I have researched some film festivals nationally and internationally to decide which festival and demographic may be suitable for my music video, based on my research on their target audiences and entries to their festivals.
I will also look at the categories included in the festivals to then see which festival may be more appropriate for me to enter my work, according to my chosen demographic and also based on the festival's theme and target audience.
I found Aesthetica Short Film Festival (Aesthetica, 2012) and believed it could be really interesting and useful for my research work into film festivals.
The location is great, it has a category for music videos and the whole feel for the festival is very welcoming and exciting. I will also look at the categories included in the festivals to then see which festival may be more appropriate for me to enter my work, according to my chosen demographic and also based on the festival's theme and target audience.
I found Aesthetica Short Film Festival (Aesthetica, 2012) and believed it could be really interesting and useful for my research work into film festivals.
Hosted by Aesthetica Magazine, a well established publication that's issues cover visual art, film, music and performance, the York based festival showcases new work to leading industry figures such as Channel4, Film4, Raindance and Warp Films.
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< ---- This link allows you to look into the catalogue of the festival and see the range of films available to see.
There is also a price list, venues and specially arranged talks with people within the industry.
There is a page for you to view if you are interested in submitting your own film for the festival.
They accept short films in the genres of drama, documentary, music video, comedy and many more.
This festival could be one i may submit my video into, and i could also attend the event as it is quite close to Bradford; logistics wise it is quite easy to get to, as opposed to any southern film festivals.
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I was looking on the British film council website and came across a list of film festivals.
They (BCF, 2011) have search criteria so you can easily see what festivals you are looking for with 'county', 'month' and 'deadline'.
They also have the categories of the films that are entered into each searched festival, which is very helpful.
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I also found this little film festival link about the most sought after festivals to submit your work to.
It was a post on a forum on the Raindance (Raindance, 2013) website and can be found here.
Theres also a great selection of UK festivals that could be of interest to me for my video and to which i will pursue further.
The BBC is a great website on which i found a link to many film festivals.
Film Network however, i can't find any niche marketed festivals targeting music videos or expose style shorts yet.
The websites aren't very well designed either, which is really offputting for a student who has material in progress and would like to submit work into a festival.
The nearest one ive found is in Utah, USA - Slamdance. Slamdance also have a screenwriting competition, and its a festival by filmmakers for filmmakers.
I went onto the website and its the best one ive come across yet, in terms of delivering information clearly and effectively.
The tabs on the side are clear and concise, and the following links deliver all the information you need to know; this one especially in terms of pricing and deadlines.
The site isn't as patronising to students as others ive seen; making seperate categories for students seems as though the festival leaders don't believe work by students is good enough to compete alongside more professional works, which is actualyl very offputting.
UK Film Festival however does have one category as Best Student Film, but that section isn't seperate from the other ranks, instead embracing it.
The fees also cater for student finances, by simply putting the student entry fee underneath the standard fee.
I feel that this approach opens the floor up for student filmmakers are those who get paid for it; by competing alongisde each other they can get a real feel for the market and view what standard the films are made of.
The professionals may be even surprised by the quality of student filmmaking if they view them on the same playing field as their own work.
I will most probably enter my work into this festival, not as such to believe it will win but it will open my video up to an audience who may not have come across it through a YouTube or Vimeo search on my video.
Importance
I have never really been in touch with film festivals and following them. Although a film student, i prefer to study accreditted practitioners, but that can be ignorant as i may be missing out on some amazing pieces of work.
I seem to have a subjected view towards film festivals, and i believe that they should be marketed differently perhaps.
Cannes Film Festival seems to be, from my perspective, a more glamourised event as opposed to an exhibition of passionate work. Celebrities and money have gloried the festivals, and due to this, including the economics and money involved have seperated the Cannes from the UK Film Festival for example.
I would have no chance of winning at Cannes yet if a film festival is to exhibit up and coming work then why are some segregated by this system.
This impression can deter filmmakers from entering these events, and i would rather create a low key fan base and buzz around my work than to project it onto a wider scale without a strong stand to place my work upon.
