![]() You might get a chance to chat up the festival programmers, who are typically present at the screenings. ![]() It’s also not a bad idea to be a familiar face to the people working at the festival. You being there makes it easier for them to reach out to you – and you really want to make things easier for people who have something to offer you. Or a potential future collaborator who sees something in your vision. You just might catch the attention of someone in the industry who could help you get ahead. Anyone who’s interested in investing in or learning more about you will be able to attach your face to your project. You’ll want to put your passion on display. This gives you a chance to talk about your process, answer questions, and even talk up your future projects. Most film festivals provide the option for post-screening Q&A’s with the filmmakers. Never underestimate the power of face-to-face connection. Most of the benefits that film festivals offer, especially for new filmmakers, are best reaped in person. If your film is accepted and you have the means to travel, then absolutely, without a doubt, YES. It’s key that you’re prepared to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise. Figure out in advance what form you’re hoping that will take. If this is your route, you must prepare further in advance to have the materials and talking points for your feature ready to share.Īs a new filmmaker with a film showing at a festival, you’re hoping people will want to invest in you, one way or another. The hope is that someone who can offer a bigger budget will want to finance the full concept. The festival will be the end of the rope for your film, but will hopefully open doors for future projects based on your artistic merits, demonstrated by your film.Ī third goal that many new filmmakers choose is to make a short film as a proof-of-concept for a feature. This will most likely result in either a theatrical release or release on a streaming site.Įxposure: Perhaps all you wanted was for your film to be seen and for people to see your work as a filmmaker. There are two primary results that films will aim for: distribution and exposure.ĭistribution: The goal here is that someone will be interested enough in your film to want to invest in it. But it’s good to revisit as you’re preparing to attend. You will ideally figure this out prior to submitting your film, as certain festivals might better suit different goals. This is the time to ask yourself what you’re hoping to get out of the film festival. Resources such as FilmFreeway are helpful for researching festivals based on their qualities and how well-suited they are to your project.Ī step that, unfortunately, many new filmmakers don’t think to consider. It’s advisable to pick a handful of large, general film festivals and another, typically larger handful of smaller, more specific festivals and apply to those. Try and find the festival that seeks to represent you. There are festivals aimed at women, the LGBTQ community, or certain ethnicities and cultures. If there is a theme at the forefront of your film, can you find a film festival that would champion that theme? And it’s important to try and figure out which festivals favour which themes. Film festivals revolving around certain themes, such as social justice, are getting to be more common. Sundance Film Festival, for instance, champions horror films with horror short film compilations and a wide selection of features within the genre. This can be the case for larger festivals, too. There are all kinds of festivals, particularly smaller ones, that are more focused on certain genres. Does the film festival’s focus match the format of your film? This is key to try and figure out by researching past iterations of the film festival in question. Some festivals are better suited to short films, others to features, and others across formats. Which film festivals are worth your money? Well, that really depends on a few factors, including:įormat. Having a festival budget will help you prioritize your submissions. The number you decide on may fluctuate depending on how much funding you get and how faithful you remain to your budget during production. This should be factored into your film’s budget – which, as a new filmmaker, is likely to be on the tighter end. Most film festivals charge a submission fee of anywhere from $25 to upwards of $100, depending on the format of your submission. While the lower end may not sound outrageous, remember that you are likely submitting to multiple festivals. Planning for film festivals really begins before you’ve made your film, at the budgeting stage. What to Consider Before Submitting to a Film Festival? What to Do Once You Are At the Film Festival.What to Consider Before Submitting to a Film Festival?.
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