IN-PERSON, ONLINE, HYBRID: INCREASING YOUR IMPACT DURING THE FALL FESTIVAL CIRCUIT

While film festivals are an exciting opportunity for your film, they present serious challenges for new independent documentary filmmakers entering the circuit this fall. We have seen the return of in-person screenings at Tribeca, Mountainfilm, and other Spring venues, but the reality is that many festivals will remain virtual or hybrid this Fall, a tricky situation to navigate for filmmakers who continue to have mixed opinions about the value of online festivals.

There are plenty of good articles giving advice about submitting to film festivals, but over the past year, there have been some small and not-so-small changes that should be taken into consideration before you start your research and or before submitting. If you are entering the film festival circuit as part of a larger impact campaign, be cautious about your choices and ensure that the festivals aligns with your campaign plans from the beginning. It will not only save you lots of headaches but also provide huge advantages. Be honest with yourself: who is your primary audience, and what is your endgame? Find festivals that fit your overall goals and provide good value for your film and your career as a filmmaker. Build a circuit that fits your budget. Balance film festival participation against impact goals and revenue generating opportunities.

Here are five topics we find problematic and often misunderstood:

Terms - With the advent of online screenings starting over a year ago, some festivals have entered uncharted territory by stepping into roles previously reserved for exhibitors and distributors. It is critical to read the fine print, so please don’t skim through the terms and conditions. Read to the end and read every single word. After all, it is your film they are referring to, and many festivals won’t allow you to withdraw once you have submitted.

Not too long ago, we were on FilmFreeway about to submit an agency film when we read the following note: “All films received can be projected in any of our three locations as well as in the other venues of the festival around the world." This statement is very unclear and could ruin your international premiere plans. Rules like this should always invite further scrutiny, so don’t be shy about writing to the festival to ask questions.

We have also encountered festivals that will continue streaming your film for months (or years) under what they call “educational” or “touring” purposes. Such exposure can be great or a complete disaster. If the festival plans to continue screening your film beyond the festival dates, you need to make absolutely sure it benefits you financially or otherwise. You also need to make sure these terms won’t interfere with your future distribution plans and that any decisions involving your film outside the festival dates require your approval and a signed contract.

Safety - After a year into the pandemic, it goes without saying that the safety of your film in an online environment is critical. Make sure film festivals use reputable platforms equipped with Digital Rights Management (DRM). If they don’t, which can be the case for small, student-run or niche festivals, evaluate the situation and proceed with caution. 

If a password-protected Vimeo link is requested as the exhibition copy, ensure you change the password immediately after the festival ends, and take advantage of Vimeo statistics to get a sense of your audience during the festival. If possible, add a card with a piracy warning before the film.

If you receive requests for screeners, don’t be casual about it. Feel free to evaluate every request and approve or reject accordingly. Create a system to track every single screener you provide and if at all possible, use a service to watermark them and limit the watching window.

Your audience - One of the benefits, and curses, of an online environment is the often-repeated mantra of “you can reach everyone”. But you may not want to reach everyone at once, not only because it can be counterproductive for your impact plans but also because it limits the possibility of planning a variety of premieres and might interfere with engaging potential impact partners.

You have likely heard of geoblocking, but you may not know how or when to use it. Geoblocking is an important tool that allows you to plan regional premieres and appeal to different audiences and press at different times, much like you would have done with in-person screenings. You can inquire about geoblocking plans every time your film is selected, and you can even request certain geoblocking if the festival plans are not what you wanted or expected. There might be times when a global audience would be the way to go, but this should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Networking and exposure - There is no question that what filmmakers and producers look for the most in a film festival experience is networking and feeling like part of a community that can uplift films, projects and careers. Generally, this feels more authentic and productive when we are all together in the same room, but there is no reason not to experience it online. We just need to be more intentional.

Whether online, hybrid, or in-person, look for festivals that offer robust concurrent activities, classes, sessions, workshops, and industry markets. Ask if your film will be followed by a Q&A or a panel and make the most of it. Take advantage of in-person events, budget and time permitting, but don’t be afraid to reach out and network online using every tool offered by the festival platforms: stop by online networking cafes and breakout rooms; introduce yourself; request one-on-one meetings with other festival attendees; use chat windows in a professional manner to show interest in other filmmakers’ work and get to know people. It can be exhausting, but it can also be rewarding.

Wrapping-up - Online festivals can offer a few perks that have been traditionally unavailable to filmmakers attending in-person festivals. One of the biggest is access to audience data. At the very minimum, they should be able to tell you how many people watched your film, which is valuable information for your impact goals and funding efforts. In the best-case scenario, they can even provide demographic figures. 

Take a moment to evaluate participation in every festival with your team and make a list of things that are beneficial for the film and/or the impact campaign, whether those are press reviews or press attention, new industry or community connections, exposure, a powerful Q&A followed by positive comments from audience members, social media growth, potential partnerships, etc. Don’t forget to weigh your list against the investment, monetary or otherwise.

We think that film festivals can offer huge value for your film distribution, but they are just part of a larger, complex plan you should build around the release of your film. Be involved, courteous, smart and confident. It took all your effort to make the film, and now it’s showtime.