I recently wrote two new articles for Cinemastilo magazine.
Submit or Produce? What to do with your masterpiece
Filmmakers have a lot of options for getting their movies in front of audiences, but what’s the best strategy? Is it better to submit your film to festivals in exchange for laurels and accolades, or should you post your work online for instant clicks and the hope that internet buzz will send your film into countries that you’ve never heard of?
These are tough questions that filmmakers across the country face. This article offers insights that can help you maximize your time and dollars.
The Festival Circuit
Traditionally, filmmakers relied on major festivals like Cannes, Sundance, and SXSW to premiere their movies in front of elite members of the film industry and press, gaining them credibility, promotional buzz, and possible opportunities to connect with distributors.
The power of the festival remains immense. Pittsburgh filmmaker Christian Lockerman, Creative Director of Maverick Visuals in Pittsburgh and Visiting Artist at Point Park University, notes that acceptance into reputable film festivals provides “prestige” as well as “validity” to the films chosen, as well as their creators. He notes that festival approval can help emerging filmmakers get their careers rolling through acknowledgement of their talent combined with opportunities to network with other film professionals.
Los Angeles-based writer and director Katherine Vondy agrees, “It doesn’t hurt to accumulate laurels; I see each one as sort of a stamp of approval that someone else enjoyed the film.”
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