Is it worthwhile to submit our short film to film festivals?
November 30, 2023 11:20 AM Subscribe
I and my buddy have made a short 7 minute film drama. We were wondering about submitting it to film festivals. Is it worthwhile to do so? We are complete newbies. What would be a reasonable expectation for what we would accomplish by doing that? I've heard stories that some fests are just vanity mills that make money for the organizers but don't give much in return. Any guidance or advice most appreciated! We are based in Canada, is submitting internationally a good idea?
Unless you had a professional budget and have industry connections, don't waste your money entering it into the big film festivals, i.e., the festivals everyone has heard of (Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, TIFF...). They've already pre-selected/invited the majority of their shorts programming, although they don't advertise this.
If you produced the film on a modest budget and don't have fancy people vouching for you, then I'd recommend targeting smaller film festivals (internationally but especially in Canada) that have some kind of connection to either your identities as filmmakers or the topic of your short.
My wife and brother and I (Canadians like you) made a pretty scrappy, raunchy, feminist comedy short that didn't get into anything––except for a feminist film and arts festival in Calgary that ended up being a really fun experience, and a helpful line on our CVs.
posted by Beardman at 3:44 PM on November 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
If you produced the film on a modest budget and don't have fancy people vouching for you, then I'd recommend targeting smaller film festivals (internationally but especially in Canada) that have some kind of connection to either your identities as filmmakers or the topic of your short.
My wife and brother and I (Canadians like you) made a pretty scrappy, raunchy, feminist comedy short that didn't get into anything––except for a feminist film and arts festival in Calgary that ended up being a really fun experience, and a helpful line on our CVs.
posted by Beardman at 3:44 PM on November 30, 2023 [4 favorites]
First look local. Is there an independent cinema in your area? The one here features short films on certain Fridays.
posted by azpenguin at 5:23 PM on November 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by azpenguin at 5:23 PM on November 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @DrWu - thanks for that! We're looking for filmmaking experience, validation as filmmakers and networking. Also another question - how important is it to have a Web/social media presence? Does judging generally take this into account?
posted by storybored at 7:43 PM on November 30, 2023
posted by storybored at 7:43 PM on November 30, 2023
Hi, storybored! While I'm not an expert (I've never submitted a film to a festival), I sure have watched a lot of submitted films.
My understanding is that, unless you specifically request it from the festival organizers, you won't get a lot of specific feedback about your film; you'll just get a notice that it's been accepted or rejected. I don't think, for instance, my comments about submitted films are passed along to the filmmakers. The festival organizers act as a buffer for that process, in the event that filmmakers request specific feedback. At best, you might get a sort of scorecard, with certain artistic factors ranked from, say, 1-10. But I'm not sure about this. Depends on the festival and their protocols and platforms.
If you're looking for filmmaking experience, I'd say you've achieved it by making your film! Please make more films! We need more good films.
If you're looking for networking opportunities, you'd do just as well attending a festival as a regular ticket-holder, not necessarily as a participating filmmaker, though you may want to spring for the extra fees for the schmoozing events that most festivals have.
As far as finding validation for your filmmaking abilities, I think submission to a festival can be valuable -- but not necessarily more valuable than simply showing it to friends who will give you honest feedback. Which is not to say you shouldn't submit it. I think you should! But I think you should submit it to festivals that align with you and/or your film: for instance, a single-genre festival, a regional festival, an identity-based (e.g., gender, nationality, etc.) festival, etc. And I think you should vet the festivals - and their submission fees! - and make sure you don't exceed whatever budget you have set aside for this project.
Ultimately, of course, neither I nor anyone can answer this question for you, because we won't know what your goals are with your filmmaking. You'll have very different experiences and needs if you're looking to break into the industry than if you're doing this on a lark. (Both are valid!)
It's worth saying that, for some filmmakers, festivals can sort of become a THING unto themselves. That is, they'll submit a film to festivals, get in, receive accolades, then submit it to more festivals, receive accolades and perhaps a small financial award, with which they'll make their next film, which they submit to festivals, etc. They then become filmmakers who are successful "on the festival circuit," never really leaving it. And that's fine, of course, if that's what you want. Not to say that festivals are a "trap" or anything, but they are definitely Their Own Thing that can wind up being a little self-justifying, if that makes sense.
If you want to share your film, I'd be happy to give you some feedback, but I'm just one guy who knows a little about movies. My opinion surely won't be identical to that of any other screening committee member. You might also consider submitting your film to MeFi at large, honestly! I rarely look at Projects, but this seems like it might be suited for that part of the site?
I hope this is helpful!
