canne indie film festival...outragous

deathwinger said:
Why don't you try to get your film in a smaller or even local festival and then have that as 'rank' for when submitting it to a larger festival like Canne? I know a few people who have done this and their films have gotten bigger for each festival....and this is coming from the Caribbean.

You think inde america has it bad....you can't expect to imagine how a region not known for filmmaking has it.

small steps by friend. Complete the obstacles you can. It works.
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Good advice. Really study the festival you are submitting to and make sure they cater to the genre, style, budget, etc that best matches yours. Your chances will improve and the attendees, reviewers, etc . know what to expect.

As far as being from a region not known for having a filmmaking community - turn it to your advantage marketing wise. Remember the Jamaican Bobsled team.


Michael

Michael
 
great thread...I've had a great deal of questions about festivals in general so this helps greatly...

My main question which some of you may have a good idea- is when do you give up on the submission when faced with repeated rejections?

I had done a pass of submitting to 10 or so horror specific festivals without being accepted to any.

I have since made steps to improve the edit and sound/music that sort of thing, but without feedback as to what people did not like about the film itself, I am torn as to whether or not to continue or to move onto another project...

I have a great deal of contacts from other industries I have worked for (game, toy and comic) but lack any film specific ones. And I thought it was hard to break into the others LOL...
 
MichaelP, that is very good. Congratulations. It's great when you have found an honest agent or distributor. Keep up the good work and continue to prosper.
 
The odds and percentages everyone was talking about at the start of this thread really aren't very bad at all. Go ask any book or comic book publisher how many submissions THEY get. lol And I don't want to even think about the "odds" for an unrpresented screenplay finding a producer.

Even if 10,000 is the number for some of these fests, that's still really, really good odds when you're talking about getting something you created a chance to get noticed.

That's the one great thing about filmmaking; unlike comics and books, there is a very palpable investment (monetary and otherwise) that the filmmaker has to imbue the project with for it to be considered for distribution. Darwinism for the arts! :D

Also, though, I agree -- hit up the smaller fests. Win some awards. Gain some credibility -- and then submit with a trailer on the front end naming all of those reviews and awards.
 
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what about all those "world premier" guidelines the big festivals require? wouldn't screening in smaller festivals conflict with this and screw your chances with the big boys....

I just submitted to the Tribeca FF. On the submission form they ask if the screening will be a "world premier"....well, how am I supposed to know? Sundance, Slamdance and others announce months before Tribeca...

I answered "yes," but that's not 100% true
 
You are expected to answer truthfully what your status is when you are submitting. If they like your film, they will ask for an update on your premiere status before making a final decision.
 
Zak Forsman said:
I see a lot of guys on the circuit with their dvds, jamming their business card into the hands of anyone they talk to.
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Hahah that was totally me at SXSW last year while in post-production of movie Hands of God. I was handing out the trailer with business cards. :D
 
Like anything else in life...you gotta approach "from the side". You ever know a guy who was exceptionally lucky with women? Well, he didn't get that way by panting and jumping around at their feet.

this racket's no different. they'll wanna get to know us and what we got to offer the second we drop the desperation.


Confidence....and walk away power.
 
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