In preparation for the extremely competitive international film festival circuit, 8 Billion Angels hosted test screenings at WeWork-Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. While we thought our movie was something special already, we wanted to get feedback and learn from the people who matter most — our audience. Post-screening survey results were incredibly encouraging and the feedback has helped us make our film even better than before.
Test screening audiences completed a written survey with a litany of questions regarding their perceptions of the movie’s message, characters and storylines. When asked for a one-word description, respondents called the movie, “motivating,” “powerful,” “honest,” “inspiring,” and “urgent.” It was not all rosy however. After receiving feedback that one of the scientific experiments demonstrated on screen was not clearly understood, we went back into the editing room to add footage that better connects the viewer to the ultimate takeaway message.
After 3 years of blood, sweat and toil, facing criticism is a daunting process, but I’ve always believed the way to improve is to listen with an open mind. As Winston Churchill once said, “To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often.”