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:13 AM on December 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
My understanding is that, unless you specifically request it from the festival organizers, you won't get a lot of specific feedback about your film; you'll just get a notice that it's been accepted or rejected. I don't think, for instance, my comments about submitted films are passed along to the filmmakers. The festival organizers act as a buffer for that process, in the event that filmmakers request specific feedback. At best, you might get a sort of scorecard, with certain artistic factors ranked from, say, 1-10. But I'm not sure about this. Depends on the festival and their protocols and platforms.
If you're looking for filmmaking experience, I'd say you've achieved it by making your film! Please make more films! We need more good films.
If you're looking for networking opportunities, you'd do just as well attending a festival as a regular ticket-holder, not necessarily as a participating filmmaker, though you may want to spring for the extra fees for the schmoozing events that most festivals have.
As far as finding validation for your filmmaking abilities, I think submission to a festival can be valuable -- but not necessarily more valuable than simply showing it to friends who will give you honest feedback. Which is not to say you shouldn't submit it. I think you should! But I think you should submit it to festivals that align with you and/or your film: for instance, a single-genre festival, a regional festival, an identity-based (e.g., gender, nationality, etc.) festival, etc. And I think you should vet the festivals - and their submission fees! - and make sure you don't exceed whatever budget you have set aside for this project.
Ultimately, of course, neither I nor anyone can answer this question for you, because we won't know what your goals are with your filmmaking. You'll have very different experiences and needs if you're looking to break into the industry than if you're doing this on a lark. (Both are valid!)
It's worth saying that, for some filmmakers, festivals can sort of become a THING unto themselves. That is, they'll submit a film to festivals, get in, receive accolades, then submit it to more festivals, receive accolades and perhaps a small financial award, with which they'll make their next film, which they submit to festivals, etc. They then become filmmakers who are successful "on the festival circuit," never really leaving it. And that's fine, of course, if that's what you want. Not to say that festivals are a "trap" or anything, but they are definitely Their Own Thing that can wind up being a little self-justifying, if that makes sense.
If you want to share your film, I'd be happy to give you some feedback, but I'm just one guy who knows a little about movies. My opinion surely won't be identical to that of any other screening committee member. You might also consider submitting your film to MeFi at large, honestly! I rarely look at Projects, but this seems like it might be suited for that part of the site?
I hope this is helpful!
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:13 AM on December 1, 2023 [1 favorite]
My BIL does sound for film and occasionally those films are submitted to film festivals and occasionally those films win.
If you think it's going to result in lots of immediate money or notoriety, probably not.
If you think it might lead to contacts that lead to additional work and you are good at networking, then possibly.
If it's a financial hardship to go, you shouldn't.
If you assume that winning leads to wider distribution, it does not.
If you are looking for validation of your work, it's possible but fleeting.
If it sounds like fun and is a personal validation for you and you can afford it, go for it.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:53 AM on December 1, 2023
If you think it's going to result in lots of immediate money or notoriety, probably not.
If you think it might lead to contacts that lead to additional work and you are good at networking, then possibly.
If it's a financial hardship to go, you shouldn't.
If you assume that winning leads to wider distribution, it does not.
If you are looking for validation of your work, it's possible but fleeting.
If it sounds like fun and is a personal validation for you and you can afford it, go for it.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:53 AM on December 1, 2023
Response by poster: @Dr Wu. Oh, that's super generous of you! I'd love to share it and get your opinion. I need to touch base with my creative partner and we also need to do some final tweaks on the film. May I MeMail you when we're ready to share? Is that the best way to reach you?
posted by storybored at 9:03 AM on December 2, 2023
posted by storybored at 9:03 AM on December 2, 2023
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I say this as a longstanding member of the screening committee for a medium-sized film festival. In that role, I see all kinds of films, made at all kinds of levels of competence and artistic ability. Every year, submissions absolutely run the gamut.
And I will say that, though I've heard the stories about vanity festivals (but have no specific experience with them), the one I work for is run entirely ethically. The vanity ones are pretty easy to spot, in my opinion, just by perusing their websites.
Most film fests are international in scope; some are specifically focused on films from outside their home country's borders. You might want to study lists of current fests to see what their preferences are. I think sites like FilmFreeway have such lists.
If you're a novice filmmaker, and can set aside part of your budget for festival entry fees, then, depending on what you're looking for, submitting to festivals can provide valuable experience and knowledge of the kinds I list above. But I think you might benefit from asking yourself what you're looking to gain from the experience.
I think I might be able to provide more info but maybe you could focus your question a little bit?
posted by Dr. Wu at 11:47 AM on November 30, 2023 [4 favorites]