Here’s my list of ten things you should do (or prepare for), that no one will tell you to do at at film festival — especially the Festivals that want to be (and claim they are) bigger than they are. I learned this through on-the-job-training, real life experience and trial by fire.
The list is in no particular order of importance or relevance. Just do your thing and do them all. If you play your cards right you can get all the action items done for a reasonable amount of money. The benefit is less stress.
Hire a photographer. Don’t count on the film festival to bring a photographer to your screening or to capture pictures of your audience and cast. Chances are they won’t — unless one of the festival programmers or directors are present during your screening. In that case there will be many pictures… of them, but still none of your audience. You don’t need a professional photographer. Give a movie ticket to a friend or family member and make sure they understand that their sole purpose is to snap as many candid photos as possible. Give them an autofocus digital camera with an auto flash and a 1GB flash card. Then tell them to “get snapping!”
Don’t sell tickets for the Festival. GIVE them away. Yeah you heard me. Don’t sell tickets. Don’t try to convince your friends or the cast etc to buy tickets from the festival. Buy them yourself. Find out how many seats in the theater of your screening and buy at least 70% of the seats. Chances are you’ll get (or can negotiate) a bulk purchase discount. Then, notify your list that you have free tickets. Ask for donations of $5 or more per ticket or for each pair. Don’t give the tickets to anyone who hasn’t firmly committed to attending the festival. Give the tickets out (for a donation) as much as possible. When it gets closer to your screening give the tickets away freely to anyone whose presence will benefit you and your film, i.e. agents, managers, studio big wigs, etc.
Don’t get a 9pm screening. 9PM screenings suck. Why? because if the screenings run behind your film will end up screening at 9:30PM instead. People want to party. If your screening is 9pm when will the audience have a chance to drink at the party you’ve arranged at a nearby club or bar. Get a 7PM screening instead. Plan the party at 9:30Pm and the first round is on you– for all who make it.
Don’t depend on the festival…period. Don’t depend on the festival for jack-shit. Don’t expect a list of the media in attendance, don’t expect prompt answers to your questions, don’t expect help, don’t expect support, don’t expect them to test your tape before the screening. You are on your own. Be ready for that. HIRE someone you trust to be there with you through thick and thin. DON’T hire the actors or crew members because they are there to look out for themselves and their careers. Most will be busy networking for their next gig. When you ask someone begin with, “I’m worried about a few things and I could really use your help because you’re better at blah-blah-blah than I am.” — who can resist that?
Keep all the goodies for yourself. That’s right. Be stingy! The festival is likely to give you goodies like festival passes, passes to other screenings or events, etc, etc. You may even get a goodie bag full of trinkets and useless products from festival sponsors. Don’t try to be Mr. Benevolent by sharing! Keep it all for yourself. Why shouldn’t you? You’ve laid out your heart and soul –and money– on this project from day one. And imagine the look on your date’s or spouse’s face when you hand him/her a goodie bag of his/her own! Dood, that’s sponge worthy! Keep it. Keep it all.
Hire a video crew. Yup, you’re still spending money but this is worth it. Hire a video crew to stand outside the theater and film/interview your audience as they exit your film’s screening. It can be one person with camera and a mic or a two person team. If a two-person team, make sure the person holding the mic asking questions is a hot guy or hot girl. (“Hey, I’m worried about a few things and I need your help…I need a totally hot guy/girl to interview the audience and you were the ONLY one who came to mind.”) Give the host specific questions to ask everyone then let her wing the rest.. This works nicely if you hire film school students. They’ll feel super important when you let them cut the final video anyway they want. But keep the raw footage so your editor can make something usable. In any event your screening looks important because there’s a video crew outside. And you’ll have cool candid interviews to add to your film’s website.
Attend other filmmaker screenings. You better make sure you get your ass out there to the other filmmaker screenings. Not because you are going to watch their films (you can if time and stress permits) but because you are going to steal their audience. Imagine: if someone attends a film screening at a festival they are twice as likely to attend another screening if they are given a free ticket (see #2 above). And while you’re at the screenings, watch a few films and meet a few filmmakers.
Never promise to see another filmmaker’s film. I know this sounds harsh but you put additional stress on yourself if you make this promise. You’re already sweating bullets about your film. You’re nervous. Scared. Don’t add another “to do” item to your list. You can make promises to see other films after your film has screened, not before. I’m not saying don’t go see other films, I’m saying, don’t promise you will. Show up unexpectedly (if you can) and when the filmmaker sees you say, “Your film was always on my list of must-see films!”
Expect the worst. Expect the worst treatment, worst audience, worst communication, worst process, worst problems and worst people. Expect it so that you’ll be prepared for it. This doesn’t mean you should behave like an ogre. Just have contingency plans. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you and your film are treated well.
Don’t Buy Alcohol at the Club. Instead, fill your messenger bag with little bottles of liquor that you find in a minibar. Order a Coke or a club soda over ice and voila, you’ve just saved $10 a drink. Or, collect money from your friends, make the drinks yourself and pocket the cash. (kidding!)
Don’t give your business card to a wannabe producer, actor, composer, director, DP, sound guy or writer who claims that she doesn’t give her card to just anyone. F*ck him. He’s a fake-ass punk poser.
Don’t expect to meet and like more than three new people. I am in touch with exactly three people from the last festival. I met ten. Many weren’t serious and one I lost his contact info. And don’t expect the festival to help you meet and like more than three new people. You are completely on your own. I’ve never seen a mixer that actually promoted mixing. Mixers are more about cliques than anything. Put your shyness on the shelf for a few days, mix yourself a drink, whip out some business cards, and get out of your shell.