Social networking sites can project work, videos, music and photography music more easily these days. When i uploaded my music video onto YouTube, i began to post feeds about it on my Facebook and Twitter, which already had 33 views within a day of uploading it.
I find the internet to be a much more accesible place for films to be viewed, as you may search for one item and find several others purely through the 'tags' which link videos through your search criteria.
Word of mouth and the networking has really helped my work be seen.
A short edit i did about Lars And The Real Girl has have over 600 views which is very shocking as i didn't promote that piece, and it's not even that good edit wise.
As technology advances, prominent film festivals may falter, as work and people can be seen purely over the internet.
Film festivals i believe need to be more low key, local and less competetive.
Living in the 'City Of Film' that is Bradford, we are graced with the National Media Museum which as a student we are yet to connect with.
As it is on our doorstep it is more passable as an attraction as we have 'overused' it to some respect. But as an institution, the Museum does hold festivals for the animation and film events yet Bradford College students have not had work showcased there.
Many prevolent people visit the Museum, and for them to see our achievements and how hard we work would be amazing.
Local institutions and businesses should partner up with education establishments and promote local talent.
Talented people can be ignored otherwise, and some may not have the confidence or courage to enter their work into festivals around the country, so to have a screening of work across YouTube or local premieres can boost their confidence and allow others who they may not have thought to send their video to have a chance to see the work.
Recognition for your work and time and effort is very important.
You may enter your work into a festival but should you not reach the final round then your work may be ignored.
It seems to be that more and more festivals are becoming more exclusive and less appreciative and a celebration of local work.
Film festivals i believe just need a little readjustment.
Although people view films now through the cinema predominantly and on DVD, the theatrical distribution of a film can hinder it's audience to a certain extent as some films are only released in certain countries, or cinemas etc.
Film festivals allow the film and maker to be broadcast to a much wider audience.
But, if you do buy a dvd and it has the emblem of the wreath on the cover, from a film festival, that accreditation allows itself alone to promote the film, as the emblem represents a respected acknowledgement from higher sources; i.e. directors, reviewers etc.
Joe Yang (Yang, J. 2008) states on film festivals that "Those who make the films that get selected take their craft seriously, and set out with the intention of wanting us to get something out of their work. "
Speaking of the importance of film festivals, Yang makes a point about the unique, gifted talent making the festivals who have a message or USP to tell people, unlike a generic, high concept, big budget action film generate for ticket sales and wages.
In Scott Beggs' article on 'Culture Warrior: The Paradoxical Importance of Film Festivals', he states that (Beggs. S. 2010) Christian Gaines's claim of "the diversity of interests and goals in the festival world makes the idea of success a slippery one with each player focused on a separate rubric for what winning means." is very level headed. I agree with this claim and support the struggle and difficulty in wanting to enjoy and like an organised festival and collective that may disregard those struggling, amazingly talented filmmakers who are igoredony because of their status.
Opinion is also extremely varied, and i tend to stay away from those films with critical acclaim unless recommended to me by someone who understands my preferred genre or film style.
I can appreciate the work and creative abilities in various films, but i wouldn't be a natural choice for me to watch a blockbuster or foreign film over my preferred choice just because of the acclaim and emblems labelled on the DVD cover.
On the other hand, you can also network at film festivals, should you attend. If you attend a more low-key, informal festival that celebrates talent and is fun at the same time, networking can be alot easier than say at Venice or Cannes, as the people there are more than likely to talk to aspiring filmmakers more as a discussion of work and ideas than just conforming the event to the professional, money-making directors and producers that Hollywood seems to produce.
Adam Leipzig, a film producer and former studio executive, says in his online video q&a session that festivals are important for the networking and passion, but that they do not determine the future of your work for definite, but that they are a good platform to work from.
In his video, Leipzig states (Leipzig, 2013) "I think the most important part of a film festival is that you get to go to the festival...and you're with the same people that have been sat in the same (position) for the past 6months" - referring to the editing and post of film making.
He explains that this collaboration, discussion and appreciation from others makes festivals worth attending, as they know as fellow film makers the work and effort and time put into such a production.
Young, unknown filmmakers may also be scared of trying to enter festivals believing that their work might not be good enough.
