Finding a Film Festival for Your Film

It's been a year since my last blog but it's that time again to create interest in the Central Florida Film Festival. This year will be our 8th and once again we are being held over the Labor Day weekend (August 30, - September 1, 2013) at the West Orange Cinemas, in Ocoee, Florida. It's just fifteen minutes from Disney World.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Early Bird Entries are now being taken at http://www.withoutabox.com/ thru February 22, 2013.
Regular Entries will be taken from February 23, thru April 15, 2013, and our late entry deadline is from April 16, 2013 thru May 31, 2013.

All "Official Selections" will be notified as soon as possible but no later than July 1, 2013.

Labor Day weekend we will present our three day event and our gala awards show will be on Sunday, September 1, 2013, at 8:00 pm.

I've been asked many times how we select films and how filmmakers should go about selecting a film festival that may be right for the promotion of their film. In a perfect world where all films are created equal how will you stand out and how will you eliminate yourself from becoming an official selection for the festival of your liking.

I've always preached that there are only two reasons to make a film. The first is to make money and the second to win awards. Sometimes winning awards will enhance the marketability of your film helping you to make money. Don't lose sight of the fact that becoming an official selection to a film festival enhances the value of your film. Your film at the same time should enhance the program of the film festival. How does your film rate with other films in the same category. Look for a festival and take a look at previous finalists and winners.

Everyone thinks their film is good enough to get into Sundance. That's why Sundance receives over five thousand film entries each year. Two or three percent of these entries get into the festival. Smart if you have limited funds for festival fees make sure you have a fighting chance to get in. Festivals of two weeks or more need more films than say a four day film festival. Check out festivals in your home state. Most states have at least one and many have several. Check out what you get for your entry fee. We provide most films that do not become an official selection with a critique letting them know where their film fell short. We believe the critique alone is worth the entry fee but becoming an official selection enhances your film by displaying festival laurels on your poster. Official Selection, Finalist, Winner, all enhance the value of your film. Take a good look at the festivals close to you. The festival may give your film a second look because of local appeal. Try to find a local tie in with your film and the festival. It couldn't hurt.  Last year MovieMaker Magazine named us to their list of "Top 25 Film Festivals worth the entry fee," an honor we greatly appreciate.

Credits aren't important to a selection committee. We get it, you wrote, directed, produced, edited, shot, and served coffee to the cast. We're not interested in seeing how creatively you're able to put your name on the screen. In many cases these aren't credits they're blame. Selection committees are interested only in your film. Does it have production value? Does the cast perform well and is there chemistry? Is there creative choices in the shot selection? Does the script follow structure? Is there entertainment value? How's the sound mix, the score, the over all quality of the project? You have to be professional enough to take a step back and look at your film and decide what's it worth? If you made a film for ten grand and it looks like a million you're in but if it looks like ten bucks you're dead. However, there may be a festival out there that will screen your film. New festivals are a bit less selective than established film festivals. Because of entry fees each festival competes for the better films. This leaves smaller festivals to pick up the scraps and who cares as long as your film is an official selection someplace right? There are problems with taking anything such as if your film had a good budget and you're planning on taking the film to a distributor and you entered the Squedunk, Iowa Film Festival and lost it could hurt your value. Any win is a good win but a loss hmmmmmm? It's a choice that you will have to decide.

Don't beg for a waiver. If the festival states no waivers then it means no waivers. However, there are some festivals that have sponsors that allow waivers because they pay the entry fees. Those festivals advertise such a campaign. There are also festivals that do not have entry fees at all. Again, your research is an important part of this process. The festival will not conform to your wants and needs - you must conform to the festival's wants and needs. The Central Florida Film Festival is a competition with cash prizes and offers NO WAIVERS. It would be unfair to those that do pay the entry fees to compete. Festivals have overhead. This includes, advertising, seminars, guest speakers, screening times with theaters, and even withoutabox takes an 18% cut from entry fees in order for them to stay in business. Some festivals have large advertisers and grant money but they also have large salaries and expenses. Smaller festivals struggle for each dollar. Here at CENFLO we are run totally by volunteers. All money is put right back into the festival.

