Thread: Film Festivals?

Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1 Film Festivals? 
    Senior Member Mark B.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    723
    If you were going to submit your newly never-shown film to a bunch of film festivals, with the hopes of generating a more salable product, which festivals would you try for and in which sequence?
    Reply With Quote  
     

  2. #2  
    Start small, go big. Look up festivals in my general area, then if I get good reactions there, move up and go big.

    That's just what I would do. Sorry I can't name festivals!
    November 3rd is likely to be the most watched day in Reduser history. It will be well worth it.

    -Jim Jannard

    Something
    Coming
    At
    Rediculously
    Low
    Expense
    Treatment

    Everything
    Put
    In
    Context
    Reply With Quote  
     

  3. #3  
    Senior Member Mark Thorpe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Bali, Indonesia.
    Posts
    1,290
    There are many I would be interested in as an underwater shooter. A lot of people in the natural history genre enter into the smaller festivals with sequences strung together very similar to an extended show reel with a tinkly soundtrack. This is all well and good and some people get good recognition this way. Hats off to them for their approach and personal drive to get their work out there.

    Personally I prefer to enter into competitive arenas only when I have a story to tell. I once spent 7 months filming a small yet colorful fish, Mandarinfish, and then spent another 3 months editing what may well still be the only in depth behavioral study of this particular species. I entered this film into one of the Worlds largest festivals in this genre, Festival Mondial de L'image Sous Marine held in the small town of Antibes, France, at the end of October. This particular film was an official selection in the 28th Finals in 2002.

    The only other festival I would consider entering, and am looking to do just that with RED in the future, is Wildscreen held every year in the UK and organized by the BBC.

    Cheers,
    Mark.
    P.S Below is a Mandarinfish, now you can see why I wanted to present them on the big screen. By the way they grow no bigger than 1.5" in length and are only really active for one hour each day at sunset! Macro diopters for 7 months. Think I've seen enough of them to last the next few years.

    "A man is only as big as the dreams he dares to live"

    liquidmocean
    Reply With Quote  
     

  4. #4  
    Senior Member Shawn Nelson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    4,456
    Mark, that fish is incredibly beautiful! I'd love to see your work on them, is it online by any chance?
    "Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible." -MC Escher
    Reply With Quote  
     

  5. #5 Online feature 
    Senior Member Mark Thorpe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Bali, Indonesia.
    Posts
    1,290
    Hi Shawn,
    The film can be viewed at The Ocean Channel, www.ocean.com an online portal to everything relating to water pretty much. Just click on the movie title "A Rainbow Colored Fish" and it will take you to the index. The overall film has been broken down into three chapters as its 15 minutes long and these guys were looking more for 5 minute max podcast type content. I couldn't do justice to these fish in 5 minutes so they bent the rules to allow this one in.

    If you are also interested there is a short Manta Ray ballet entitled "When Mantas Dance" also available to watch on the same site and I also have a few underwater themed podcasts available via the iTunes Music Store. You could also check out www.divefilm.com which is another marine themed podcasting web site where I have some of my stuff showing.

    Get the popcorn out and enjoy.
    Cheers,
    Mark.
    P.S Shot on a VX1000, Halogen Lighting and lots of patience.
    "A man is only as big as the dreams he dares to live"

    liquidmocean
    Reply With Quote  
     

  6. #6  
    Senior Member Mark B.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    723
    Cool fish - if I didn't have decompression issues then I'd be filming them right next to you!
    Reply With Quote  
     

  7. #7  
    Senior Member Mark B.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    723
    Quote Originally Posted by OcularLimpidity View Post
    Start small, go big. Look up festivals in my general area, then if I get good reactions there, move up and go big.

    That's just what I would do. Sorry I can't name festivals!
    Some of the festivals say that if you've shown your film at other festivals, it's no longer allowed into their festival... I think Sundance is one of those, but I'm not positive. If it is the case, then you'd be preventing yourself from entering the big festivals if you start small.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  8. #8  
    Senior Member Mark Thorpe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Bali, Indonesia.
    Posts
    1,290
    Quote Originally Posted by Lowkus View Post
    Some of the festivals say that if you've shown your film at other festivals, it's no longer allowed into their festival... I think Sundance is one of those, but I'm not positive. If it is the case, then you'd be preventing yourself from entering the big festivals if you start small.
    Yeah, best to check that. I know some Festivals have this ruling but allow previously submitted films so long as there have been no prizes allocated to that entry at other events. Each Festival has its own set of rules and guidelines for project submission so best to check with the organizers too.

    Cheers,
    Mark.
    "A man is only as big as the dreams he dares to live"

    liquidmocean
    Reply With Quote  
     

Posting Permissions
  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts