10 EPIK INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS + TIPS | 2021
The film clips section of the EPK usually consists of around five clips. Have you ever seen an announcement for a new clip from an upcoming movie? That’s part of the EPK. Ever noticed how when an actor goes from talk show to talk show they always seem to show the same clip? That’s because that clip is part of the EPK and has been selected because it presents the film and the actor at their best. The goal always being that if you see that clip then you’ll be intrigued and want to see more. Keep in mind the attention span (or lack thereof) of your average viewer, whether it’s online or on TV.
“But back up for a minute, Heather – that interview wasn’t done on set!” You’re right. Because Dallas Buyers Club was such a small production, the EPK interviews were done after the movie was made and picked up by Focus Features. So just because you’re doing a run & gun shoot, that doesn’t mean you can’t put together a solid EPK after the fact.
Film festivals want EPKs, because they want to promote your film. They create programs and ask for short bios on you and your actors. They ask for stills; shots of you being the awesome filmmaker that you are. Wouldn’t it be easier to have all that stuff put together beforehand? Big film festivals like Tribeca have their own criteria for exactly what can be in your EPK and how they want it delivered, so you should always be prepared to customize your EPK to a specific festival (or publication or talk show or blog). But remember that when you’re busy trying to market your passion project, you can’t afford to drop the ball. It’s better to have something ready to send when the call comes, than it is to have the dreaded oh shit! moment. Plenty of those to go around already.
It’s understandable that if you’re a smaller, couple-hundred-thousand-$ production (or smaller), you can’t afford to have a whole EPK crew filming every minute. And let’s be honest, you may not want them to. But what you can have is someone on set taking stills. When you’re wrapped, you look through them and pick the two or three stills that best represent you and the making of your film. Think of creating an EPK the same way you do when you create a movie. It’s all in the planning. It should be part of the planning.
Okay, so we’ve got B-ROLL, sound bites/interviews and film clips. Anything else? Why, yes! We also need stills and, especially when it comes to indie films, the director’s statement and production statements. It may seem like a lot, but like I said, the size of your EPK depends on the size of your project. A short film’s EPK might consist of a trailer, maybe a scene, stills and a director’s statement. This is your kit; the way you make it depends on how aggressively you want to promote your film.
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The electronic press kit (EPK) is an important element of a film or video production. Here’s everything you need to know about shooting one.
Cover by Studio 72.
If you’re unfamiliar with an electronic press kit (EPK), let’s take a minute to catch you up. In the world of feature films (and sometimes even shorts), EPKs are an important part of a film’s promotion cycle. Usually, the production company (or the distributor, if there is one) commissions an EPK during production, and it functions as a catch-all promotion device once the film begins its theatrical (or streaming) run.
Usually, you film an EPK while a film is still in production, and it usually includes a full package of interviews with the director, producers, and principal cast members — along with behind-the-scenes footage and B-roll. In the old days, these assets went to relevant news and press outlets for coverage, either by physically mailing CDs or, later, uploading to sites like Dropbox or other file-sharing services
EPKs don’t make or break a project, but for serious productions, an EPK that does its job well is a huge boon for exposure, which can help a film’s overall bottom line. So, whether you need to shoot one for a feature or produce one for your own project, let’s look at these tips for creating a quality EPK.
by ponsulak.
While you may have the urge to knock out some stylized, cool-looking footage for interviews and B-roll, it can actually be counterproductive. The goal of the footage is usability — you want other outlets and fellow editors to have as much leeway with the material as they can. Sometimes the interview footage gets spliced together with clips of reporters asking questions to set up your EPK-ready answers — in which case, they need to use your footage to match the style.
So, shoot as flat and neutral as you can to accommodate as many changes to the edit as possible. If you do want to go for style, add a second file, but make the RAW clips available as well.
via Kzenon.
Big-budget feature sets can be full of excitement, but you can always tell that the stakes are high. Everyone from the director to the actors to the PAs has a purpose, and they have to stay completely focused all the time. That being said, when you’re shooting EPKs on set, you may have to call these key players away from their tasks to focus on interviews, which may seem mundane and distracting.
So, to stay in the good graces of the cast and crew, keep your interviews comfortable, fun, and as relaxing as possible. The EPK is your particular task, so you want to do it well, but the EPK isn’t going to make or break a movie — the direction, acting, and production is what really matters. So set your shots before your subjects arrive; offer them water or tea; and keep it quick, lighthearted, and fun. And if a fire breaks out on set, be ready to let them run to it with only a moment’s notice.
Make Your Actors Look Good
by lapandr.
After you focus on making your EPK interview subjects comfortable, your next biggest job is to make them look good — especially the actors. Having the hair and makeup team on hand is a good option — or at least make them aware when you’re recording the talent. Actors care about these things as much you care about charging your batteries and setting your focus — it’s part of their professional duties. If you can offer a monitor for them to review, they may love you more for it. Check for minute things like shirt wrinkles, makeup glare, or forehead sweat, and present them in the best light possible.
FAQ
What is an EPK interview?
What questions do actors get asked?
- Describe your last experience on stage.
- What was your longest-running role on stage?
- Do you have experience acting in television or film?
- What is the first thing you do to research and approach a role?
- What experience do you have in developing accents for specific roles?
What does EPK stand for?