Paul Rieth / Film & Marketing

Wykład poświęcony strategiom budowania widowni dla projektów filmowych, pokazujący jak już na etapie developmentu planować komunikację, identyfikować grupy odbiorców i świadomie prowadzić film przez kolejne etapy obecności na rynku. 💙 Widzimy się jutro! A lecture on strategies for building an audience for film projects, demonstrating how to plan communication, identify target audiences, and strategically guide a film through the various stages of its market presence—all starting at the development stage. 💙 See you tomorrow! #MalopolskaPROINDUSTRY #FunduszeUE

Who are we actually making films for? 🎬 Last week at @achtungberlin I got to have one of those conversations I genuinely look forward to — with filmmaker Ira Tondowski and moderator Roshak Ahmad (AG DOK) — about something I think about a lot: how documentaries find the people they're meant for. What kept coming up — and what I always come back to in my work — is this: before any strategy, you have to start with yourself. Ask: * Why am I making this film? * What drives me intrinsically? * Why can only I tell this story? * What do I want to achieve with it? I've seen these questions transform how filmmakers think about their work. Not as marketing prep — but as clarity. As a north star. Once you have honest answers, every strategic decision has something to anchor to. Audience design, impact planning, outreach — it all flows from there. → Without it, strategy is just noise. Thanks for the invitation and the room full of people who care about this as much as I do. 🙏 #AudienceDesign #Documentary #GetYourCrowd #achtungberlin #ImpactStrategy #DocFilm #paulrieth

Kreativer Kopf wird Unternehmer*in Mein Online-Workshop mit Bildhauer*innen, Soundkünstler*innen, Modedesigner*innen – letzte Woche durfte ich mit Menschen arbeiten, die Ästhetik und Haltung nicht trennen. Und genau das macht den Unterschied. Ein Workshop für das @designhaus_halle and der @burg_halle Unser Rahmen: Effectuation – ein Ansatz, der nicht fragt „Was ist mein Ziel?" sondern „Was habe ich, was kann ich tun, und mit wem?" mit 5 Schritten: 1) 🐦 Bird in Hand – Starte mit dem, was du hast. 2) 💸 Affordable Loss – Was kannst du riskieren? 3) 🍋 Lemonade – Zufälle als Chancen begreifen. 4) 🧩 Crazy Quilt – Mit anderen gestalten, nicht gegen sie. 5) ✈️ Pilot in the Plane – Zukunft entsteht durch Handeln, nicht durch Warten. Danke für den offenen Austausch und die ehrlichen Fragen - Viel Kraft für eure Vorhaben! — Sculptors, sound artists, fashion designers – last week I had the pleasure of hosting a workshop for @designhaus_halle working with people who don't separate aesthetics from attitude. That's where it starts. Our framework: Effectuation – creative approach that does not only ask "what's my goal?" but "what do I have, what can I do, and who's with me?" - with 5 clear steps: 1) 🐦 Bird in Hand – Start with what you have. 2) 💸 Affordable Loss – What can you afford to risk? 3) 🍋 Lemonade – Turn the unexpected into opportunity. 4) 🧩 Crazy Quilt – Build with others, not against them. 5) ✈️ Pilot in the Plane – Shape the future by acting, not waiting. Five principles that fit creative entrepreneurs surprisingly well – and sparked some of the most honest conversations I've had in a workshop in a while - Thanks for showing up with such openness and curiosity Good luck with your projects - I'm excited to see where you take them"

