UNDEAD FEST 2011 or WHY DVXFESTER'S FEST-BITCHING HAS BACKFIRED ON US

Somebody do something! I need this fest....it keeps my dark heart pumping.

Lets do something evil, like hold a sit-in. I'm not leaving this thread until this issue is set strait.
 
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I'm feelin' Undead. I don't think it needs to be so narrow as to just be zombies and vampires. Seems like there could be lots of ways to interpret it, but I've also thought pretty much the same thing as Darkline. Why do these fests need to be so cleverly nuanced about genres? I think Horror and Drama should be seasonal constants, but maybe one fest could be the wild card each year.

IMHO, 48hr fests really work better at the local level. I've done a few and for the most part they were fun, but much of what Matt spelled out really does ring true to my own experiences.

Now, I'm imagining that an online 48hr fest will be a tougher sell as far as a filmmaker's ability to get quality local talent mobilized and ready to sacrifice their weekend.
 
I don't like zombies, mainly because I only have one good zombie story in me. Everything else zombie has been done to death...then it came back and took a shot gun to the head.
 
Chris_Keaton said:
I don't like zombies, mainly because I only have one good zombie story in me. Everything else zombie has been done to death...then it came back and took a shot gun to the head.
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I don't know... The little 'short' in front of "A Serious Man"(2009) introduced the masses to a Dybbuk... there's always a Golem as well...
 
Ok, I have NOT read the rest of this thread, aside from the first post. My vision behind the 48 hour festival is to give a MONTH OR MORE of pre-production time. My idea was to mirror another "timed" festival I was a part of which allowed as much pre-production as needed before the festival, but production and post had to happen at that time. Is this something more suitable for your ideas?
 
I don't think if you give a 48-hour fest that much preproduction time it can be called a 48-hour fest. It's a facade. Just keep the rules so uber simple. Set up dates but a "month" to prepare, seriously, just call it another fest.
 
Something I honestly like about a "timed" festival, even with allowing more pre-production is that I can simply lock in those dates, and say that's all the time I'm taking to make a film, that's it, two days. Done.
 
so, my bad getting caught up in the moment of another deadline looming, and knowing you guys would be pissed at me if I dropped the annoucnement the day before the shoot :) And, beginning to feel like the 48fest thing was adding to the problem, rather than creating a bit of breathing room to address some more fundamental infrastructure changes that need doing for dvxfest. I was thinking in that line, and didn't consider it beyond that at the time I posted it. So, my bad. Thanks, matt for reminding me :)

Seriously... you guys have motivated me. I love it that there are people who care enough (and don't have to) and will spend the time to make a thread like this.

Working on some revised rules (simplified and such:) ) right now. will try to post tonight for our standard fall fest.

we will do a 48fest as well, b/c it is a different beast, and there are different muscles to flex, and different reasons why it may appeal to some. Maybe we'll do it during hte lull of this fest midway through or something as a side thing... Or, maybe as suggested we'll give it a shot in lieu of a winter fest or something. we'll see.

(EDIT: And, that was not a confirmation of UNDEAD FEST... :) Just that we will do a traditional dvxuser fall/horror themed fest.)

Later,
Jason
 
I think a 48-hour fest in addition to the usual ones could be really fun, but - as some folks above have mentioned - not in the fall. Everyone gets excited about the Halloween theme and probably wouldn't want to divert their energies and $$ towards another one.

On a brief tangent - I may be in the minority here but I preferred the days of little-to-no "marketing" for the films. Say, back in the 2005 zombie-fest, we couldn't post posters, BTS or anything other than a synopsis and occasional reports until after the voting. I preferred that... made it more about the films standing on their own merits and less about the hype, or how they were made. Probably something that's been debated a bunch before - just wanted to add my cents.

(edit: Jason just posted above, so ignore my first paragraph!)
 
Curugon said:
...On a brief tangent - I may be in the minority here but I preferred the days of little-to-no "marketing" for the films. Say, back in the 2005 zombie-fest, we couldn't post posters, BTS or anything other than a synopsis and occasional reports until after the voting. I preferred that... made it more about the films standing on their own merits and less about the hype, or how they were made. Probably something that's been debated a bunch before - just wanted to add my cents...
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Agreed.:beer:
Hell, I don't even think THREADS were started pre-upload/viewing. [/ahthegoodolddays]
 
Awesome, thank you Jason! I don't care what the fest is, I was just using "Undead" and "Scare" to get the mods brainstorming.
Can't wait to see what you guys announce!
 
I wasn't a member that back but I think not starting threads until after upload keeps everyone on even ground. We see what we see when the film is up, no hype, no marketing, just make the movies. Sounds like a great way to keep the pressure off the directors and allow them to really get their team together and not worry about promoting the film before it's even up. I went in blind to view the last fest, didn't read a single post. Kinda liked it that way.
 
I am of the complete opposite opinion. Without threads, there would no interaction between any of us for 4 months. I like the art of promotion, building anticipation, creating posters, filming BTS, describing the trials and tribulations of your shoots,
and keeping everyone updated. In fact I think the envelope should be pushed, I think we should be able to cut together 15 second teaser trailers. But I know that will never be allowed.
 
A fall fest.... yay.

As for marketing, either way for me. Traditionally I don't like to post grabs for my shorts. When I have, I've chosen really boring frames...lol. Its 6 minutes and I like to keep everything under wraps until the film is online.
 
Agree with Matt. I like the hype, but it can be a dicey proposition for those who struggle to cross the finish line. (yours truly) The interaction on a thread is a good morale booster, and I think the marketing is part of the fun. It's all in how you play it.

And why not just keep the "All Hallows Eve" fest name and just badge it with the appropriate year. (All Hallows Fest 2011)

Monsters, maniacs, serial killers, vamps, zombies, werewolves, aliens, clowns, brooding teens, cannibals, (eating brooding teens), pestilence, evil corporations, mass hysteria, etc. It's all good. ;-)
 
I like the thought of no promotion, but promotion is a serious part of this business and this is a good place to cut your teeth.
 
If the users to get behind it, promote it, encourage other users to enter .... more entries, bigger better fest.
 
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