I was thinking about all the things that must be freaking out the filmmakers headed to their first film festival. I feel them It’s wonderful to get into a film festival, but what happens next can be panic inducing. I was thinking about how I could help the fortunate & the cursed.
I have collected a bunch of posts from the past that may help some, and will run them shortly; I am currently thinking Dec. 27th.
But so many more posts on prepping for festivals and one’s career are needed. Perhaps you know someone who’d write one for us. Below are a few topics for suggestions. Let me know what else we should ask for. Would you write one? Do you know someone that could? Why not send them this list? I will post what is available (and provided it is community-focused).
Audience Aggregation:
- “How To Leave A Festival With As Many Fans As Possible”
- “Best Practices For A Long Term Strategy Towards Building An Audience”
- “How You Can Benefit From Free Non-monetized Content”
Career & Sustainibilty:
- “How To Use A Festival As A Foundation For The Rest Of Your Life”
- “An Agent Wants To Sign Me. What Do I Do?”
- “Do I Need A Manager Too?”
- “How Do I Connect The Dots For Financiers Between This Movie & That One Still To Come?”
Community:
- “Build Your Filmmaker Support Group; You Don’t Have To Be Alone.”
- “Transparency 101: What Should You Share?”
- What Should You Give Back?”
Delivery:
- “If You Sell Your Film, What Are You Going To Have To Deliver?”
Distribution:
- “Am I Ready For The Festival To Be My Distribution Launch?”
- “What Can The Distributor Do That I Can Not Do Myself?”
- “Can Long-term All Media,Territorial Liscensing Survive?”
Festival Strategy:
- “What’s Next? Where Do You Play After Your Premiere?”
- “Who Do You Want To Meet At A Festival & Why?”
- “Why Shouldn’t I Use The Festival To Launch My Distro?
Marketing:
- “Additional Content: What Do You Need & How Can You Use It?”
- “How Do You Speak About Your Film? Different Themes For Different Audiences”
- “Poster Design 101”
- “Trailer Cutting 101”
- “What Stills Are The Best Stills?”
Publicity:
- “What Makes For Good Press Notes”
- “How To Write A Director’s Statement”
- “How To Find The HOOK Of Your Film”
- “How To Give Good Interview”
Sales:
- “What Questions Do You Ask A Potential Buyer For Your Film”
- “What If No One Wants To License Your Film?”
