HFD! Rejected from True West

WideShot

WideShot

I am truly shocked. I don't expect to win festivals nor do I expect to get into many of them. But this one hurts. I have absolutely zero idea how any film could represent the "True West" more than mine.

A film produced in the "True West" (On the Rogue River in SW Oregon), that is filmed nearly entirely in nature exteriors showing the "True West", with a title card that opens the film that reads, "Way out west..." . Our film is 100% G rated and suitable for all audiences.

The statement of what True West is looking for is,

"So what defines True West? If you are a filmmaker from the West" CHECK
"shooting in the West" CHECK
"or writing about the West" CHECK
"or in some other way bound to the West" CHECK

...we'd like to see your work.

As I said, I dont normally get upset when I get a rejection notice, after all, HFD! is not exactly the edgy emotionally charged masterpiece we see filling festivals today. But this one really irks me.

Oh well, I'm sure everyone else's film represents the "True West" much more than my little 10 minute one-reeler.
 
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That's too bad. Hopefully you didn't put all your eggs in one basket. Submit, submit, submit!
 
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That sucks- did they even give you a reason? Slamdance was nice enough to send a wonderful email to me about how although they all loved Macbeth 3000, there were only so many slots, and they had recieved a ton of great material. It really makes the blow easier. Are they a really big festival?
Either way, that sucks, but like Indie says, there are other fish in the bowl, so keep casting. Only he didn't use the fishing metaphor. I did. Keep fishing.

EDIT: I see now he used the old "eggs in a basket" routine. That's actually a better metaphor. I take my fishing comments back.
 
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The way it went for me was, I was selective at first, like WideShot, but when I started getting rejection letters, I knew I had to step it, cuz there are no "shoe-in's". It costs a lot of money!
 
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Sorry about that -- bottom line is that you just never know what the panel is looking for and there are so many other factors such as, what time of day did they view your reel? Had they had coffee yet? Did they have a bust up with their wife/husband/girlfriend the night before? etc. etc

The process is so subjective -- and -- my experience is that anytime I've ever thought that something was absolutely mine I got a rejection (even when the description was written with me in mind!)
 
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Hey thanks for the consolations guys. Yeah I'm pretty selective about where I send HFD!, or at least I have been so far, but like you say clive in life sometimes the things you count on happening most, don't! Like especially when I was acting and would go on auditions, when I nailed it for a part I really wanted I never got it and when I only did OK for a mediocre part I would get an immediate call back. Go Fig.

I was planning to "step it up" after these summer fests, and was reeeeally set on getting into this one, but oh well.

Here's True West: http://truewestcinema.fiberpipe.net/index.php

I thought it would help as well that I'm an Idaho filmmaker but I guess not.

And Spatula, your humor is appreciated. A lot :)
 
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Our film, "Talking Dead", was rejected by a Michigan Film Festival that had a section specifically for "West Michigan made short films". We thought we were shoe ins and were already inviting our friends to the fest. Then we were rejected. It hurt, but it made us take a look at who our target audience was. After that, we specifically started submitting to horror film festivals instead of just going after any old film festival. Like indietalk said, it can get expensive.

Anyway, we understand the feeling, WideShot.
 
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Wideshot... I once sent a short martila arts action film to a short film comp focused on short martial arts and action films. It was rejected for being 'too action lead'.

You can't please all the people I guess! Better luck with the next one!
 
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