One final word to the wise. Follow instructions. There is a different process for each festival you apply to. Follow their instructions completely if you don't you may be eliminating yourself without knowing it. And festivals don't like to hear "the other festivals do it this way." We all know that all festivals are different and each festival has it's own niche. Do your research and take advantage of attending a film festival even if your film doesn't get in. It may help you understand why. It will also allow you to network with festival officials and other filmmakers. This will help you chances next time.

I hope this helps !

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Comment on Previous Post

The person who wrote the IMDB posting yesterday seems pretty upset at my response. Like I said before, I don't want to get into a debate. Both of us have our opinions. I believe "after further review," you should come up with your own. There are exceptions to every rule. Research and gut feelings are important.

I was accused of not posting his response. In my defense the Blogging Company hasn't notified me as of this morning. I saw his response posted on IMDB and have copied all but some self serving advertisements.

COPY

"I posted a response on Bob Cook's blog and just in case he doesn't post it, I will post it here for everyone to read and it is as follows: I'm the one that is being referenced in this blog, I posted the post on IMDB entitled Stop Working for Free. And I stand by that, all of you that say you want the credit on the resume well that in my opinion is just foolish. I don't care who you are, if you provide sweat equity then you need to be paid for your work period, and I do have to agree with Bob Cook on one point, Scam artist are Scam artist, I don't think that the word artist should be in the confines of the same sentence as scam or con, as ripping people off shouldn't be considered an art form. Bob made mention of SAG's contract well I for one do not care about SAG's contract allowing actors to work for free on a project under 40 minutes and under $50,000.00, point being I will never ask anyone to work for free period. My philosophy is if I can't raise the funds to pay everyone I need on my production, I had rather shelf the project until I can raise the funds to pay everyone period, everyone has to keep a roof over their head and everyone has to eat, and provide for themselves and family period."

My philosophy is if I can't raise the funds to pay everyone I need on my production, I had rather shelf the project until I can raise the funds to pay everyone period, everyone has to keep a roof over their head and everyone has to eat, and provide for themselves and family period. On my productions I will even pay the non-union extras $100.00 per day for a base of 8. When I say that there is no such thing as a no budget film that means somebody is getting paid, producer, director etc somebody is getting paid trust me, I guarantee it. The only one's not getting paid are those cast and crew members that agree to work for free, and that is something that no one should ever agree to period, if you want to provide your services for a cut rate that is fine but get paid something I'll say it again stop working for free.

MY RETORT

Again, I'm not disagreeing, I'm just stating if you do have an offer to work for free or feel the need --- make sure you think about it and/or research it first. If you can get a good paying gig without experience --- by all means, go for it. There's about ten years between MR. IMDB and myself and times are a changin' every year. We're both obviously passionate about the industry and both have our own practices and opinions. We're both published authors and producers. Experts? Probably not. But experienced players and teachers, agreed, we're both saying the same thing just a generation apart.

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Early Bird Entries

The 5th Annual Central Florida Film Festival, to be held over the Labor Day weekend (September 3-6, 2010), at the West Orange 5 Theater in Ocoee, is now accepting "Early Bird" entries in the categories of Feature, documentary and shorts.

There are cash prizes, beautiful plaques and an excellent awards show. The festival also presents an award to the media choice and to the Best Florida Project.

Short Film makers should take advantage of the fact that every film that fails to become an "official selection" receives a critique of their work explaining why. It's a process that is done by very few festivals and worth the price of the entry fee. The reason I single out short filmmakers is the "Early Bird" entry fee is only $20 (thru http://www.withoutabox.com/). Because we are a cash competition we offer no waivers and twenty dollars is about as low as it gets. If you're film was made because you're a student, enthusiast, or for your director's reel, spring for the $20 and become part of Florida's fastest growing Film Festival. For more information visit our website at http://www.centralfloridafilmfestival.com/ and take advantage of the "Early Bird" discount via withoutabox, now through March 1, 2010.

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And of course a retort!

Only two cents? It read like two dollars worth!

The article I referred to was about the BRAD PITTS of the industry. "A-List" actors are actors that are supposed to drive the film to success. It was in the papers and on CNN again yesterday. They had a dollar for salary compared to dollar for box office return. Not good for many major stars (or as the industry calls it "A-List").

