Wrestlemaniac is an independent film about tag-team brothers James Blond and Splinter, who share dreams of WWE stardom but must overcome Sid, a seven-foot rampaging Russian, in the ring. The New York Daily News called it "what This Is Spinal Tap was to rock and roll." It is funny, it is niche, and it has a built-in audience — if you know how to find them.
The challenge? The film is 25 years old and was shot in standard definition at 640p in a 4:3 aspect ratio. In a world where audiences expect 1080p and 4K, getting people to press play on something that looks like it came from a different era is not easy.
The Problem
When filmmaker Matthew first came to Ramiro AI, Wrestlemaniac had just landed on Tubi. He had achieved something most independent filmmakers dream about: getting a film onto a major streaming platform. But distribution alone does not create an audience. The film was sitting there, available, and no one was watching it.
He had tried a DVD release before, with no concrete plan behind it. It went nowhere. This time, he wanted to do things differently.
"I was hoping to discover the most efficient ways to get people to watch something they have never seen," Matthew said.
The problem was not the film. The problem was reaching the audience.
The Strategy
Matthew came to Ramiro AI looking for direction. What he found was clarity around the one thing that changes everything in independent film marketing: knowing exactly who your audience is.
Wrestlemaniac is not a film for everyone. It is a film for independent wrestling fans, people who love subculture cinema, and audiences who grew up watching scrappy, low-budget productions with big personalities. Once that audience was identified, the strategy became obvious. Go where they are. Talk to them directly. Every day.
"Ramiro AI helped me target my audience and suggested ways I could achieve the goal of building it," Matthew said.
The Result: Not One Day Missed
What happened next is the part that makes Matthew's story stand out.
Since he started working with Ramiro AI, Matthew has posted every single day to promote Wrestlemaniac. Not most days. Every day. He has not missed one.
He engages openly with wrestling fans, responds to comments, joins conversations in wrestling communities, and builds his audience one person at a time. Even when things do not go to plan — a planned watch party in Las Vegas was shut down by WWE due to low ticket sales for Wrestlemania weekend — he kept going.
"I think fans like to engage with filmmakers," Matthew said. "I am openly discussing the film with people and wrestling fans who seem interested, ones who react to my posts, and slowly building the audience. One by one if I must. It is the only way I can achieve success for future projects."
The numbers reflect it. While Tubi availability is limited in some markets due to language and rating restrictions, engagement on social media has grown steadily. His presence in wrestling circles continues to expand, and with it, awareness of the film.
The Lesson
Matthew's advice to any independent filmmaker with a film sitting on a platform and no viewers is straightforward.
"Learn that side of the business. Get up every day and dedicate quality time to figure that out. No one else is going to do that for you. Use Ramiro AI to find your target audience, and do not stop promoting the film once you have achieved that. You made the film because you wanted people to see what you created. Do it. What other choice do you have?"
That mindset is exactly what Ramiro AI is built for: to make sure the work you put in is pointed in the right direction from day one.
Watch Wrestlemaniac
Wrestlemaniac is available now on Tubi.
Watch it here: https://tubitv.com/movies/100045569/wrestlemaniac
Find out more at: https://wrestlemaniacthemovie.com/