Written by Simon BallThe goal of filmmaking is ultimately to have people watch the film that you’ve made. For those without distribution infrastructure in place, one of the best ways to get eyes on your work is through submitting to film festivals. However, it doesn’t take long to discover that the world of film festivals is replete with disappointment, scams, and lots and lots of your hard earned money.If you start at the top of the pyramid, established and world renowned festivals that promise glitz, glamour, and success are guarded by the fact that every filmmaker on earth wants to get in as well. If you go down the chain to the bottom, you’ll find a whole host of ‘film awards’ that will happily take your money and send you a certificate of success back in the post. Instant gratification for the filmmaker, but hardly meaningful.Like in all industries there are good and bad offerings out there, but you as the filmmaker, staring pensively at your Film Freeway cart and your dwindling bank balance, are ultimately making decisions on poor intel.Well, at least, I was when I started submitting to film festivals.You have your amazing film that you reckon is ready to be screened at the best arenas on Earth, and you go and find some festivals that look appealing, send it off and then hope for the best. You then wait for an age, and then receive an acceptance letter or a rejection letter. More often than not it’ll...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Wednesday, 14 August, 2024