I would like to find out which studios you are quoting when you say "on average studios make money?" We've got quite a few film makers out there that follow my blog. Anyone have a success story? Something to share? I believe, there isn't a studio head in his right mind that will say you're film is in profit (unless of course it's a lightening strike). Creative accounting is something every "major" studio has and even a few 2nd Tier Distributors. Every studio banks on a lightening strike. TITANIC (the first $200 million dollar film) in it's own way was a lightening strike. No film had ever grossed over a billion dollars and no man in his right mind would put that in a business plan or corporate projection. HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS was a studio film made for about the studio minimum that translated into "a lightening strike." The return on the film was way over expectations. You're right when you say there's no
"Magic Formula." but there is an industry formula and most films attempt to follow that path or they are scooted out the door (lightening strikes excepted).

I agree with most of your statement. However, lightening strikes and the search there of are part of our industry as well. Show me a major studio and I can tell you his most recent buyer or take-over. The films you quote (I guess your favorites, as I quoted mine) were nothing more than lightening strikes too. Kevin Smith's CLERKS was his lightening strike. Funny to you and high grossing to the studio but an Independent film maker just the same. Billy Bob was nothing but a two bit actor before SLING BLADE and like ROCKY for Stallone (one of his lightening strikes) wrote a script to showcase a character they were passionate about.

A good business savvy producer definitely helps but luck and passion should be included in the formula because without a chance of lightening you're just another film! And to think I'm based in Florida, the lightening capital of the world! If there are any other responses or comments, please feel free.

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Great Response!

From: Alan Whitney - a producer/director in the Central Florida area.

Here is my two cents worth. I do not think there is a magic formula that can be followed. I think that making a movie is an art, but making money on a movie is a business. Writers, Actors, Directors, Set Designers, Costume Designers, DPs, etc. are artists, but need to be aware of the business side of things. Producers need to be astute business people. There are good artists and bad artists and there are good business persons and bad business persons. It seems that most independent filmmakers want to be an artists and most people involved with the film making process do need to be artists. But without a business savvy production, a project is destined to be part of the 80% that do not make any money.
There seem to be many ways to have a successful film – lightning strikes that are unique ideas or unique marketing campaigns (ref: Blair Witch, District 9, Paranormal Activity), big money studio marketing campaigns, big money star power, big money productions, etc. Other than lightning strikes, most of these ways require lots of money. Not all big money films make money, but on average studios make money so there must be something to throwing cash at enough films to get a return. One common element is that for the most part (again, other than lightning strikes), the films that make the money are quality projects - quality writing, quality acting and quality production.
Independent filmmakers have to rely on something else than big money. So the budgetary constraints leave lighting strikes or quality productions of quality ideas. Lightning strikes are like lottery tickets, so the best odds are to make quality projects - with one caveat that if you think you have the winning lottery numbers (i.e. a sure fire marketing idea or a sure fire gimmick), you should go for it.
Quality writing can come from strange places (ref: Juno) and quality acting can be from newcomers (ref: any early Kevin Smith, Richard Linklater or John Hughes film), but a recognizable face will help since they are most likely recognizable because they are quality. A recognizable face to me does not mean that you need Brad Pitt, etc., just someone that people know (ref: Richard Jenkins in The Visitor) Like quality acting and quality writing, quality production requires true artists. The business side of it is finding artists within your budget - after all, Ben Affleck and Jason Lee only got a few dollars for doing Mall Rats and Chasing Amy. It seems that cream has a way of rising to the top.
Crocodile Dundee was a lightning strike that captured the imagination and made a household name out of Paul Hogan - for a short time. Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Fargo and Sling Blade are great stories that had name actors (even Billy Bob Thornton had done a dozen or more films before Sling Blade, though he was not a big money star yet). Saw was an original idea that was timely (as was Hostel), Friday the 13th created great quality scares using suspense, shock and gore (one of the first to do this to near perfection as was Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street), and Night of the Living Dead was a trailblazing idea (the many versions that followed did not gain the cult status as the original). Although it is common belief that horror films are the most marketable, for the most part it is the truly original ideas and quality productions that make the bigger money.
Anyway, that is my opinion for what it is worth....

Alan Whitney

I told you so!!!

There's an article in the Hollywood Reporter entitled, "Hollywood rethinks use of A-List actors." You can also find it on IMDB-pro. The article explains, "studios have decided to think twice about splurging on A-list movie stars and costly productions in reaction to the poor economy." It went on to quote box office figures from such films as THE HANGOVER ($459 Million), DISTRICT 9 ($200 Million) and even the new low budget thriller PARANORMAL ACTIVITY ($100 Million) of examples of films made for less money with no major stars that have obtained a large return on their investment.

