Samenvatting

The main purpose of this report was to research how to increase art house ticket sales and visits by optimizing current marketing methods used to position independent films in the Netherlands. The
perspective of the art film audience was taken during this research and their motivations to visit art houses were explored, as well as their preferred methods to find out about new independent film
releases. Data was gathered through a questionnaire which was distributed among 108 respondents in three art houses situated in three different cities in the Netherlands. This questionnaire was the core of the research and explored topics such as which gratifications the target audience are seeking during art house visits, whether expectations are fulfilled or not, which aspects of the film they consider important and which marketing methods they use in the decision-making process. Results of the questionnaire were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics and by looking at how demographics influence the answers to certain questions. More in-depth data was gathered through a small-scale focus group. Participants discussed several aspects of art house visits and what they found important or unimportant. The main reason to organize the focus group was to shed more light on certain findings of the survey. Results from the focus group were analyzed through coding the most frequently mentioned phrases and words. Major findings from both the questionnaire and the focus group include that the people in the target audience most often seek the gratifications 'Relaxation', 'Social contact' and 'Cultural satisfaction' when watching independent films in art houses. Aspects of film which are most important to the audience are the story and genre, but the art house itself is also extremely important for them.
Marketing methods that are most effective for the target audience are: suggestions from friends and family, critic reviews and interviews with the actors or director of the film. Overall, the target audience's passion for independent films is the most important trigger to visit art houses. In order to increase art house ticket sales and more frequent visits, art houses need to focus on offering a unique experience to the target audience. The process of programming films needs to be done very carefully, taking into account the type of stories and genres the main target audience enjoys
the most. The ambiance of the art house can be optimized by adding a café to the art house where people can meet and discuss films. Personnel can add a personal touch by recommending films and
getting to know frequent visitors better. Extra activities such as workshops or Q&As with the director of a film will also increase ticket sales and help create a positive ambiance which includes more than simply watching films. Finally, optimizing in-house marketing is important to increase visibility of newly released films: a critic review board, trailers, a film magazine and the art house's website are all important ways to keep the target audience up-to-date.