There's no doubt that film festivals are a great way to get your work seen by industry professionals and potential fans. But if you're not familiar with the ins and outs of film festivals, they can also be a bit of a mystery. Here's what you need to know about film festivals, from how to submit your work to what to expect once you're there.
The first step in getting your film into a festival is to figure out which festivals you want to submit to. There are a ton of festivals out there, so it's important to do your research and make sure you're submitting to the right ones for your work. Once you've got your list of festivals, the next step is to actually submit your film.
Most festivals have an online submission process these days, so you'll need to upload your film and fill out some basic information about yourself and your work. Some festivals also require an entry fee, so be sure to check that before you submit.
Once you've submitted your film, the waiting game begins. Festivals can take months to make their decisions, so it's important to be patient. If you're accepted into a festival, you'll be notified via email or mail.
Once you know which festivals you're playing at, it's time to start preparing for the event. If you're planning on attending the festival, you'll need to make travel and accommodation arrangements. And even if you're not planning on attending, you'll still need to send your film to the festival so they can screen it.
If you are attending the festival, be prepared to meet a lot of new people and network like crazy. Film festivals are a great place to meet other filmmakers, distributors, and other industry professionals. Even if you're not attending, your film will still be seen by festival attendees, so it's important to make sure you have a good press kit and website to send people to after they've seen your film.
Film festivals can be a great way to get your work seen and jumpstart your career. But they can also be a bit overwhelming if you're not familiar with the process. So do your research, submit your film, and be prepared to network like crazy once you're in.