Developing a Film Festival Strategy
Vložit
- čas přidán 26. 08. 2021
- Before you even submit to a film festivals, it’s important you have a film festival strategy. After all, applying to film festivals can get expensive. So developing a film festival strategy can help you maximize your time, money, and filmmaking goals.
➜ All of my Filmmaking equipment: www.amazon.com/shop/laughstashtv
➜ Get Free Filmmaking Checklists through my newsletter: mailchi.mp/e071707aca31/fiy
➜ Get my Filmmaking Templates on Patreon: / fiy
➜ Learn how to shoot video: linkedin-learning.pxf.io/OX9Jr
➜ Learn how to be a successful CZcamsr: linkedin-learning.pxf.io/BbBN4
➜ Rent gear like a pro on BorrowLenses: shrsl.com/29h7t
➜ Get $10 off of Subtitles and Captions for your videos: www.rev.com/blog/coupon/?ref=...
➜ Follow me on Twitter: / _filmityourself
➜ Follow me on Instagram: / film_it_yourself
➜ My Website: www.gofilmityourself.com
The first step is figuring out what your goals with your film are. Are you hoping to sell your film and get distribution? Are you a newbie looking to connect with other filmmakers? Are you looking for future investors? Or are you just looking to collect some awards? Figuring out your filmmaking goal will help you better decide on which film festival strategy to use.
So there’s basically two main film festival strategies to choose from. You can either attempt to collect awards, or you can prioritize networking opportunities. Both are totally valid, but result in different filmmaking goals.
For example, if you're a relatively new filmmaker and you’re just trying to establish yourself on the scene, then collecting awards might be the right fit for you. This allows you to say you’re an award winning filmmaker and will give you more street cred the next time you make a film.
You’d be surprised how excited people get about your short film winning awards, even if they are from small film festivals. This is usually the best path for short films, because short films rarely get distribution deals and thus you’re less likely to rub elbows with industry bigwigs.
If collecting awards is your goal, then you’ll want to submit to niche or small film festivals, as this will thin out the competition quite a bit. For example, my film festival strategy with my short film Zombie Debt was to collect awards and this method worked fantastically. The film is a horror comedy micro short, meaning it’s under 5 minutes.
So I sought out comedy and horror film festivals that specifically had a micro short category. By doing this, my film only had to compete with other micro short horror or comedy films instead of having to compete with every short film of any genre or length. This meant the competition was low and thus my film ended up collecting 6 awards as well as 7 other award nominations.
However, if your goals are to network, get distribution, or find investors you’ll want to submit to mid to large sized film festivals where you’ll have access to more networking opportunities. These size festivals usually have filmmaker panels, lounges, and most importantly parties. And who doesn’t like parties right?! (party blower) But parties are more than a chance to get some free food.
They’re actually one of your best chances to rub elbows with other filmmakers and industry bigwigs, so make sure you bring those business cards and have your film pitches polished!
Now I did say there are two main film festival strategies, but the secret third one is a combination of both. By submitting to a few mid to large sized film festivals and then submitting to several smaller film festivals you’ll increase your chances of being accepted while also possibly getting into bigger network opportunities. Again this all depends on your personal filmmaking goals and what the right fit is for them and your film.
And one more tip here. If you have a film of extremely high quality that maybe even has some name actors in it, you might want to even attempt to qualify for an Academy Award. If that’s the case, you want to look for Academy Qualifying film festivals and luckily FilmFreeway makes that easy by placing an “Academy Award Qualifying” badge on these film festivals.
Now pro tip here. I really wouldn’t recommend applying to these film festivals unless you’re 100% sure your film is the best of the best, and I mean like more than just you, your best friend, and your mom think so. These film festivals are going to be the most competitive to get into and the submission fees are going to be high, so save your money and apply elsewhere.
Now that you know these tips for developing a film festival strategy, you’ll be able to be more savvy with your film festivals submissions.
*This video contains affiliate links which give me a small commission once clicked on.
#FilmItYourself #FilmFestival #FilmFest - Krátké a kreslené filmy
![The Film Festival Submission Process - Daniel Sol [HollyShorts Co-Founder]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fW8tnGmH-3c/mqdefault.jpg)
Good info. Also pro tip on using Film Freeway. You can use FF Gold to get discounts on submission fees that 1, can pay for the cost of the service, 2, some festivals will refund your submission fees under the Gold plan if the festival is cancelled, and 3, you can group your festival submissions, and only sign up for a month or two to get everything sent in!
Great tip! I’ve never done the gold thing but have looked into it.
My film got 31 awards from 37 different festivals that got into a mixed formula, as you mentioned. The oscars qualifying ones are way too high, and of course, i waisted money because they dont accoet your gilm if ot doesn't come from an agency. I also made tons of networking on those fewtivals that got accepted.
Wow! Congrats! That’s a lot!!
I wish I saw this video before! Very funny and informative. Thanks a lot, Amy Adams from YT!
Haha no prob! 😂
That was such a joy watching you and your video for the first time. Finally a youtuber, who is funny, creative, credible with her presentation. Is it because many of the youtubers are so mannered, discredited and arrogant for me in many ways which really pisses me off. Im glad that finally I found an industry professional here, who just being her without any artificial manners while gives some useful info, to us, thanks! Greetings from Sweden! :)
Aww shucks thanks so much! What a compliment. 😊
@@Film_It_Yourself my pleasure! just started to follow you on LinkedIn, as an industry professional buddy of yours 🙂
Dont forget how you see your ideas later in other big films, lol... nda ☺
Hmm that hasn’t happened to me. 🤔
Loved the way you explain. i want to ask whether one can withdraw ones movie after it gets selected for film festivals or the festival will take over the ownership of that particular film for its release? Could you please guide me here please as my film has just been selected to a festivals but i don't have the money to travel across that destination????
Hey there Oliver! Great question! You can always withdraw from a film festival. I believe you can easily do this on FilmFreeway by going to your submissions list and clicking withdraw. However, also note that you do not have to attend a film festival if your film got selected. It’s definitely great to attend but don’t feel like you have to go to every single festival, as it’s not required for you to attend.
@@Film_It_Yourself can you get laurels for your films without attending it?
Yep! As long as your film is selected then you should get laurels. 😊
@@Film_It_Yourself i am so nervous i submitted my film yesterday. after how many days Or months you get confirmation whether your film has been selected or rejected?
@@oliverlime5589 film freeway normally shows the notification date
Or maybe it is food!
😂 maybe they can start making edible trophies!