| How To Submit Your Film |
|
|
|
/ 5
| Gabrielle Free | |
The submission process is remarkably similar from festival to festival. Most festivals require you to submit a screener of the finished film, a completed submission form including some details about your film (runtime, format, a brief synopsis, etc.) and perhaps a press kit. Early submission and complete information will increase your chances of acceptance (but not guarantee it). Superfluous materials such as postcards, scripts, beta clips, etc., will not give you an advantage at this stage of the process.Submission materialsThe screener – submit early, not oftenSubmitting your film long before the deadline won’t guarantee you a spot in the festival, but it will improve your chances. At the beginning of the programming season, a programmer may have 20 slots to fill and only a handful of films to screen. As the festival approaches, that same programmer will have only two or three slots left to fill, yet hundreds of films to screen. Do the math. Most festivals and programmers are very accustomed to watching roughcuts, so don’t hesitate to submit a version that’s less than perfect. You don’t want to submit something that looks entirely different from the final cut or a version that you are not comfortable with, but missing the deadline will almost surely take your project out of the running altogether. Programmers are also accustomed to watching films on the small screen; a theatre screening doesn’t usually improve your chances and is an unnecessary expense. Plus, screeners enable programmers to watch the film according to their schedule, not yours. Be sure to clearly label your screener (with the name of the film, director’s and contact info) and to test it before you send it to the festival. A defective DVD slows down the process and makes you dependent on an administrator to let you know they need a new copy. Note that most festivals will not screen your film a second time. If your film has been rejected, move on. There are lots of other ways to get your film seen. Submission form Double-check your submission form to ensure it is complete, legible and accurate. The submission form constitutes the basis of all published information about your film moving forward. Mistakes are easily avoidable but difficult to fix later on and will get repeated in the press and elsewhere. Do include everything you’ve been asked for, but nothing more. Follow-up in a few days to ensure the festival received your package. Press kit See The Press Kit |
