To Scam or Not to Scam! What kind of question is that?

I got accused of scamming some film maker today. He enter our film festival and his film didn't get accepted. Our entry fees for featured shorts is forty dollars. Thirty dollars if you enter via http://www.withoutabox.com/ and we furnish a detailed critique giving reasons why any film is rejected. I became a scam when he didn't agree with our critique. "You're just like all the rest of them," he wrote, "You take our money and don't care about the film maker." This kid (and I'm assuming because of his demeanor) couldn't be further from the truth.

As a film maker myself, I've entered many a film festival and received generic form letters that say pretty much "Thanks but no thanks." I've often wondered how a film could enter a top twenty five festival and go on to win best picture but be rejected by several other film festivals? I've been lucky enough on a couple of occasions to win something or better yet just be accepted to attend film festivals. I have no understanding what other festivals look for in accepting a film. So I started my own film festival (http://www.centralfloridafilmfestival.com/). Not so that I'd have something to enter for myself but to give other film makers a place to showcase their work. I have a selection committee with different tastes. A writer, a director, an editor, a composer and a producer should give a fairly diversified review of each film. I personally want production value, some commercial value (would be nice), good acting, a strong script and some signs of creativity and not you're just going through the motions as a film maker.

From there the films are ranked on a scale of 1-10 in ten categories or 100 points being perfect and no points being Ed Wood caliber (although some of Ed's work would have scored in the 50's). we're a three day event with approximately eighty hours of screening time. We receive about one hundred and fifty films for consideration. Obviously I can't accept forty, two hour features, it would use up all the screening time. So, we are forced to place limits to how many shorts, features, documentaries, mini features and even 'Gay & Lesbian" films to accept and have a good representation in our program.

If a were scamming, I'd take the money, not give a critique, not show the submitted films to anyone and place a listing of accepted films on a website and never respond to complaints. The best way to avoid scams is to educate yourself. Do some research. Who are these people involved? Why do I care about their opinion? How will it help me or my film if I am accepted. Just because some hick town in Iowa is holding a film festival and loves your film, it doesn't mean that a major market should. All film festivals fight for their share of good films and we all wind up with our share of clunkers too. Did you know Sundance received five THOUSAND entries in their short program for only eighty-five spots? That's 4915 rejects! However, many of those rejects are excellent films in their own right. Those film makers have to find a festival willing to showcase their project. Fight the battles you can win and understand if you can't stand rejection you've selected the wrong industry and profession.

See you at the movies!

...and cut!