How Film Festivals Work
Independent
filmmakers might
remain forever in obscurity were it not for film festivals.
These annual events, where films are screened and professionally judged, are
held around the world. At film festivals, cinema fans can see the new -- and
sometimes daring -- films they would never be able to find in their local movie
theatres.
Film
festivals give new talent an opportunity to shine, while also showcasing the
work of already well-known and respected filmmakers. Festivals can range from
huge, star-studded events, such as the Cannes festival in France or the
Sundance Film Festival in the United States, to small, independent, local
awards that garner just a few hundred attendees. But all festivals have
something in common: They celebrate the art of film and they champion the
artists who produce it.
What are Film Festivals?
Film
festivals are events staged by universities, private organizations, local
governments, arts associations and/or film societies. They provide an
opportunity for unknown filmmakers to get their movies in front of a real live audience and to have their films reviewed by professional critics.
Filmmakers whose movies get accepted into a festival also get valuable press attention and exposure to prospective agents
and buyers, not to mention a sometimes-sizeable cash award if they win.
Some
festivals are broad in scope -- they welcome a wide range of subject matter and
film lengths. But other festivals are far more specialized: They may accept
only comedies, only Jewish films or only films made by female directors, for
example. Some festivals are specific to one film genre, such as documentaries,
or to one length, such as shorts.
What
differentiates a film festival from, say, the Academy
Awards, is the open
submission policy. Most festivals accept submissions from any
filmmaker, regardless of his or her past experience or budget. A number of
festivals even invite students to enter and may have a special award category
for student films.
As technology races forward, film festivals are
evolving to keep pace. Many new filmmakers are starting to produce and edit
their films on computers rather than on celluloid. And many film buffs are
looking to the Internet for
the latest independent releases. Following this trend, a number of festivals
have expanded into the online arena. Toronto and Sundance are just two of the
film festivals that have an online branch. Although they may lack the budget of
their real-world cousins, online film
festivals can
reach far larger audiences.
How Can I Submit a Film?
Each film festival has
its own set of rules. Generally, filmmakers are given a deadline by
which they need to submit their film(s). Some festivals accept films that have
already been screened elsewhere; others require that films have not been
broadcast anywhere prior to the festival.
Movies entered may
range from shorts that are just a few minutes in length to full-length features
that run 1.5 hours or more. Festivals accept one or more formats,
including 35mm, 16mm, Super 8, VHS, Beta and/or DVD. Filmmakers pay an entry fee (anywhere
from $5 for a five-minute short to $100 for a feature film) and fill out
a form describing their project. They may also be asked to
submit a director bio, a film still, a synopsis and a list of production
credits.
Not every film is
right for every festival. Submitting a film to the wrong festival is likely to end in
rejection. Before submitting a film for consideration, filmmakers need to
research which festivals are most appropriate for their subject. The biggest and
most prestigious festivals (Cannes and Sundance) are usually the hardest to
break into because there is so much competition for a limited number of slots.
In 2004, the Sundance festival received nearly 6,000 submissions; it accepted
255 of those films. New filmmakers have a better chance of getting into a
smaller festival and then working their way up to the big-name festivals once
they have achieved a few successes.
Film festivals are
typically divided into categories. Categories may include:
- · Drama
- · Documentary
- · Animation
- · Short film
- · Experimental
- · Music video
If a movie is
accepted, the festival organizers notify the filmmaker. At the festival, the
movie is screened for the jury as well as for the audience.
The jury is usually made up of film critics, professors and/or filmmakers who
will judge each film for its artistic merit, production value, creativity and
overall impression. Judging differs from festival to festival; but usually,
each member of the jury votes by secret ballot, and the film that receives the
majority of votes wins.
Most film festivals
also give the audience an opportunity to judge. Its choice is reflected in a
special audience award.
Often, while the
screenings are underway in one part of a film festival, there are simultaneous
workshops on screenwriting, film production, finding an agent and other
subjects related to the art and business of filmmaking. They are usually open
to filmmakers and anyone else interested in film.
No comments:
Post a Comment