GUIDED CAMPAIGN
Ready to move forward with your film's impact campaign with clarity, ease, and joy?
Tell us about your film to get started!
GUIDED CAMPAIGN ACCELERATOR
How do you want your film's audience to look?
Like this?
After years of hard work no one shows up to your film's screenings...if you even get as far as screenings. :'(
Or like this!
Engaged audiences, messages about how much your film means to them, sold out screenings with thunderous applause!
“My screening was amazing!
People were so engaged and I think they learned a LOT from the discussion.
For weeks afterwards, people were emailing me and my film participant about the event.
I'm very proud of putting this together...”
Heather Cassano, Director/Producer “The Limits of My World”
Guided Campaign Alum who organized an international screening tour of her film as a one-person team
Guided Campaign Accelerator
A 6-month program designed to help small film teams make a big impact--for doc and narrative film teams to reach your ideal audience, secure impactful partnerships, and take you from overwhelm to clarity.
Applications close March 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.
Takes 5-7 minutes to apply.
OVER 1,000 FILMMAKERS SERVED
From workshops, advising, and running multi-year campaigns, we’ve served over 1,000 filmmaker worldwide!
Our Guided Campaign Accelerator clients use our step-by-step framework to design and run their film’s impact campaign with clarity and confidence.
PROGRAM INFO SESSION
Filmmaker Q&A: Behind-the-Scenes of a Successful Impact Campaign
INTRODUCING
GUIDED CAMPAIGN
A one of a kind program that helps you move forward with your film's impact campaign with clarity, ease, and joy.
WHAT YOU GET
WHAT YOU GET
COACHING
✔ 6 months of support
✔ Weekly live strategy calls
"Your feedback on my website was incredible! My website looks so much better now, I love it."
CARE
✔ Caring for yourself = caring for your film
✔ Care-centered resources for you and your film participants
"...having guidance made the difference between going forward, and not."
COMMUNITY
✔ Curated like-minded cohort
✔ Doc and fiction
"I was trying things with no feedback and no community. GC changed that! Now, I have the ability to ask Ani and my peers about things I'm worried about or for feedback when I try something new."
CURRICULUM
✔ Self-paced masterclass
✔ Templates, examples, and case studies
"I just updated my website to put a screening request form on several pages, very helpful to have the walk through of that. Thank you!"
IMAGINE HOW YOU'LL FEEL ONCE YOU HAVE...
- Partners you can turn to for the life of your film
- Screening requests automated
- Complete alignment and clarity with your film's impact goals
- A set rate for your bookings
- A system in place for booking virtual and in-person screenings
- Celebration and joy built into your film's rollout (instead of burnout)
- You take charge of your film's life, instead of only depending on gatekeepers of festivals and distributors
- Confidence in your next move, with insights that serve you for your entire career
No theory. No hype.
Real Implementation. Real Results.
GUIDED CAMPAIGN FILMMAKER RESULTS
7,900 households participated in week-long event during PBS broadcast, launching screening tour
"I'm in awe of how much I learned during this program. I didn't even know what I didn't know.
"I left feeling incredibly empowered - both in terms of creating impact, and seemingly unrelated things like my ability to use new tech...7,900 households participated in my week-long [impact event] - I still can't believe it."
ANNIE KAEMPFER, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, THE FALCONER
GUIDED CAMPAIGN FILMMAKER RESULTS
VIP partner screening/Braintrust, leading to key decision makers and theatrical run partners
“...our VIP partner screening event was a major milestone for us. We took our Looky Looky training to heart, and the event was a complete success. There were SO many moments of clarity."
JEFF BEMISS, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
"...already one of the follow up emails lead to someone offering to put us in touch with [key decision makers]. It feels good to be moving forward after working on the film for 5 years.
LISA MOLOMOT, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
GUIDED CAMPAIGN FILMMAKER RESULTS
VIP partner screening/Braintrust, leading to key decision makers and theatrical run partners
“...our VIP partner screening event was a major milestone for us. We took our Looky Looky training to heart, and the event was a complete success. There were SO many moments of clarity."
JEFF BEMISS, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
"...already one of the follow up emails lead to someone offering to put us in touch with [key decision makers]. It feels good to be moving forward after working on the film for 5 years.
LISA MOLOMOT, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
GUIDED CAMPAIGN FILMMAKER RESULTS
Organized virtual screening & launched screening tour with film that had already been out for 2 years
"The Q&A was amazing! For weeks afterwards, people were emailing me... I'm very proud of putting this together..."
"...this program is helping me build self-care into my process and I am feeling much better about doing this work because of it."
HEATHER CASSANO, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, THE LIMITS OF MY WORLD
BEFORE
Guided Campaign
- "...isolated, overwhelmed, unsure of what my goals should be. I was seeking guidance, experience and community."
- "We have all of these great ideas and plans in theory, but I'm not really sure how to execute them...and I'm terrified that after all of these years trying to make the film, and the [protagonists] trusting me with their legacy, the film will come and go quietly into the night and won't have the impact that I want it to have."
- "I had some partners and some successful events but had no way of consolidating or streamlining what I was doing. I felt like I was reinventing the wheel with every event."
- "I had only the vaguest notion of how to do this [an impact campaign] though, and the thought of trying to form partnerships is both bewildering and terrifying."
AFTER
Guided Campaign
- "I had such an outpouring of response from the community which also has given me new insights on the film and am now preparing for a panel."
- "It's been amazing to get so much engagement around the film."
