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Tag: film festivals
If filmmakers selected the “KeyWords” for their films (and did it without overhyping their films in the process), they could be embedded in the film’s metadata from the earliest online post.
Keywords are important when
Filmmakers should supply Film Festivals with their film’s hashtag at the time of application to the festival and then stick with it. Which of course means filmmakers should select a hashtag early and not deviate from that hashtag.
Which brings up the question of
By Kellie Ann Benz
Okay, I’ll admit it. I think ‘Jersey Shore’ offered some of the best life lessons. I’m not too cool to reveal that I gleaned much from the leg-humping silverbacks who F-bombed their way into obscurity on that cautionary tale of a show.
Replace, if you will, their onenightstandpad with a film festival party, and you can see how they offered all of us a first rate how-NOT-to for which should be grateful.
I cite their example as a sobering reminder for everyone packing for their first film festival.
First, the good news. Film festivals are wicked wild fun. Truly.
Festival attendees are some of the most electric creatives you’ll ever meet – and when actors or actresses are in attendance, some of the most beautiful humans you’ll ever see with your own eyeballs – film festivals offer a throwback to Dominick Dunne-esque invitation only cocktail parties. At the best international festivals, the ribald wits congregate as safe harbour from a cruel, cruel world that only understands their stories when told in a linear three act structure. At the discovery-zone of regional indie festivals, you can feel welcomed into an exclusive club where only the cinematic smarty-pants go.
For the chosen ones with films competing, a film festival is
[tweet https://twitter.com/TedHope/status/276351869205499904]
A couple of weeks back I used Twitter to crowdsource advice on what first time attendees of Film Festivals should do. See the responses below. It makes a decent follow up to yesterday’s post. And if you’d like to be part of future discussions, just follow me on Twitter: @TedHope.
What did you wish you did — but did not do — at your first film festival? What advice can you give someone going for the 1st time?
— Ted Hope (@TedHope) December 5, 2012
The Miami Movie Co.
@TheMiamiMovieCoI wish I’d pirated all the films instead of licensed them, just to show how lame the
@MPAA is. But hey, that’s just me. 🙂talk to EVERYONE.
Enjoy yourself. The business stuff is largely out of your control. Take time to meet people and make connections.
Always easy to forget but especially for the 1st timer… Bring business cards (of some sort).
Ted Hope
FreelanceLies 
Don Hardy 
Gary Ploski By Melanie Coombs
FIRST TIME AT THE FEST: 20 Guidelines* for a successful Market or Festival (*Producers don’t do Rules; ‘everything is negotiable’)
Over the last decade I have assisted new Producers as they attend their first market or festival. Here are 20 tips to help you enjoy the event while looking after yourself, your project and your professional reputation.
1. PRODUCING IS NOT COOL – tragically for us all, if you haven’t been completely humiliated you probably haven’t really financed your project. Be warm, not cool, and be all the things that make you a Producer – an Advocate, an Enthusiast, an Eccentric, a Charmer and an Artist.
2. PRODUCING IS NOT A COMPETITIVE SPORT – help each other. It is so rare that you are ever genuinely competing with your fellow producers – you have different taste, projects, Directors and are approaching different investors at different times. By working as a friendly colleague you will not only help others but will get their help in return. And you wont be alone as you go about the often frightening business of pitching into the marketplace for the first time.
3. DO NOT PITCH UNLESS ASKED TO DO SO.
Last week I gave the keynote at the International Film Festival Summit in Austin, Texas. You now have a chance to watch the video of it. Check it out here.
You also get the Q&A — which is always my favorite part of any talk. Here it is: why do we have so many festivals? Why are we neglecting the youth? How can we best address student work? How can niche festivals remain competitive when distributors favor the larger ones?
If text is more your bag, Indiewire ran the first part here, and HopeForFilm (that’s me btw) ran the second part.
