Sundance.

[Phil]

I could use some mental help! :) ...

If you read this, take two seconds and tell me how you feel towards Sundance.

I built Sundance up in my head as this Holy Festival...

Is this the one that everyone tries for?
Is this the BIG one that counts?

Since they only accept films that are premiering worldwide, if you go to other festivals first they won't let you in?

Recently I've been studying their trend in film acceptance, and it seems only the BIG films are getting in. I know everyone says NOVEMBER...but that's a big movie too, it had Courtney Cox in it.

Anyways, Just wondering if anyone else felt Sundance was the ultimate goal like I have been.

Also, anyone think touring the other festivals instead of Sundance is better?

Thanks for your time.

[Slapdragon]

I could use some mental help! *:) ...

If you read this, take two seconds and tell me how you feel towards Sundance.

I built Sundance up in my head as this Holy Festival...

Is this the one that everyone tries for?
Is this the BIG one that counts?

Since they only accept films that are premiering worldwide, if you go to other festivals first they won't let you in?

Recently I've been studying their trend in film acceptance, and it seems only the BIG films are getting in. I know everyone says NOVEMBER...but that's a big movie too, it had Courtney Cox in it.

Anyways, Just wondering if anyone else felt Sundance was the ultimate goal like I have been.

Also, anyone think touring the other festivals instead of Sundance is better?

Thanks for your time.

Telluride and Toronto are well thought of. Many people, even South Park, have taken swipes at Sundance for going glitz, but having never attended I cannot say for sure.

[J.R. Hudson]

Wasnt OPEN WATER a SUNDANCE pick? *What about PRIMER?

I agree though. *Doesnt seem terribly independent.

[NoahK]

It's always worth sending in an entry. You never know what will be accepted. I attended back in '98 and there was a wide variety of stuff- some big budget films loaded with famous people, others from middle of nowhere with complete unknowns.

Sundance can do great things for your film- get it distribution or at least seen by all the bigwigs. You can launch a career from showing there. One thing to keep in mind always is that the odds are quite long. So if you don't get accepted it's not something to take personally.

It is true they will not allow any films into competition that have screened anywhere else first. So- if you plan to apply, it's best not to go into another festival unless it's another biggie like Toronto, Telluride, etc. Sundance has other categories that aren't competitive as well but the prestige factor is lower.

Noah

[bryster]

I live in Utah... and have been around the Sundance Fesitval alot of years. (I use to Drive shuttle from the airport to Park City, for the fest)
It is a big thing here in Utah, although till I got into film I really never wanted to know more than... what stars were apering up there.
THis last year, I decied I was going to go see a few shorts and was supprized how many small and unknown films where acutly shown.
There was only a handful that was big that I saw.

[TylerGred]

I think Primer won this year, didn't it?

[Phil]

Yeah it won some awards.

Thanks for the replies guys...So would it be advised, that if someone is working on a film, that might not be finished until after the deadline, to wait until next year and premiere it there? then the rest?

Or since they accept near finished, to go ahead and send it?

[Bsmith]

Also if you shot on DV doesn't have to be transferred to film? I don't think they accept dvd or tapes...I think it has to be film which limits like hundreds of films

[Slapdragon]

Also if you shot on DV doesn't have to be transferred to film? *I don't think they accept dvd or tapes...I think it has to be film which limits like hundreds of films

16 or 35mm. They have a no video rule, even though more and more productions are on video.

[Phil]

Actually sundance and most of the bigger film festivals are digital now.

[Bsmith]

thats the dumbest thing ever. So much for being for Independent Filmmakers >:(

[NoahK]

Sundance is not anti-video at all. Quite the contrary- they were an early adopter of DV. Over half the films shown at Sundance last year were originated on DV. They will either screen them as a 35mm transfer or a bump to HDCAM depending on the filmmakers budget. Transferring 90 minutes of DV onto HDCAM can be done for around $500-800. Probably can score a donation from a local dub house wanting Sundance publicity- if you are persistent enough. :)

That being said- it's always better to submit a more polished film rather than rush out something that just isn't ready. Sundance will re-screen resubmitted films once but only if they have changed substantially from the year before.

