Sir_Psychotron’s Guide

1. Be polite, kind and generous.
2. Assume journalists have the best intentions.
3. Be prepared with three or four good talking points as to why you enjoyed Alita: Battle Angel and why others should see it. Be sure to compliment the cast and crew, especially Rosa Salazar.
4. Indicate that it’s important for people who enjoy the movie to buy the digital or disc release to help support sequels.
5. Encourage the journalist (and their audience) to read the manga if they really want to understand why the fans are so dedicated. The manga is so good that it strongly reinforces fan support for the movie, and it would definitely change the perspective of anyone who hasn’t read it yet. Plus it won’t hurt for Kishiro to sell a few more copies of his great work.
6. If asked about Captain Marvel or any other movie perceived as competition to Alita: Battle Angel, simply state they are different movies with different stories and should succeed on their own merits. Feel free to vary your response, but don’t take the bait of wading into “controversy.”
7. If asked about political issues, the correct answer is that Alita: Battle Angel is a great movie in part because it stays away from political statements and instead focuses on the story and characters (imagine that). I don’t think there is a single person anywhere in this fandom that would want to change that.
8. Proofread your statements and spell-check them whenever possible.
9. Thank the journalist for their time and effort and make sure you offer to be contacted in the future for follow-up stories.
10. Retain copies of all correspondence to and from the journalist. Use screenshots if needed. This is to help prevent you from being quoted inaccurately or taken out of context. In the unlikely case you are asked to participate in a video or audio interview, try to record your own copy, dress professionally, and smile.
    For legal reasons, it’s best to ask permission to record your own audio or video copy of the interview; be wary if you are told no. Look up “two-party consent state” and see the comments on original reddit post for more info.
    DM u/Sir_Psychotron if for some reason you are contacted to participate in a video or audio interview.
11. Remember, at this point any publicity is good publicity in order to sell the movie. Even if you suspect the journalist has ulterior motives, simply follow the above recommendations and be as polite as possible. Do not accuse them of pushing an agenda.
12. See #1

Posted on reddit on July 8, 2019