✈️ See you in Riga on May 7th 2026! „Who Is Your Film For? Audience Design as a Creative Strategy! Lecture at @rigapff Who`s the audience for your documentary – and when does it matter to know? This lecture introduces audience design as a creative and strategic practice that begins not at the marketing stage, but at the very heart of a film’s development. Drawing on real-world cases and tools, Paul Rieth will explore how filmmakers can identify, define, and actively engage their audiences – from the first pitch to distribution. The lecture covers the role of the audience strategist, practical frameworks for mapping target communities, and how storytelling and marketing can work together to build lasting connections between films and the people they are made for. Paul Rieth is an audience strategist, consultant, speaker, and author working at the intersection of audience design, marketing, and documentary film based in Berlin. He collaborates with filmmakers, producers, and organisations to develop audience-focused strategies from early development through to release. As co-founder of “Get Your Crowd”, a Berlin-based agency for audience building, crowdfunding, and marketing, he has developed tailored campaigns for creative projects across Europe and beyond. He is a tutor and consultant at the Documentary Campus Masterschool and has served as a trainer for TorinoFilmLab’s FeatureLab since 2019, guiding international documentary projects in the fields of audience design, storytelling, and community building. He has also curated the Industry Training Talks at DOK.fest München and works with institutions including the African-European Distribution Academy (AEDA) and IDFA Consultancy. Paul has delivered over 100 workshops and lectures at universities, film schools, and festivals worldwide. He is the author of “Dok & Crowd”, a practical handbook on funding, distribution, and audience engagement for documentary filmmakers. Lecture will be held in English. Free entrance. RPFF 2026 industry sessions sup

🎬 Audience Design für Dokumentarfilme 🗓️ So., 19.04.2026 | 18:00 Uhr 📍 Grüner Salon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz 2, 10178 Berlin 🎟️ Eintritt auf Spendenbasis Für wen machen wir eigentlich Filme – und wer ist das Publikum für einen spezifischen Dokumentarfilm? Gemeinsam mit Ira Tondowski und Paul Rieth beleuchten wir, wie strategisches Audience Design bereits in der Stoffentwicklung eingesetzt werden kann und welche Rolle es für Sichtbarkeit und Verwertung spielt. Im Fokus steht das Berufsbild des Audience Designers: Welche Aufgaben entstehen in der Praxis, wie verändert sich die Teamdynamik und wo liegt die Abgrenzung zum Impact Producing? Außerdem diskutieren wir zentrale Fragen der Branche – von Zielgruppenanalysen über konkrete Ansprache bis hin zu Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten. Moderation: Roshak Ahmad In Kooperation mit der AG DOK. @agdok.berlin @agdok @tondowskifilms @paulrieth @roshak____ #achtungberlin #abff #audiencedesign #agdok #filmfestival

Festivāla ietvaros norisināsies divu dienu industrijas programma ar četru vieslektoru prezentācijām un diskusijām. Ieeja bez maksas ar iepriekšēju reģistrāciju. Programma “Your Story, Your Audience” pievērsīsies tam, kā dokumentālo filmu veidotāji jau attīstības sākumā definē savu stāstu un tā auditoriju, īpaši uzsverot auditorijas iesaistes un sasniegšanas stratēģijas. Tā aktualizē nepieciešamību domāt par skatītāju nevis kā tikai filmas pēdējo posmu, bet kā būtisku radošā procesa daļu. Pasākuma norise angļu valodā. Programma: ej.uz/rpff2026 – en – RPFF 2026 will feature a two-day industry programme with presentations by four guest speakers and discussions. Free entry with pre-registration. The programme “Your Story, Your Audience” focuses on how documentary filmmakers define their story and target audience already at the earliest development stage, with a strong emphasis on audience engagement and outreach strategies. It highlights the need to consider audiences not as a final step, but as an integral part of the creative process. Programme: ej.uz/rpff2026

See you in the Netherlands 🇳🇱🎬 Heading to Go Short Festival for a few days focusing on short films, new story worlds, and great exchanges. On Saturday (April 11), I’ll be giving a lecture and running a workshop on audience design for short film projects — and working hands-on with projects from this year’s Producer Campus at @goshort What I’m especially looking forward to is the context short films create - Short films are such a unique space. They are not just smaller versions of features — they are places to explore. To test story worlds, characters, tone, and ideas. Often (but not always) they are the first step into something bigger, but at the same time they stand on their own. And they exist in a very different landscape. No strong sales structures, very few distributors, limited release pathways. After festivals, many simply disappear. But that’s exactly what makes them interesting. Because without fixed paths, short films allow for something rare: freedom to experiment. Not just creatively — but also in how they reach audiences. They can move between festivals, online platforms, curated screenings, partnerships, and communities. They can live on big screens, but also in everyday moments — on phones, in between, in very different contexts. Which raises a different kind of question: Not just where can this film go — but where does it actually belong? That’s what I’m excited to explore in the sessions — together with filmmakers, directly on their projects with @thetravelingstorier and @felixlambot See you there 👋 #GoShort #ShortFilm #AudienceDesign #Filmmaking #paulrieth #getyourcrowd @emiliamzk

