{"id":1310,"date":"2025-03-07T19:45:42","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T19:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfreeway.com\/articles\/?p=1310"},"modified":"2025-03-07T19:45:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T19:45:43","slug":"festival-submission-strategies-every-filmmaker-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfreeway.com\/articles\/festival-submission-strategies-every-filmmaker-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Festival Submission Strategies Every Filmmaker Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gone are the days when filmmakers could offhandedly submit a project to as many different festivals as possible and hope for the best. With over 12,000 film festivals<\/a> happening around the world every single year, many of which receive thousands of entries, directors need to devise a precise and strategic plan for their submissions. Here\u2019s what to consider as you\u2019re making your decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask yourself: Are you (and your film) really ready?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Before a director even starts submitting their work to festivals, they need to make sure their film is ready\u2014and to do that, they need raw feedback. For many, that means showing it to trusted friends and family members. But Rudi Womack, the executive director of the Wyoming International Film Festival, suggests uploading a rough cut to the internet on sites like YouTube or Dailymotion for unbiased thoughts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, a consultant who works under the moniker the Film Festival Doctor<\/a>, says filmmakers need to let go of their emotional attachment to their work\u2014not only does that allow them to judge the film as honestly as possible, but it helps them embrace whatever direction the festival journey takes them on. \u201cSo many filmmakers want a certain outcome, or desperately need the film to level them up. They\u2019re very rigid,\u201d Smith says. \u201cBut that\u2019s not going to help them on their personal journey. The festival circuit brings lots of surprises, so it\u2019s really important to be flexible and open-minded.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, be real about the project being submitted. \u201cMany filmmakers tell me they want to enter their film into huge festivals, get discovered, and progress their career,\u201d Smith says. The problem is, the movie they\u2019ve created might not match the projects that are typically accepted and win awards at these festivals. \u201cYou need to be as self-aware as possible about the work,\u201d adds director-producer Adam Salky. \u201cYou might want<\/em> to go to Sundance, but is it really a Sundance film?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to do before submitting<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In order to find the right festival, filmmakers need to do a lot of research, including reading through websites and watching previous winners before deciding where to submit. \u201cKnow your film and know your festivals,\u201d says Smith. \u201cPeople don\u2019t always do the research. When you do, the festival tells you what they want. You need to take a closer look at every kind of program they have and look at what wins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s especially true if filmmakers only have a small budget for entries. \u201cIf you have a genre film, there are festivals specifically for those films,\u201d Smith continues. \u201cIt makes sense to start there, rather than going from the top down.\u201d If money is a concern, Smith recommends submitting as early as possible, as the fees become much more expensive the closer you get to a festival\u2019s deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filmmakers should make a list of their goals and what they want to get out of the festival circuit. Some people might want to screen a short or feature, while others might be determined to network and meet industry professionals and representatives. \u201cWhatever your goal, look into if the festival will help you facilitate that,\u201d says Womack. \u201cIf you want to meet managers and agents, go to L.A., New York, and even Atlanta.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make sure your film gets seen<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Producer Drea Clark has worked as a festival programmer for nearly 20 years, and she insists that every film that\u2019s submitted to a festival is watched. \u201cI know that there\u2019s anxiety from filmmakers, because they\u2019re paying a fee for someone to judge you,\u201d she says. \u201cBut everyone very much respects that submissions are the lifeblood of festivals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to impressing programmers, Clark tells filmmakers that their additional material\u2014including profiles on submission sites, the film\u2019s logline, and its synopsis\u2014all need to be written in an enticing and captivating style. \u201cThey need to be quick, clear, and juicy,\u201d she says. Filmmakers should not be shy about what makes their point of view and voice different, too. \u201cIf you have a director\u2019s statement, make sure it succinctly explains why you have a unique perspective and why you had to tell this story,\u201d Clark adds. \u201cExplain why the festival should discover you and how your background bleeds into your story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marketing Materials That Film Festivals Will Love<\/a><\/blockquote>