On World AIDS Day, the lead story on the Huffington Post’s dedicated site was not President Obama unveiling a $100-million HIV research initiative. Nor was it an inspiring editorial from Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu. Instead, it was a short film and article about a comparatively little-known woman in sub-Saharan Africa named Connie.
Those who follow this blog regularly will remember the short film from earlier this year, when we first wrote about Connie’s inspiring story and the micro-documentary that we made about her for (RED). It’s exciting to see that same film now on HuffingtonPost.com. More importantly, it’s a powerful reminder that newspapers and online magazines are hungry for dynamic content and that films made in a documentary fashion can easily translate into editorial content.
When you’re looking to distribute your short films, keep this in mind and be sure to approach newspapers and online magazines well in advance of a calendar event like World AIDS Day. Magazines usually start drawing up packages six months or more in advance, newspapers more like a month. With the right contact, a timely pitch, and a documentary-style film, editors and reporters are more likely to prove receptive to your story.
A special note of thanks on this day to the organizations we partner with around the globe that help to combat HIV/AIDS with inspiring solutions.