template options for ease and consistency.
This guide should also include a notes on the voice and style of the film
along with a social media policy regarding tools and usage on varying
platforms.
STRATEGY 3: Follow a social media posting schedule to stay organized
and take advantage of special dates or events like the centennial of World
War 1 in April 2017.
When it comes to managing several social media accounts with limited
manpower to do so can be increasing difficult, especially when you want
to be posting consistently. Following a posting calendar, scheduling posts
across platforms and getting analytic feedback are all really crucial to
success online and the easiest way to do this would be implementing the
free version of Hootsuite. This program leads the market in social media
management and helps manage your social media in one place to start
building a defined audience. Another important aspect to posting that
this software will help with is posting times and avoiding social media
dead zones. Taking these times into consideration prior to posting is
crucial to get the most impressions possible. For more specific social
media dead zones see Appendix B.
20. 20
STRATEGY 1: Establish a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the film
The Manhattan Front will launch a Kickstarter campaign in January
2017 to raise $22,500 for the final elements of the project. This campaign
will be integral to the success of the film and integrating the link to the
Kickstarter campaign on designated social media platforms will be an
important element as well. After looking at other Kickstarter campaigns
and some of the data that Kickstarter shares it looks as though there is a
good chance of getting fully funded as in total over 21,689 film or video
projects have been fully funded using kickstarter. Of those 21,689 fully
funded projects, around 3,137 were asking for funds between $20,000
and $99,999 which is where this campaign would fall. To see further
breakouts of Kickstarter success and failures in the film and video arena
see Appendix C.
Objective Two:
Raise funds to finalize post production elements of the film, was
based on the direction given through client discussions and meetings
however, it plays an integral part in the final steps of the film prior
to festival acceptances and distribution deals. With the intended
budget set to be raised via crowdfunding, the following strategies are
suggested.
21. 21
STRATEGY 1: Develop a media list for distribution purposes
The Manhattan Front will be applying and will hopefully get accepted
into film festivals around the world however, to start a media approach
the best thing to do is to start at the state level and more specifically in
the general areas which are referenced in the film. For the purposes of
this project the media list will be created and based on the information
we need to send out, we can go for mass coverage as well as, targeting at
specific audiences. A bullseye graphic, see Appendix D, is the best visual
representation for this media list with the radius being New York State
and all of the outlets encompassed there, then moving out to national
media outlets and lastly the international media outlets. This bullseye
representation allows for The Manhattan Front to go one region or area at
a time with the hope of a high response rate. For a preliminary media list,
see Appendix E. When sending out releases consider making the list more
specific to the outlets that need to know the information. With limited
staff, this will allow for maximum effectiveness for the proposed releases
in getting picked up.
Objective Two:
Garner publicity for festival acceptances and distribution efforts, llows
The Manhattan Front to build off of the audience success via social
media and donations into more traditional media outlets as well as,
reaching out to stakeholders with a vested interest in the film from
either a historic or artistic point of view. The following strategies will
be taken into consideration to achieve this objective.
22. 22
STRATEGY 2: Utilize social media to bring attention to film festival
acceptances and distribution updates
This strategy falls in line with utilizing social media more effectively
however, when it comes to these platforms keeping the audience you have
up to date is going to be just as important as the audience you are hoping
to reach. If and when festival acceptances are issued or distribution
deals are secured, The Manhattan Front’s following on social media and
designated outlets outlined on the media list are going to want to know
and get that information. Another important element to remember
when announcing festival acceptances or acknowledgements is to tag the
organizations, people or festivals associated with that news. This will not
only show up on their news feed and the people who follow that outlet but
also help gain a larger following on our own social pages, especially if they
are updated regularly with content.
STRATEGY 3: Send out press releases as updates come out to defined
media lists and post news on the website in a timely manner
Press releases are an important tool for The Manhattan Front to utilize as
well as social media if they are looking to reach more traditional outlets.