- "I have a very clear roadmap on how to proceed. I know technical tools to make things easier, I have templates to get me started (so much better than starting with a blank page)..."
- "I know strategies for engaging people in different ways and how to think about what I'm trying to accomplish. "
- "I had a huge mindshift change because of Ani's detailed feedback on my impact strategy where she helped me focus my campaign in a way that was more true to me and my intent for my audience."
Guided Campaign is a great way to take charge of your film's life, instead of waiting for the gatekeepers of festivals and distributors.
It gives you a way to reach people who will be excited by your film.
JENNIFER HUANG, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, THE ADVENTURE CALLED CALIFORNIA
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR,
ANI MERCEDES!
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR,
ANI MERCEDES!
Hi, I’m Ani Mercedes (she/her), Founder, CEO, and Impact Producer at Looky Looky Pictures.
For over a decade, I’ve helped independent filmmakers connect the power of their films with the power of people. My team and I have supported more than 1,000 filmmakers worldwide in designing strategic, care-centered impact campaigns that move beyond awareness and into meaningful engagement.
I’m deeply committed to empowering small film teams to reach their most passionate audiences without burnout. Too many driven filmmakers come to us exhausted after attending endless webinars or trying to piece together an impact plan alone. With over 4,000 films released each year, you shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel.
That’s why I created the Guided Campaign Accelerator, a structured, step-by-step framework that gives filmmakers clarity, momentum, and a head start toward real, sustainable impact.
You’ve worked too hard not to reach the right people. Let’s build your impact strategy the smart way.
HERE'S WHAT WE'LL DO TOGETHER IN THE GUIDED CAMPAIGN PROGRAM:
WE'RE OBSESSED WITH OUR CLIENTS' RESULTS
WE ARE OBSESSED WITH OUR CLIENTS RESULTS
WANT TO START IGNITING
THE IMPACT YOU HOPE FOR?
Ready to feel clarity and less burn out?
COMMON QUESTIONS
COMMON QUESTIONS
I have a narrative/scripted/experimental film. Can I apply?
Yes. While many of our filmmakers work in documentary, we’ve supported narrative, scripted, and experimental projects as well. If your film is rooted in a real-world issue or community and you want to design a thoughtful impact strategy around it, you’re welcome here.
I'm really just looking for one-on-one consulting, do you offer that?
Guided Campaign is intentionally designed to give you more than traditional one-on-one consulting.
You receive direct access to Ani and our team during weekly coaching calls, personalized feedback on your materials, and ongoing support inside our private filmmaker community. This structure ensures you’re not just receiving advice — you’re building and implementing your strategy with consistent guidance and accountability.
If you’re looking for clarity, structure, and momentum (not just a one-off conversation), Guided Campaign will serve you well.
What if I'm just a 1-person team?
Perfect. Most filmmakers in the program are solo or very small teams.
Guided Campaign is built specifically for small film teams who are carrying a lot on their own. You’ll receive structure, clarity, and a community so you’re no longer navigating impact work in isolation.
What is the time commitment?
The pace is flexible.
We provide suggested timelines for each step of the process, but you can move as quickly or slowly as your film and life allow. Most filmmakers complete their first impact milestone (creating their strategic plan) within 30 days, and a major impact activation (braintrust, community screening tour, etc) within 3–5 months. The full 6 months gives you buffer time to build at a reasonable pace.
Progress matters more than speed.
How much is the investment?
After applying, you’ll receive full investment details and payment plan options, which are about $3,500 depending on the plan you select. One or two times a year we offer limited scholarship thanks to generous funders. We share full details with accepted applicants to ensure clarity and fit.
I have more questions. Can I reach out?
Absolutely. You can:
- Use the live chat on this page
- Message us on Facebook or Instagram.
- Or simply reply to any email from us
We’re happy to connect.
The things I valued from the program are the structure/framework for strategizing the campaign, the accountability and support to actually do it, and the confidence in knowing I was on track. So having guidance made the difference between going forward, and not.
This goes beyond what you would get from just a recorded webinar and it's been invaluable.
JENNIFER HUANG, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, THE ADVENTURE CALLED CALIFORNIA
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
All filmmakers of any experience level & production stage are welcome!
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
All filmmakers of any experience level & production stage are welcome!
- A 1-PERSON TEAM, LONE-WOLF FILMMAKER
You are a team of one and seeking guidance! - FIRST-TIME FILMMAKERS
These lessons will save you so much confusion for your entire film career. - ESTABLISHED FILMMAKERS WITH A TEAM AND DISTRIBUTION DEALS
You’ll wish you would've had this sooner! - ANY TYPE OF SCREENINGS >> IN-PERSON, VIRTUAL, THEATRICAL, BROADCAST...
The program is film length and screening format agnostic, so if you’re making a film that you hope creates an impact in the world, then this program can help you.
PRE-PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Set yourself up for success now!
PRODUCTION
These will save you so much confusion!
POST-PRODUCTION
This will bring you so much clarity right now!
DISTRIBUTION
You needed this yesterday! Get started now!
You will get everything you are looking for and more than you thought you needed.
This program will deepen your connection to your purpose as a filmmaker and experience and understand the beauty of community.
MEGHNA DAMANI, DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, DREAMS UPROOTED
READY TO MOVE YOUR FILM'S IMPACT CAMPAIGN FORWARD, WITHOUT OVERWHELM?
READY TO MOVE YOUR FILM'S IMPACT CAMPAIGN FORWARD WITH CLARITY, CONFIDENCE, AND WITHOUT OVERWHELM!
Takes 5-7 minutes to apply