I've been saying this in my business plan for over twenty years. Constantly both Major and second tier distributors would listen to my pitch or watch my completed film and state "we like it but you need a name to drive the picture into profit." Filmmakers go out, find a star who likes the script, but now your budget has doubled or even tripled because you had to add the additional expense of "Star Power." Now, it takes longer to get to profit. However, when it comes right down to it, the film is either entertaining or it isn't. It doesn't matter who's in it. Was the comedy funny and was the thriller, thrilling?

I went to the movies this weekend and even in this economy the West Orange 5 theater in Ocoee was packed. I spoke with the owner of the theater (Patrick) and he mentioned that "2012" will do quite well and that "DISNEY'S SCROOGE" not so much. "2012" is an effects driven film with John Cusack as the main star and SCROOGE is animated with Jim Carrey. SCROOGE has done in two weeks what "2012" has done in three days and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY has grossed more than the two films combined and I don't even remember the star of that film. It shouldn't take a marketing genius to know to get a film to profit you've got to keep costs down and production value up. If the studios listened to the independent filmmaker decades ago there wouldn't be a slow economy for studios.

My point is --- people are still going to the movies in droves! The good films do good and the bad films tank! The studios have been putting out more bad films with major stars creating enormous budgets and loss. then they toss good money after bad by buying advertising and trying to shove the film down our throats. Studios used to place 35-40 films on a production slate. There is an enormous amount of red tape to get a film "Green Lit" for production. Years ago, independent film makers earned what was called a "Negative Pick up." The studio would purchase the film because they knew it would make money and add it to their distribution slate. "CROCODILE DUNDEE' was made by Paul Hogan for a modest eight million or so Australian dollars. Paramount purchased the distribution rights for $10 million and invested a few million more in prints and advertising and it grossed $178 Million at the box office. No one knew who Paul Hogan was but a year later he was a household name and the studios raked in the bucks for two sequels as well. BLAIR WITCH was purchased for a couple of million and there was another large investment in retouching the film and for prints and advertising. The film was the highest grossing film in quite sometime and still ARTISAN managed to go broke in a couple of years making or distributing high priced films like REPLICANT. Hell, they made a remake of BLAIR WITCH (without the original filmmakers) for fifteen million and lost money! The original grossed over $250 Million worldwide and was made for under forty thousand. Artisan is now part of Lion's Gate, who has created a knack for picking up low budget horror films and turning a profit.

Remember Cannon International with the cousins Golan-Globus at the helm? They made and purchased low end product in the 80s and made a fortune. Once they got the studio mentality and started hiring big box office stars and shifting their business plan they were doomed for failure. Remember PIRATES (1986/Walter Matthau) made for an estimated $40 million and had a box office gross of $1.7 million? How about RUNAWAY TRAIN (1985/Jon Voight and Eric Roberts) made for and estimated $35 million and had a box office gross of just under $8 million? Cannon for years made more money on their low end product line than they did with their high priced, star driven films. Remember SLING BLADE? Who was Billy Bob Thornton until SLING BLADE was released? FARGO, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, JUNO, and don't force me to go down the list of horror films like CABIN FEVER, SAW (original), FRIDAY THE 13TH (original) and George Romero's classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

What I'm really surprised at it that it took the studios this long to make the announcement of something independent filmmakers have know for decades. If you're looking to invest in a film, seek out an independent filmmaker. Take a look at his business plan and roll the dice. You might be surprised at the outcome. People still go to the movies. They rent them online, watch them on the web and even still view them on cable TV.

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The Circle of Life!

It's been over a month since my last blog and I have much catching up to do. I guess I've got a lot of homework to do as well. It appears as if a group of filmmakers made a movie for fifteen thousand dollars and have almost reached the $100 million mark in domestic sales. I had the same budget for a film festival and lost five grand! How does that happen?

