What are your thoughts on film festivals. Do you think they are worth submitting to ?
Film Fest
- Thread starter Smithproductions
- Start date
Yes. Just make sure it is not some hole in the wall out of someones basement festival. Granted you may not get the big ones you want, and it will cost a bit but it can help further things along. Soft of a marking in a way. Gets you name and material out there, and a lot of people would rather contribute to projects that have festival awards behind them than not.
Yes
My advice would be submit to the known big ones if you feel your film is worthy, and submit to smaller local ones where it is easy to travel to, so it's no big loss if it's not great, but you still get to meet local folks and network.
My advice would be submit to the known big ones if you feel your film is worthy, and submit to smaller local ones where it is easy to travel to, so it's no big loss if it's not great, but you still get to meet local folks and network.
I'm new to film but they seem like they're becoming a hustle. The great thing about film is there's no festival with a bunch of bad films.
I've heard so many horror stories about them.
They sure do. It seems like it count be pointless for anyone new to festivals.
If your film is good it can do very well on the festival circuit.
If your film is not good, it could flop on the circuit, in which case you may slam the whole circuit and call all festivals money grabbers.
It is what is is. Make a good product FIRST.
Yes money is involved (it's called business). But also, the good films prevail and I am confident in that.
If your film is not good, it could flop on the circuit, in which case you may slam the whole circuit and call all festivals money grabbers.
It is what is is. Make a good product FIRST.
Yes money is involved (it's called business). But also, the good films prevail and I am confident in that.
I hear you but on Facebook it is this advertisement for an urban film festival and it's internationally recognized but ironically it is its inaugural festival. That's my gripe. I shoot in a couple weeks and that will be my short for the festival run while I work on shooting a feature in the first quarter of 2017.
Theyre having a RED workshop. My film wont be ready in time regardless. Its this weekend. Saw another one. Music and film festival. Some chick i met once is performing in it.
Everything is a hustle. All art is a hustle. Just accept that fact.
I use FilmFreeway almost exclusively (they have thousands of festivals) and my first two shorts have screened at 10 festivals worldwide. The second did better than the first, even though it was not as "well made." READ the festival information first before sending any money. Look for the scams. I avoid anything that is not a festival with live screenings - no web festivals, no "Awards", nothing that runs every month.
FF will also let you set parameters and filter only festivals with free submissions. I did this on my first short and still scored Official Selection on three continents. I started paying small fees, but only for festivals I could go to. Had fun at two and even won a prize at one.
I use FilmFreeway almost exclusively (they have thousands of festivals) and my first two shorts have screened at 10 festivals worldwide. The second did better than the first, even though it was not as "well made." READ the festival information first before sending any money. Look for the scams. I avoid anything that is not a festival with live screenings - no web festivals, no "Awards", nothing that runs every month.
FF will also let you set parameters and filter only festivals with free submissions. I did this on my first short and still scored Official Selection on three continents. I started paying small fees, but only for festivals I could go to. Had fun at two and even won a prize at one.
If you don't use the directors guild, the actors union or iatse, your chances of getting a short into some of the bigger festivals is slim to none.
I've now seen over 15 short film programs at TIFF. NONE of the canadian films that were entered were truly indie. they want to promote people who use the right channels. it's so obvious just by reading the credits. sad.