Noah

[Phil]

500 or 800? thats it? Wow, didn't know that, thanks...

[Slapdragon]

Sundance is not anti-video at all. Quite the contrary- they were an early adopter of DV. Over half the films shown at Sundance last year were originated on DV. They will either screen them as a 35mm transfer or a bump to HDCAM depending on the filmmakers budget. Transferring 90 minutes of DV onto HDCAM can be done for around $500-800. Probably can score a donation from a local dub house wanting Sundance publicity- if you are persistent enough. :)

That being said- it's always better to submit a more polished film rather than rush out something that just isn't ready. Sundance will re-screen resubmitted films once but only if they have changed substantially from the year before.

Noah

I think of it as they were forced by circumstances, kicking and screaming, to accept DV, and even now they are not really into it. The requirement for a bump to HDCAM, which does zero for DV in terms of increasing its quality, is silly. I could set up a digital theatre with a hard drive array to play DV films on multiple screens cheap.

The refusal to accept DV is an elitist stance by the film festivals. If it were a quality issue, then they would refuse to allow anything not shot in HD in the first place.

[TylerGred]

Does Toronto or Southwest accept DV? Are there any other big festivals that don't accept DV?

[NoahK]

Just about all the major ones now accept and encourage DV.

Noah

[Phil]

DV allows more creative control, I feel you might try a better shot/angle/take on something if you're not paranoid about how much money...i mean film you're wasting.

In turn, I think that all the major festivals are encouraging DV because of the creative aspect, not that they're pushed into it...besides REAL digital theaters like the ones they have are expensive, that's why the smaller ones don't have it...

I think that they don't have it because of money, not that they are pro-elitism.

[Mike_Donis]

Toronto does, I know that much...

I'm waiting to see if "Gray Christmas" gets in ;D

[Phil]

Ok so after about 20 quick yahoo and imdb searches, I'm taking "Gray Christmas" is your film?? :D

[Mike_Donis]

LOL yeah it is...I posted a trailer here a while ago, but it's offline right now...

I have no idea whether to expect it gets in or not. Does anybody know what the shorts are like that get accepted into the Toronto film festival?

[Phil]

Nope, but Mike you've been one of the coolest posters here I know, and I wish you luck man!

[Barry_Green]

Toronto is one of the premium festivals in the world. *If you get into Toronto, that's REALLY saying something. *The odds are exorbitantly high against getting selected, so don't get bummed out if you don't make it. *Toronto, Telluride, SXSW, Sundance, Slamdance, Berlin, Cannes... those are *serious* film festivals, where (as someone else said) careers are made. *Very, very, very difficult to get accepted to. *So good luck, if you get in Toronto you will have scored a rare spot indeed!

[Mike_Donis]

Thanks TheAmPro!

And thanks Barry...guess I won't be getting any hopes up then - at least I'll get a nice surprize if anything does happen, and not be shocked if it doesn't! I always knew Toronto was a big film festival, but I never knew how hard it was to get in (ie, whether or not they mainly accept bigger stuff, as Sundance was accused of, or anything like that).

[Slapdragon]

Thanks TheAmPro!

And thanks Barry...guess I won't be getting any hopes up then - at least I'll get a nice surprize if anything does happen, and not be shocked if it doesn't! *I always knew Toronto was a big film festival, but I never knew how hard it was to get in (ie, whether or not they mainly accept bigger stuff, as Sundance was accused of, or anything like that).

It is no shame to be refused from Toronto. I tell my students that, for me, a list of major film festivals that gave them the boot is pretty impressive, since most people have been given the boot by NO film festivals.

