What type of films do you feature?
Directors Notes has always been eclectic in our tastes, featuring a broad spectrum of films across all genres and forms, and so the best way to gauge what we’re looking for is to take a look at the work we feature.
Do you accept both shorts & feature submissions?
Yes we do. We consider anything under 40 minutes a short and over that length a feature.
How long until I hear back?
No waiting months for a decision. Once submitted, the Directors Notes curation team will respond to your submission within 7 working days.
What if my film is already online?
Not a problem. Directors Notes doesn’t require exclusivity or premiere status to feature your film, although we do give priority to our premiere releases.
Can I submit my unreleased film?
Of course, be sure to include the password in the submissions form so we can watch it.
My film is still on its festival run and not ready for an online release yet, do I have to wait until it is to submit?
Not at all. We regularly feature films still on the festival circuit and not yet available online — running the trailer alongside your interview now, then premiering the full film with us when you're ready.
Are featured films eligible for any awards?
Yes — automatically and at no extra cost. Every film we feature on Directors Notes is entered into the annual WeAreDN Awards with no additional submission required. Celebrated during a live ceremony, recognising winners across nine DN categories:
- Best British
- Best New Talent
- Best Music Video
- Best Documentary
- Best Comedy
- Best Drama
- Best Animation
- Best Dance
- Best Buckle Up
Winners receive bespoke physical awards, and the shortlist is competitive and growing year on year. For a film that makes it onto DN, the WeAreDN Awards offer an additional moment of recognition — and one that costs you nothing extra to be part of.
Will my film be on the Directors Notes YouTube channel?
Our YouTube channel is an optional extra we offer selected films at our discretion. It reaches a 2.6 million-strong monthly audience across 175+ countries, with our strongest shorts passing a million — reach that far outstrips traditional festival screenings. Films added to the channel are monetised under a 50/50 AdSense revenue share.
Do filmmakers earn from their films on the YouTube channel?
Yes. DN operates a 50/50 AdSense revenue share for films on the channel — any advertising revenue your film generates is split equally between you and Directors Notes.
Can I get a refund?
The submission fee covers the process of the Directors Notes curation team assessing your film and is therefore non-refundable.
Will you definitely feature my film?
Of the hundreds of films submitted to Directors Notes, only a small percentage make it to our pages. We’re very selective about the work we choose to feature – it’s what makes DN what it is – and so submission in no way guarantees coverage.
If selected, when will my film be featured?
Once selected, we will work with you to find the best date to feature your film on Directors Notes. We have a very busy editorial calendar here at DN so if you have a particular date in mind the more notice you can provide, the higher the likelihood of that publication date being available.
What copyright clearances do you require?
By submitting your film to Directors Notes you attest that the work in question is not in breach of any copyright and that all required intellectual property rights have been adhered to.
How will Directors Notes promote my work?
As well as being published on Directors Notes, selected films have the opportunity to be featured on our YouTube channel — a 2.6 million-strong monthly audience across 175+ countries — and are shared across our social media and featured in our weekly newsletter. We also suggest you do the same across your own accounts and get cast, crew, friends and family to help spread the word.
Can I get feedback?
Sorry, at this point in time Directors Notes does not offer a feedback service for submissions.
Do you grant fee waivers?
No, we do not offer submission fee waivers. Really, we mean this, so any email/DM requests for waivers will be ignored.
