Industry feature article
Why Impact Producing Matters: Sholeh Alemi Fabbri on Marketing Canadian film in Playback
At Good Measure Productions, we believe that a film’s story doesn’t end when the credits roll – it’s just the beginning. Our founder, Sholeh Alemi Fabbri, recently shared her insights with Jamie Casemore for Playback, highlighting a truth that many in Canadian cinema are only starting to embrace: great content needs great marketing to reach its audience.
“There’s a misconception that the U.S. makes better film and television content than we do,” Fabbri notes. “No, they just have better marketing, it isn’t better content.”
Beyond Traditional Film Releases
Traditionally, films follow a predictable path: a festival run, theatrical release, and then broadcast or streaming. While this approach works for some, it often limits a film’s potential. Canadian audiences expect films to be accessible beyond opening weekend, but tight theatrical runs and limited promotion frequently stifle momentum.
Sholeh’s solution? Impact producing. This approach goes beyond marketing a film—it’s about creating engagement, building partnerships, and giving audiences the tools to take meaningful action. Whether socially, politically, or simply through word of mouth, impact producing ensures a film continues to resonate long after its premiere.
Case Study: Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics
Good Measure Productions’ work on Plastic People, a documentary exploring the dangers of microplastics, illustrates the power of early, strategic impact campaigns. By bringing in 18 impact partners—including the Break Free From Plastic, Plastic Pollution Coalition and Environmental Defence—Good Measure helped the film reach audiences worldwide. You can see the film’s impact report (phase 1) here.
This campaign wasn’t a one-off; it’s ongoing, demonstrating how engagement can be maintained long after traditional release cycles end.
The Importance of Early Engagement
Sholeh emphasizes that introducing audiences to a film early in its lifecycle is key. Ideally, audiences should encounter a film 10–12 times across social media, screenings, and events.
For narrative features like Game Theory Films’ Darkest Miriam, Sholeh and her team created campaigns that found unconventional touchpoints—targeting librarians and screening in libraries—to amplify engagement without requiring massive budgets.
“Because we did that screening at the reference library, we had other libraries reach out about doing screenings,” Sholeh explains. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s not a huge spend for what you’re getting out of it, and it can take on a life of its own.”
Marketing as Part of the Film’s Lifecycle
From documentaries like Last of the Right Whales to narrative features like Stupid For You, Good Measure Productions champions the idea that marketing is part of filmmaking, not an afterthought. By prioritizing early engagement, strategic partnerships, and creative campaigns, Canadian films can reach audiences in ways that match the impact of U.S. releases—without sacrificing the integrity of the storytelling.
As Sholeh puts it: “Within the narrative space, people are starting to switch on to the idea that typical, traditional output isn’t necessarily going to find an audience. But bringing in an added level of interest, impact, or partnerships can actually drive that.”