The Manhattan Front has seen success with this strategy on a local level
with a Ithaca Times article published this summer about the film after
they had wrapped shooting in Ithaca for the summer. The article, which
was the cover story for the Arts and Entertainment section, can be found
as reference item 1.Using this tool on a larger scale could generate success
and garner publicity for the film’s unique assets.
23. 23
STRATEGY 4: Utilize possible integration into education curriculum
The Manhattan Front also has the potential to be worked into the
educational curriculum in New York City Schools as an added historical
fiction to the otherwise fact based lessons. History is one subject where it
can really be brought to life and this film in particular takes a look at an
untold story of wartime and how it specifically relates to the material the
students already learn. There would need to be materials prepared to help
guide discussions of the film and based off feedback from students would
bring their history lessons alive. Cathy Crane has created this fictional
work and art piece about the untold war story of The Manhattan Front
which has the potential to peak student’s interests, presents complex issues
of the time while being able to visualize the time and place themselves
there. It also helps present multiple perspectives and would time in nicely
to a student World War 1 history lesson. Although there are no direct
examples of this being used in the classroom because of the unique
content of the film, The Manhattan Front can look at Reference item 2 for
an example of a lesson plan based around film and culture. More specific
elements to the film would be added and distributed as a package with the
ability to shape the key messages that we want the audience to pull out of
the film.
24. 24
Research MethodsFor this campaign a majority of research methods used was the gathering of
secondary research gathered from various scholarly and internet sources. Some
of primary research data came when doing a communications audit for The
Manhattan Front as it currently stands. For each social media platform that
was used, an intense look was given to the analytics side of the platforms. Each
platform was judged on the following:
• Number of followers
• The type of content that was most successful
• The demographics and geographics of followers
This communication audit gave insights into the brand as it currently stands, as
well as, provided primary data in the performance of the film on social media
sites. See Appendix F for specific data insights from Facebook, the film’s most
successful platform.
Key Messages
In order for The Manhattan Front to give off the impression that they are
a cohesive brand of a new independent film that will soon be in festivals
and distributed, the following key messages should be used throughout the
campaign.
• The Manhattan Front is an artistic exploration of Manhattan set in the time
of WW1 and uses many interesting and innovative cinematic techniques.
• The Manhattan Front brings together archival footage, live action and the
use of miniatures into one cohesive historical fiction.
• Janey, the female protagonist, passes the Bechdel Test for cinema which is
something less than half of all films made can say.
25. 25
This campaign will first be launched through social media platforms like Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Once any acceptances to films are awarded or
distribution deals are made then the film will utilize the media list provided and
send out press releases while still maintaining a social presence. During the month
of January, the film will utilize the platform Kickstarter, to finish funding the film
through crowd donation.
Communication Vehicles
26. 26
Implementation
As the timetable states, this plan will take place over the course of the next
two years, launching with a Kickstarter campaign in January 2017 and
ending in December 2018. Social media posting will stay consistent over
the course of the two years with special attention to the brands style guide
being created in January and February of 2017. Utilizing a special events
calendar for social media posting and the historical reference of the brand
will be utilized over the course of the year and some specific examples are
shown in the timetable. The Kickstarter campaign will be in January 2017
right now however, other fundraising opportunities could be added later
on with limited adjustments needing to be made to the current timetable.
The continued development of the media list will happen starting at the
start of the year and will aid in the release of press releases which are
currently scheduled to go out every three months with updates on the films
distribution and acceptances to festivals however, this is subject to change
with the release of these newsworthy pieces of information. Posting is going
to be integral to the success of the film’s fan base staying involved and in the
know about where the film is being screened, distributed etc. This is why
postings about festivals or news updates on the film will be continuous if
not with semi regular posting as shown in the table. Finally at the start of
January 2018, the film should start to create and organize a classroom and
curriculum plan for distribution to classrooms by the start of the next school
year. The overall focus of 2017 will be festival opportunities followed by
distribution and educational integration for the film in mid 2018.