Over the past days at East Doc Platform and Ex Oriente here in Prague, I’ve had the chance to speak with many documentary projects—and I’m genuinely inspired by the energy and mindset of the filmmakers here. There’s a strong drive towards making films not only visible, but relevant and impactful. What stands out even more is the openness: not just to talk about audiences as a concept, but to really work with them—to understand, connect, and activate. And that takes more than intention. It requires tools, skills, and a clear pathway that guides filmmakers through the process - That shift feels important and I´m happy to contribute to this conversation in my session, looking at how audience design can support both the creative process and the way films reach the world. Lecture: Introduction to Audience Design 🕦 11:30–12:15 📍 French Institute in Prague, Kino 35 If you’re around, would be great to see you there. Thanks to Institute of Documentary Film, Prague for the invitation!

Big ideas don’t happen in isolation Parts of the Go Short Industry Program are made possible with the kind support of our valued partners, who contribute their expertise, perspective, and networks to elevate the experience for filmmakers. Thank you @oostpact , @newproducersacademy ,@budgetcam ,@dutchculture.nl , @versfilm and see you at the festival!

📸 PHOTOREPORT: Reaching Young Audiences at @kino35prague 🟡 Take a look at photos from yesterday’s panel discussion at @if_prague , focused on how to reach young audiences today. 🎬✨ Together with Paul Rieth, Magdalena Żelasko, Katharina Bergfeld, and Radka Hoffman, we explored where young audiences are, how their viewing habits are shifting, and which distribution strategies are most effective today – from cinemas and festivals to digital platforms, education, and regional collaborations. Thank you to everyone who joined us! 🙌 // 📸 FOTOREPORT: Jak na mladé publikum? v @kino35prague 🟡 Včera jsme se v @if_prague potkali na panelové diskuzi zaměřené na to, jak dnes oslovit mladé diváky. 🎬✨ Společně s Paulem Riethem, Magdalenou Żelasko, Katharinou Bergfeld a Radkou Hoffman jsme se bavili o tom, kde se mladé publikum nachází, jak se proměňují jeho divácké návyky a jaké distribuční strategie dnes dávají smysl – od kin a festivalů po digitální platformy, vzdělávání a regionální spolupráce. Děkujeme všem, kdo dorazili! 🙌 📸 @stepan.lohr_photo

Join us for this panel on such an important questions, or shall we rather say challenge? 🎤 PANEL DISCUSSION: Reaching the Next Generation: Distribution Strategies for Young Audiences 📍19:00-20:00 | French Institute in Prague, @kino35prague How can filmmakers, producers, and distributors reach young audiences in today’s changing media landscape? This panel explores distribution strategies for children and young adults from festivals and cinemas to digital platforms, schools, and regional initiatives. Through case studies and international experience, speakers will discuss shifting viewing habits and the partnerships that help content reach the next generation. Featuring Paul Rieth, Magdalena Żelasko, Katharina Bergfeld, and Radka Hoffman.

Deine unternehmerische Identität und ein ganzheitlicher Blick auf deine Gründung stehen im Fokus dieses Workshops. Wer willst du als Unternehmer*in sein und mit welcher Haltung arbeiten? Wofür stehst du – und wofür nicht? Wie entstehen nachhaltige und authentische Verbindungen zu deiner Kundschaft und Community? Welche Narrative und Kommunikationsstrategien helfen dabei, deine Arbeit sichtbarer zu machen und Menschen langfristig zu binden? Wo könnten Stolpersteine liegen und wo gibt es Unterstützung? Ein interaktiver Workshop für strategische Überlegungen und Erfahrungsaustausch! Gemeinsam entwickeln wir Ansätze, um eine klare unternehmerische Identität zu formen und sie strategisch mit der jeweiligen Zielgruppe zu verknüpfen. Paul Rieth arbeitet als Audience Strategist Marketing- und Crowdfunding-Berater sowie Producer in Berlin. Mit seiner Agentur GET YOUR CROWD bietet er Beratung und Workshops zu Audience Design Storytelling Marketing und Crowdfunding für Unternehmen Organisationen und Einzelpersonen an und produziert verschiedene Videoformate. Anmeldung: [email protected]