DV Filmmaking

Why Good Business Cards Are Important

When you go to a film festival or a conference, people will often ask you for a business card. A good business card not only enables you to give someone your contact information (remember, you always want to make it easy for people to give you money—and before they can give you money, they need to know where to find you) but it can also make you look professional. If you have a sharp-looking business card, it shows that you pay attention to detail and you’re ready to work with other people. On the other hand, if someone asks you for a business card and you come up with a good story about why you don’t have any, or if you offer to write your information down on a napkin, it doesn’t produce quite the same effect.

A good business card should have your name, email address, and a phone number. (Preferably, this should be a number that won’t be answered by an incoherent/irritable roommate or some type of bizarre outgoing message on your voicemail. The goal here is to look professional.) Most of all, a good business card should reflect the image you want to present to the public. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on your cards, but everything you produce as a filmmaker should reflect your visual aesthetic and professional competence. Business cards are no exception.

I once worked at a company where the owner had very expensive cards printed up for everyone on the staff, using white ink on a white background. Before the design went to the printer, ...