The onset of summer brings the rollout of blockbuster movies but also an invitation to movie fans to come outdoors for an evening of entertainment at advertiser-sponsored film festivals in their cities, and at no cost.

To find out how to get your client’s message in front of movie buffs when they’re out enjoying free films, read on.

This is one in a Media Life series on buying the new out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.

Fast Facts

What
Free film festivals supported by national and local advertisers.

Who
The michael alan group, headquartered in New York.

How it works
Advertisers support film festivals that appeal to an audience of upscale consumers in a relaxed environment, such as the 10-city Free Film Fest tour being sponsored this summer by the Independent Film Channel (IFC). The tour kicks off July 10 in Philadelphia and finishes up on Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C.

IFC is the overall sponsor of the festival, with Comcast a major sponsor. There are additional branding opportunities for major and local sponsors.

The events will be held in public parks, with the films shown on a 40-foot by 20-foot portable movie screen.

Each city's film festival will run over three weekdays with an independent film shown each evening. That day's event will kick off at 6 p.m. with sampling and product demonstrations at sponsor tents, musical entertainment and sponsor commercials until dusk, when the feature film will roll.

In addition to the feature films, the festivals will showcase the work of local independent filmmakers at an IFC Media Lab Lounge, located at the festival site.

“This is a way to showcase the work of filmmakers in each market and for the viewers to find out who the local unsung film heroes in their market are,” says IFC director of promotions and events Lauren Schalin.

There will be 12 monitors in the Media Lab where people can view the local moviemakers' work, says the michael alan group vice president Jessica Murphy.

Festival publicity will include print, radio and online ads, as well as promotional spots airing on the IFC and Comcast networks.

National sponsors are included in all media, public relations and online promotions for the tour. Their logos will appear at the venue entrances, on the exterior of VIP viewing tents, on the interior and exterior of the Media Lab Lounge, on the main viewing screen and on scaffolding flanking the screen. Major sponsors may also exhibit their products and offer samples, and their video commercials will air on the big screen as well.

Local sponsors will have their brands included on local promotional materials, including posters. They may hand out samples at special sponsor tents, and they may air 10-second video spots on the big screen prior to the national sponsors and the feature film.

Category exclusivity is built into national sponsorship.

Markets
The festivals will be held in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Boston and Washington, D.C.

How it is measured
Crowd estimates will be used to measure impressions. Venues measure 50,000 square feet, and 1,000 to 2,000 participants are expected for each festival, Murphy says.

What product categories do well
Hotels, automobiles, food products, consumer electronics and travel are top categories.

Local sponsors can be anything from retail and service providers like insurance companies to pizza and ice cream parlors.

Demographics
Families are the primary target, but organizers also expect groups of young adults to attend.

Making the buy
National sponsorships are still available. To be included in TV promotions, advertisers should sign on before mid-June.

Local sponsors can sign on any time prior to their local event. Sponsorships are coordinated through IFC.

Who’s already sponsoring entertainment events
Comcast, Toyota Scion and Tourism Australia have signed on as sponsors of the upcoming film festival.

What they’re saying
“The films are going to be shown in open, grassy spaces where people can bring a picnic and have a good time on a weeknight. The events open at six and the films start at sunset, so there’s time for sponsor sampling and viewing sponsor reels until it’s dark.” – Lauren Schalin, director of promotions and events for Independent Film Channel.

Web site info
The michael alan group at www.michael-alan.com

IFC at www.ifc.com

Etc.
Film Festival attendees are invited to bring used DVDs to donate to KidFlicks, a charity that distributes the movies to children’s hospitals and pediatric units.