How to Enter and Screen Your Film in a Film Festival - A Primer for GIFTS Alumni and Other Filmmaker Types

by Terra Poirier, GIFTS Distributrix

Step 1
Do your research: find a festival you want to enter.

Look on the internet, try directories such as www.filmfestivals.com, check out our own Link Textfilm festival directory, talk to friends, other filmmakers, visit your local video/film society or collective and check out their call for submissions postings (Video In in Vancouver, BC gets lots of calls).

Step 2
Obtain submission guidelines and entry form.

These are often available on festival websites as printable forms. Occasionally it is possible to enter online. But you will still need to send in your tape, of course. Read the guidelines carefully to determine if you are eligible to enter and to ensure you submit all the necessary materials.

Step 3
Gather up your distribution kit. This includes:

• A preview copy of your film. A VHS copy is almost always acceptable. Make sure it is cued to the beginning of your film and that there are a few seconds of black before and after.
• Money for the entry fee if there is one. If the fee is prohibitive - you have no cash and it’s a festival you really want to enter, you could try contacting them and explaining that you are a student / low budget filmmaker who needs a break. Be polite and humble, yet convincing of what an excellent film you have that they should see.
• Digital stills from your film. One or two graphics captured from your film using a capture card. They should be some particularly beautiful or illustrative shot. They will probably be used for the festival programme guide should your film be selected. They should be TIF or JPG files, print resolution (atleast 150 dpi) and say, about 3 by 5 inches. If they are lower res, that can still work if the dimensions are larger. Festivals sometimes require this with your entry, sometimes only once your work has been accepted. If submitting your still with your entry, send it on a floppy disk (PC formatted is usually your safest bet). If sending it after being accepted, you can usually email them to the festival but make sure they agree to a large attachment file first. For GIFTS alumni, you can order digital stills from the school - we can either email or snail mail them to you.
• An artist biography. Again, sometimes only requested after they have accepted your film for the festival. This is a 2 or 3 sentence statement about you, as an artist and filmmaker. It may appear in the festival programme guide. Watch for an upcoming little how-to on writing bio’s and descriptions, soon to be posted here.
• Film synopsis: This includes a description of your film and a list of cast and crew. The description is almost always required on the entry form, the cast and crew list is not always requested, though sometimes once the film is selected. The description will appear in the festival programme guide.
• Actor, footage and music releases. Some festivals require this as part of your entry. Make sure you have actor release forms signed and permission to use copyrighted footage and/or sound.
• One-sheet sometimes called a Sell Sheet. This is a nicely laid-out sheet with an image from your film or some other relevant image and information about the film. It also contains your bio, possibly a photo of you, a listing of festivals where your film has shown and any awards it has won. Also include a filmography or videography - a list of other films you have made and awards they have received. One sheets are occasionally requested by festivals once your film has been selected. But if you do have one made, why not just send it along with your entry, it’ll make you and your film look professional and spiffy.
• Press kit. Your press kit is a compilation of most of the above but also includes past press clippings and a press release if appropriate. Basically you want to send any promotional materials you have on your project, though not usually until your film is selected. Watch this page for a how-to on compiling your press kit and what the heck to do with it.

Step 4
So enter the film already! Take your distribution kit and use it to fill out the entry form carefully and neatly. Include all necessary information. Send your submission in by the deadline!

Step 5
Wait for a reply. Sometimes though, festivals don’t tell you if you weren’t accepted. Check the festival website every so often. Festivals have even been known not to notify folks when the film gets in! Enter your film into other festivals.

Step 6
Revel in the excitement of having your film accepted into the festival!

But now your work is not done. I call this part festival follow-up, and it goes like this:

• Send whatever additional info the festival requests, eg. Bio, one-sheet, stills, press kit, etc.
• Send your screening copy, unless your preview is the screening copy. In that case, make sure that it was clear on your entry form or confirm with the festival at this point. Most festivals will want the highest quality screening tape possible. You can order a DV master tape from GIFTS and use this to make good quality dubs for festivals.
• Issue a press release to your local media. Send media your kit including digital stills (for print media) and a VHS dub of your film. Presentation is everything.
• Consider attending the festival. Festivals always like it when directors attend their screenings, and they will usually offer you a free pass to the festival or at least a screening or two. Many festivals also offer homestay/billeting arrangements. Canada Council for the Arts provides travel grants to media artists travelling to present their work. In order to apply for such a grant you will need a letter of invitation from the film festival, among other things. This is a pretty standard request, so don’t be shy.

Step 7
Repeat process.