If not Toronto, try some of the smaller art based film festivals, often hosted by colleges. No money, but you can hang the win on your mantel and it is great experience.

[Mike_Donis]

yeah, thats what I was planning on doing...the way I see it is you've got nothing no lose in entering a film into any festival (well except maybe the entry fee, which normally isnt much :P) but you have everything to potentially gain

[Oz]

Check out "The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide" 2nd Edition by Chris Gore, ISBN 1580650325, if you're serious about entering film festivals. Lots of information on a variety of festivals, not just the big name ones.

[Mike_Donis]

Thanks!

[Josh_Boelter]

I believe last year Toronto's policy towards digital was kind of ambigous, saying you could submit DV but if you get accepted you might have to transfer it to film. I might be remembering that incorrectly though. I think Toronto's 2004 submission guidelines are supposed to be on the web soon. They weren't there the last tiem I checked.

[Neil Rowe]

sundance was also screening films digitally in WM9 last year. otherwise you have to transfer the digital format to HDcam, 16mm or 35mm, but a transfer to HD is pretty cheap... espescally if youve got the equipment or know someone who does. if you want to screen digital, send it in early because they only have so many theatres that can screen digital (HD or WM9), and when they fill, the rest have to convert to film.

most of the films with the big name actors in it ARE NOT in competition at sundance. they are accepted on a premiere basis only. meaning that sundance has simply selected them to be able to premiere there.. but they are not eligable for any awards.. so theres no need to worry about the big films there. "Open Water" did not win any awards at all, and was actually not that praised by audiences there, but got big distribution anyway.. same goes for "The Blair Witch Project" som years ago .. it didnt win anything, and wasnt even that praised or even noticed, but it caught the eye of a distributer by chance and was distributed as the highest grossing independent of all time for a while. this year "PRIMER" (shot partially on scrap rolls of 16mm) won the grand jury prize, and i assure you its about as independent as it gets ...the budget was apx 7000.00. "NOVEMBER" (which was shot on the stock DVX100 lense with a follow focus and mattebox)won the cinematography award, and was made by INDIGENT.. the sort of creme de la creme of indy studios. but was still mad e for a shoestring budget which likely mostley went to pay the one big actor in it Courtney Cox... whos "mediocre acting" apparently kept the film from living up to its true potential.

anyway. if i have a point to speak in this besides spitting some facts, its that Sundance still is a place for independents, and thats what they push.. new, independent, different, exploratory, and good cinema. so your chances of getting in and winning all boil down to this:

how good your film is.

if your film is good enough.. you will get in. if your film is great enough.. you will win something. if you then sign on the dotted line.. you will be distributed.

[Mike_Donis]

I believe last year Toronto's policy towards digital was kind of ambigous, saying you could submit DV but if you get accepted you might have to transfer it to film.

This year's submission form said the same thing...but I emailed the festival and asked them about it...the response was: "you will be able to screen the film digitally if selected".

[Neil Rowe]

cool.. well you have to figure that every year they will screen more and more digitally. because that is the way cinema is heading. i doubt they would be removing any digital projectors.. only adding :) which makes it all the more possible to make it happen. you can uprez uzing photozoom and wm9 right on your desktop for *the cost of the programs divided by how many times you use them forever, and *it makes it possible for ANYONE.. no matter what budget to get in, and get noticed, and get signed, and then get a cine alta950 or Arri HDcam *and do it all over again.. * (with distribution alreay in place sometimes!)lol.

but more importantly it takes the cost of the film transfer out of the hands of the filmmakers. so i can do it all digital , and if some studio picks it up for distribution..they do the rest.. and i will never see the cost of a film transfer.

[Bsmith]

I didn't really understand what you just said

[Phil]

I got it, Thanks IAL!

He's saying the same thing I believe in, that if you are picked then they will screen you, IF you get in early, and if you do and you are seen by a distribution rep, they'll do it for you! Or give you the funds to shoot it film.