Dramatic changes in the marketing of films brought about by burgeoning advances in social media are here to stay. It’s hard to believe that people weren’t Tweeting, Tumbling, or Instagramming as recently as 5 years ago. In a very short time, we have moved from the use of Facebook to keeping tabs on friends and even random acquaintances to multiple social media platforms that allow us to keep up with our favorite brands, celebrities, news sources, bloggers, and more, instantaneously and all within a few feeds.

Increasingly, established actors, writers, and filmmakers are appreciating that the proficient use of social media is the most effective and cost efficient way to market films and engage audiences. The social media footprint is growing too rapidly for the film industry to ignore.

The advantages are obvious—building new audiences has never been easier. Fans now have instant access to their favorite filmmakers and are able to connect with them and ask questions on a personal level. Filmmakers also benefit from these interactions. What is more useful than receiving instant feedback on one’s films—very often, these insights can, and do, shape future projects.

We thinks it’s time to recognize and celebrate 10 filmmakers, ranging from Hollywood giants to indie auteurs, who have fully embraced social media.

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