ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 6 months ago - Michael Chandler

Hi Vasco
That is pretty out of order, and from my own experience, I would say very unusual. I started a 'festival good and bad practice' discussion last year (one of many I'm sure), and amongst the range of passionate responses from other Shooters, the length of time between notification and screening was not mentioned as a particular frustration.
It does suggest that either a) the festival in question is very disorganised- they should want to decide on the selection for their own marketing purposes, as a screening without a programme is surely hard to sell, or b) they're just slack or rude about informing entrants.
Either way, bad practice I'd say.

10 years, 6 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

Thanks, it's good to know that some kind of norm exists. Six to eight weeks sounds like just enough time.

I also didn't know that festivals help with travel as a norm. I'm still learning.

10 years, 6 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

Thanks everyone for letting me know that I'm not alone here.

I just read in "The Complete Filmmaker's Guide to film Festivals" that, after being accepted, "You only have a few weeks before the festival date to prepare your promotional materials and strategize..."

So, I guess that giving at least a few weeks' notice is the norm.

10 years, 6 months ago - Rudolf Buitendach

In my experience less than 30% of festivals even bother to respond to entries, that's paid entries, and some of the culprits are A-list festivals.

10 years, 6 months ago - Trevor Hardy

Totaly with you on this one. I enter many festivals and I have the same thing too. I think the main problem with these festivals, as with more and more in our society nowadays, which is the moment you give someone a tiny little peice of responability, the power rushes to thier head. These festivals, rather than being hum,an about it, they turn into little directors, Send us this, send us that....So it is a case of they are the important one and you are the mear film-maker. WHY? can't people just be normal and accept that it is a two way thing. They should be 'Human' about it and be aware of the fact that not, in fact very few film-makers entering thier festival are proffessional, for most we have to take time out of our day job, save up money, find babysitters, Real life stuff....But to them it's a case of "WOW you lucky sod, your film is in OUR festival, get up here quick"!!!!! Also whilst I am on a rant, WHY? is it that when you enter your film into a festival, why do they require all the stills, biography, pic of director, ETC.....They say "Unfortunatly on this occasion, blah, blah, blah"....Why not just watch the enterd films and the ones that are in, then the filmakers send in all the other stuff. Again the festival isn't taking into consideration the film maker, the film maker that does it all his/her self, enters the festival, fills out all the regestration forms, uploads all the crap they have asked for, again...then again.....then again....then again....then again....then again....then again.....

10 years, 6 months ago - Lucas Jedrzejak

I think you were very unlucky with the festival, missing to let you know about your film on time. Most serious festivals would know about a film being accepted at least 6-8 weeks before announcing on their web or printing it in the programme. Is it possible your film was put at last minute, replacing some other film? Most festivals would help you with the travel to their location, especially if you asked to do q&a and coming from abroad but if they did it for last minute would be too pricey for them. If not the festival then the British Council will cover the costs. Letting you know on last day before the festival commences, sounds rather unprofessional and perhaps worth avoiding it in future.