29. 29
For Objective 1, continue to develop the brand of The Manhattan Front, stems
from the overwhelming need for consistency and communication across social
media platforms. The best way to evaluate this objective would be have completed
the following:
• Have a completed style guide for The Manhattan Front that holds logo formats,
color schemes, social media policies and an overview of the platforms the film
will actively utilize.
• Create and work with a calendar for social media posting purposes which will
in turn create a consistent media presence.
• Posting on all designated social media platforms regularly with creative,
relevant, and historical content that engages with our audience. To see what
type of content works best for the film or entertainment industry see Appendix
G.
• The followers on all designated social media sites increases by 50% over the
next 6 months. This would give us a projected following of:
Facebook (832 likes)
Twitter (55 followers)
Instagram (121 followers)
YouTube (18 subscribers)
For the evaluation of Objective 2, raise funds to finalize post production elements
of the film, will be measured by the success of the Kickstarter campaign that will
be taking place in January 2017. This objective will be seen as a success if the film
raises its $25,000 amount in the allotted time span.
For Objective 3, garner publicity for festival acceptances and distribution efforts,
the basis of the evaluation will come from any press hits that come from the press
releases that are sent out. It will also be important that the media list we distribute
these releases to is accurate and seeing active response or interest. This objective
will also be measured by the number of posts made and the type of content
published. There should be a dramatic increase (300%) per month on posting to
social media and a recognition of news and acceptances has they are available.
This objective will also be seen as a success if the film distributes educational
materials to be introduced in schools and if the materials are utilized in these
schools, specifically in the NYC area.
30. 30
The budget has been provided by the Producer of the film:
• Kickstarter prize production: $2,500
• Kickstarter video production: $250
• Postage: $850 (shared between marketing and festival submissions)
• Marketing (SEO, Social Boosts, Printing): $2,500
• Festival Publicity: $5,000
• TOTAL: $10,250
Marketing Budget comprised on Marketing and Festival Publicity:
• Social Post Boost: $1,500
• Press Kit for festival publicity: $5,000
• SEO: $1,000
• Total: $7,500
Estimated Fees and Budget
31. 31
Conclusion
For this campaign to be most effective, The Manhattan Front should have a
consistent brand and base audience for their social media platforms how-
ever, the true success for this film relies of the marketing team to be flex-
ible. The Manhattan Front has yet to be accepted into festivals or given a
distribution deal and a lot can change for the path of a film over the course
of two years. This plan gives a comprehensive look at what needs to be
done so that in the long term, if plans or positioning shift, the film’s team
is able to adapt the plan with these changes and continue forward. The film
has great potential to be internationally recognized and this strategic ini-
tiatives aim to bring together these seemingly separate elements into one
cohesive brand and image for The Manhattan Front.
Agency Staff
32. 32
About the Agency
The strategic consulting experience creates a transformational learning
environment for the students enrolled in this senior capstone course
(PRLAB ~ Lab16) in the Department of Strategic Communication at Ithaca
College.
The agency simulation of Lab16 allows for situated cognition – or learning
in context – a concept at the forefront of contemporary educational
reform. As higher education moves away from strictly content-laden
curricula to curricula that emphasizes experiential learning, it is critical
that strategic communication majors have the requisite knowledge and
skills to use simulation as an apprenticeship that leads directly to securing
employment.
Lab16 operations consist of a set of activities that naturally overlay a
business setting with a focus on three elements: business coaching,
executive briefings and longitudinal assessment. The instructor assumes
the role of a strategic consulting coach while mentoring students through
a series of executive briefings. These briefings enable the instructor to
evaluate 17 students according to a rubric designed after Bloom’s revised
hierarchy of learning. As well, an element of learner self-reflection is core
to the success of this simulation.
Lab16 provides a rich learning opportunity for students to integrate theory
with practice while making real-time strategic communication decisions in
an environment that embraces failure as much as it applauds success.