I'm well aware of lightening striking, lottery tickets, even "being in the right place at the right time" and other film miracles but how? In this economy are people going to the movies to see a supernatural film made for $15K? I need answers and I hope one of you out there has one or two. When lightening struck years ago with BLAIR WITCH, I understood. They had a gimmick...the Internet. A marketing tool that wasn't developed and they used to their advantage. The Haxen team from Orlando worked hard to create the story and work the audience at Sundance. They also opened many a door for other independent film makers as they demonstrated that horror still sells worldwide. Sequels aside, BLAIR WITCH should be an inspiration to young film makers everywhere to go and make your film. I've been doing so for years but was inspired by NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. That was George Romero's classic made for thousands that returned millions back in 1968.

Every few years there's a film made that a studio takes a chance on for what it is--Entertainment. I guess the idea is to make movies as a hobby until one is bought, you make millions and then go on to make a living at it. In the 80's things were different. VHS was just rounding into form and Mom and Pop video stores were springing up everywhere. ALL studios and distributors (large and small) would fight for new product. You couldn't make a film that didn't get distribution and a decent advance. Careers were started, scream Queens were crowned and the movie industry boomed. We prospered until BLOCKBUSTER put mom and pop out of business and their relationships with the "major" studios put the Indy film maker scampering to foreign territories to earn a living. Now online distribution (NetFlix) has done the same to Blockbuster. Stores all over the country are liquidating and being boarded up. Talk about Karma! But is Internet distribution really worth a film investor's money? How can we look our investors in the eye and ask for $500K and even attempt to explain how the money will be returned via a business plan?

It's time for me and other independent veteran filmmakers to figure it out and get working. Just when I thought "if I can't make movies, I can always go and work at Blockbuster!" Horror still sells. Obviously people still go to the movies to watch it. Apparently, the studios are wrong and horror doesn't need to be star driven. The films just need to have an original idea and scare the bejesus out of us. Can't talk any more today, I've got to get writing a new comedy. Perhaps I can add a killer ending!

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Prison Hy gene Films

Hey, at least it's film! Every few years I get the urge to make another feature. The film festival gives me a fix but sometimes it makes me long to return behind the camera. I'm close to returning a profit on "Storm of the Dead," (available on Netflix) a film I made in 2006 and I'm ready to try again. I've applied to every project in need of a director. I was thinking how bad could Prison Hy gene Films be? Film is film, right?

The IMDB postings are a joke. I've applied to anybody seeking a director but they are looking to attach a front line director in order to raise funds. I actually had one producer/writer ask me to rewrite the script for the screen and present it to my investors. I don't know what they're teaching these people in film school but "chain of command" isn't one of them. The producer hires the director and by hire I mean pay the director for work to be done on a project. I constantly see on IMDB the same people rewording their posts in an attempt to get something for nothing. Whatever happened to the good old days when people actually made money making movies. It seems in this computer age where everyone and his brother has a HD camera everyone is making a movie but very few have the ability to hire someone.

It's frustrating but as a product of the film industry boom of the 1980's there is a formula to follow. I just have to be patient and weed through the scam artists. In the 80's you could always find a video distributor that would put up a few hundred thousand to make a film with a recognizable name or two. Now, very few want to pay advances. They would rather you make the film and they bid on the project after the fact. I know an "A-List" director who made a film for twenty-five million and it went direct to video. How the hell am I supposed to compete with that? You use the SAG-indie contracts and they make you place the SAG logo according to budget. You're using a $200K and under it's in one spot but you use a $625K and under budget is found in another spot. You think the distributors don't know that? How can you tell someone you made a film for $500K when your SAG logo is placed where the $200K budget requires it? Simple, you can't. Now you've got to out smart them. Make the film for $100K and place the logo in the $200K spot. At least they'll think you spent $200K. Better yet, make the film for $400K and place the $625K logo and perhaps you can make $225K.

I'd rather pay the actors regular scale, place the SAG logo where ever I choose and let the buyers argue over how much I made the film for..... They don't teach that in film school either! Film makers are fighting, pushing, shoving for the right to receive tax incentives from different states. That's all well and good if you have a high enough budget to make tax incentives worthwhile. If you have the 'cash' you have the ability to create your own incentives by making better deals. I'd rather save $2500/day on location fees than receive fifteen percent of my tax expenditures back. Work it out on paper and then decide what's best for the project. In the meantime, if you're in need of a veteran director that can give you a production value to cost ratio of over 7 x 1 and has a track record with distributors, give me a call. I'm looking for a funded project!

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