What You Should Know About "Festival Rights" and the Music in Your Indie Film
When licensing music for their projects, sometimes filmmakers will ask whether it's advisable to purchase only the "festival rights." Sometimes it's possible to save money on music licensing by obtaining permission to use a song in a film limited to play at festivals. It sounds great, but it is it a good idea?
6 Reasons Your Film May Be Hitting a Brick Wall at Festivals
Film Festival Secrets Podcast #32: What Should I Look for on a Film Festival's Website?
Film Festival Secrets Podcast Episode #23: Jon Gann, Founder/Director of DC Shorts Film Festival
Jon Gann is the founder of the DC Film Alliance, a non-profit organization supporting Washington, DC's film and video community, and the creator of the DC Shorts Film Festival - one of the country's premier short film showcases.
10 Things a Filmmaker Should Do at a Festival
Atlanta Film Chat Podcast Uncovers Some Film Festival Secrets
Back in March, Molly Coffee and Chuck Thomas invited me to the Zombie Cat studios to chat about the (then) upcoming 2015 Atlanta Film Festival, how a festival runs on the back end, and how filmmakers can best take advantage of the festival experience.
Saving Money on the Film Festival Circuit: 10 Easy Ways to Stretch Your Submissions Budget
5 Great Gifts for Filmmakers on the Festival Circuit - 2014 edition
Film Festival Secrets Podcast #19 - Social Media Charm School with King Is A Fink
When Julie Keck & Jessica King (collectively known as "King is a Fink") tell you that they are social media experts, they can do so with straight faces. Chris asks them to speak in sentences with fewer than 140 characters as they talk about the interplay of social media with audience building, crowdfunding, and celebrity encounters on Twitter.
3 Quick Tips for Successful Networking at Festivals
You probably know that one of the most valuable traits of a film festival is the access it affords you to others in the industry. Festival programmers, distribution companies, potential colleagues-- they're all there. If you know that your feelings of intimidation and awkwardness are costing opportunities to make valuable connections, try keeping these tips in mind.
How Do You Know When it’s Time to Stop Submitting Your Film to Festivals?
Heidi Burkey, director of documentary feature Makin' Wookiee, asks: How do you know when to stop submitting to festivals?
If You’re Not Following These 3 Basic Festival Rules, Nothing Else Will Matter.
Film Festival Secrets Podcast #17 - Phoebe’s Birthday Cheeseburger
The Film Festival Secrets podcast is back with a new mega-cheesy theme song and an interview with Will Lennon, director of the short film Phoebe’s Birthday Cheeseburger and Program Manager for the Cinema Eye Honors. Plus: how many calories are there in a McDonald’s cheeseburger?
"Sneak peaks" and why they make me want to throw things.
3 Reasons Why You Should Make Your Short Film NOW...
Is now really the best time to make a short film? And, if you’re new to film, you’re not in film school and you don’t have industry connections… how do you even get started?
In this free webinar and discussion (and sneak preview to the Short Film 101 series starting Saturday, Oct 5), Kathy Cabrera will share the answers to these questions. She will address why now is the best time to make your short film; and three easy get-started tips that everyone novices to advanced filmmakers can use to jump into short filmmaking like a pro.
Film Festival Secrets Podcast #11 - Top 3 Mistakes Of Short Filmmaking
Episode 11, in which Atlanta Film Festival Artistic Director Charles Judson and I discuss common mistakes made by the makers of short films.
Why Don't Film Festivals Give Feedback?
Back in August, I emailed all of the submitting filmmakers (for both the current Atlanta Film Festival and past events) to ask them what they most want to know about film festivals. One theme emerged above all others, one burning question that begged to be answered: Why don't festivals offer feedback on films?
