Comments on: Festival screenings http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/ Blog for Animator and Director Rick May Mon, 17 May 2010 11:14:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Teresa http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/comment-page-1/#comment-434 Teresa Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:32:58 +0000 http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/#comment-434 There are so many variables that affect a film being selected for a festival I think the percentages of acceptance might be misleading. In my experience some films do better at festivals than others, i.e. I have one film that people found particularly funny that was accepted by most festivals that I sent it to, whereas the other films that aren't so funny didn't have such a high rate of acceptance. The "funny" film also was under 3 minutes and think that helped too. I don't have official statistics, but I think shorter comedic films have a better chance of being selected. Of course I am not implying that films should be made according to what festivals want to screen. I believe in making the film you want to make, and if you are happy with it, someone else, including some festival directors will be too. I also think it is a numbers game and the more festivals you submit your film to, the greater the chances are of it being screened at more festivals. I've had a pleasant surprise after having a film be rejected from a festival, when someone on that festival's screening committee told a distributor about the film. I ended up getting a pretty good distribution deal from it -- it probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't sent it to that festival. I don't know how often this might happen, but the thing is, the people screening films for festivals are connected and just because your film might not be selected by that festival, they may refer it to a distributor or perhaps another festival. As you saw at the Palm Springs Festival -- Festival directors go to other festivals and talk to one another. So, if you can afford it, keep sending it out. I am looking forward to seeing it someday! Are you planning to release it on DVD? There are so many variables that affect a film being selected for a festival I think the percentages of acceptance might be misleading. In my experience some films do better at festivals than others, i.e. I have one film that people found particularly funny that was accepted by most festivals that I sent it to, whereas the other films that aren’t so funny didn’t have such a high rate of acceptance. The “funny” film also was under 3 minutes and think that helped too. I don’t have official statistics, but I think shorter comedic films have a better chance of being selected. Of course I am not implying that films should be made according to what festivals want to screen. I believe in making the film you want to make, and if you are happy with it, someone else, including some festival directors will be too.

I also think it is a numbers game and the more festivals you submit your film to, the greater the chances are of it being screened at more festivals.

I’ve had a pleasant surprise after having a film be rejected from a festival, when someone on that festival’s screening committee told a distributor about the film. I ended up getting a pretty good distribution deal from it — it probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t sent it to that festival. I don’t know how often this might happen, but the thing is, the people screening films for festivals are connected and just because your film might not be selected by that festival, they may refer it to a distributor or perhaps another festival. As you saw at the Palm Springs Festival — Festival directors go to other festivals and talk to one another.

So, if you can afford it, keep sending it out. I am looking forward to seeing it someday!

Are you planning to release it on DVD?

]]> By: David http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/comment-page-1/#comment-426 David Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:38:43 +0000 http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/#comment-426 I have a couple of friends that have done the festival thing too. Theyve told me that the acceptance rate was somewhere around 20% for them. Ten percent sounds a little low, but I guess it depends on who you send it to. If you choose only the big festivals that have low acceptance rates you will probably only get 10%. choose all the little guys and it will probably be more like 60%. I have a couple of friends that have done the festival thing too. Theyve told me that the acceptance rate was somewhere around 20% for them.

Ten percent sounds a little low, but I guess it depends on who you send it to. If you choose only the big festivals that have low acceptance rates you will probably only get 10%. choose all the little guys and it will probably be more like 60%.

]]> By: Rok Andic http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/comment-page-1/#comment-414 Rok Andic Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:23:08 +0000 http://www.rickmay.com/2007/10/02/festival-screenings/#comment-414 10% acceptance looks pretty scary to me. Wish you a better rate in your festival run! 10% acceptance looks pretty scary to me. Wish you a better rate in your festival run!

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