Making the film is only part of the journey. Finding its audience is another.

Based on his book Film Marketing & Distribution: An Independent Filmmaker’s Guide, Jonathan Sadler takes filmmakers through the practical decisions that can help give an independent film the best possible chance of finding an audience — beginning long before the film is finished.

The session starts with perhaps the most important question a filmmaker can ask: who is your film actually for? From there, Jonathan will look at how understanding your audience should influence the way a film is positioned, presented and ultimately taken to market.

The talk will follow a film through the value chain, exploring what filmmakers can be doing at each stage: gathering useful marketing content during production; developing strong key art and trailers; building relationships and networks; identifying appropriate festivals; understanding potential distribution routes; and thinking realistically about where a film might sit in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Rather than pursuing a single dream outcome, filmmakers will be encouraged to think in terms of an A, B and C plan: the ideal launch and distribution strategy, an achievable alternative, and a fallback route that still allows the film to reach an audience.

Jonathan will also draw on more than 30 years working in film marketing and distribution to discuss some of the common mistakes independent filmmakers make — from leaving marketing until the film is completed to misunderstanding their audience, targeting inappropriate festivals or creating materials that fail to communicate what is distinctive about their film.

Topics will include:

* Identifying and understanding your audience
* Positioning your film for that audience
* Thinking about marketing from development onwards
* Gathering assets and content during production
* Festivals: what they can — and cannot — do for your film
* Building relationships with distributors, sales agents and other industry contacts
* Creating realistic A, B and C distribution strategies
* Key art, trailers and publicity
* Common marketing and distribution mistakes
* How to give your film the best chance of standing out in a crowded independent marketplace

The emphasis throughout will be practical and realistic: not on promising filmmakers a route to a major distribution deal, but on helping them make smarter decisions about their film, their audience and the opportunities available to them.

About London Independent Film Festival

The London Independent Film Festival (LIFF) is devoted to the advancement of first- and second-time filmmakers telling amazing stories with limited budgets. Hosted every spring at the Genesis cinema – repeatedly voted the best cinema in the UK – the October 2026 London Independent Film Festival will screen the work of almost 100 filmmakers from around the world. Stretching over 10 days with numerous industry events, LIFF offers an unmissable opportunity for networking and building collaborations for future projects. It's little wonder that Time Out Magazine has called LIFF "a treasure trove of undiscovered cinematic gems, one of Europe's top indie film fests". With a reputable support system for emerging filmmakers, LIFF includes popular training programs run by industry professionals who understand the ins and outs of moving a filmmaker's career to the next level.