This shouldnt be the case, and local cinemas, museums, coffee houses should create nights where local people show their work, very informally, for feedback and interest. You may meet someone who is great at technical or logistical aspects of a production or you may meet someone who need you for their work, or someone who doesnt make films, but wants to be involved, without producing any added pressure from attendance numbers, profit and notable names on the guest list.
Coop Cooper states many points on his website about the importance of film festivals, and many of the points feature the word 'local'. Cooper, (Cooper, C. 2011) states that "Festivals give preference to filmmakers local to the area when picking films to screen. This encourages and supports the local film community and gives them a platform from which they can leap to the next level." But these festivals only seem to be based in the larger cities with larger venues, which seems to be due to promotion and availability to funding. With the local Media Museum's longevity currently in the balance (2013), the city should promote the local film talent by using the Museum as a base for exhibitions and screenings, working in conjunction with the college and university to old monthly movie nights or end of year shows, with a formal premiere for the work we have produced throughout the year
Friends, family, colleagues and local business would be able to attend, maybe with the business providing electrical equipment, given special thanks in the credits of work, promoting their business through catering, logistical usage, lighting facilities etc. As Cooper notes: "Tourists spend money. Any festival coming to town will attract them and local merchants will experience a respectable spike in business. "
Friends and family would then have the chance to see local work in a professional setting, and taking students' work seriously through this arrangement than just looking on the Internet.
The event would then be a recognition, a celebration and an eye opener to many people, who may have underestimated students' talents.
I found researching the importance of film festivals quite difficult to do as many articles i looked at don't specify the need for festivals more a review of the actual event.
I did find a couple of sources which were articles written by reviewers, but they answered the questions i was looking for in terms of verifying the need for film festivals.
I was quite surprised to see the a note on the Cannes Film Festival website about what Cannes does for the general public; i expected a lesser regard for those who are not in the industry from this organisation for some reason, maybe due to it's financial and celebrity status.
I chose to look at books and the internet for sources due to their accessbility and quick responses, should i choose to contact people from within the industry.
Social media is very prominent in the current climate for discussing ideas, sharing videos and work, so i took to Twitter and reached out to a couple of film festivals for their opinions on how film festivals are received.
I am quite surprised that i did receive a response as i understand that most companies may be too busy to respond to individual tweets but i did gain some very concise information from Film & Festivals Mag that i was very grateful for.
Conversing with a publisher who reviews and informs others of the film festivals within circulation really gave me alot of more useful and accurate up-to-date information that i may not have received had i looked elsewhere, such as a book dated 5 years ago or an interview with a student who may not have had any experience of working as part of a film festival or has no prior knowledge of one.
I did also contact another film festival based publication on Twitter but yet had no reply.
I chose not to interview any of my peers or friends as i wanted to secure a more official approach to interviews from those who have worked a film festival or partaken in the logistics behind them before i chose to voice a public opinion on the matter.
But as i said before, the more prestigious festivals tend to be around thriving cities around the globe, so for it to say that the screenings are open to everyone does not mean that many go. Many may go, but that isolates others who want to go but may not be able to get there for logistical and economic reasons; hence the start to bring film festivals into a local environment which still have critical recognition and acclaim.
I researched articles and websites online as i wasn't sure if i would be able to gather any findings from book resources quickly enough to work alongside my editing as well on this unit.
In hindsight i should have researched journals and magazines more, as with the festival season approaching, there may have been reviews and articles written that may have been of interest to me, and i shall do this in future.
Validity.
The websites regarding Aesthetica, British Film Council and Raindance are very useful secondary sources as the information is continually updated due to the entrants and information being published about the film festival. I used these sources as they were easy to access and also very quick, gaining information from a smartphone and noting down the points while on the go.
Scott Beggs has also worked as a production assisstant on 'Iron Man' The Academy Awards, so he has valuable first hand knowledge on how film festivals work and the reception they receive. (IMDB, 2013)
Adam Leipzig is the CEO of Entertainment Media Partners, a producer, film executive and writer. His opinion on film festivals is extremely valuable and only less so useful as i didnt ask him in person. However, the sourced i researched was a video of Leipzig talking directly to the camera/interviewer and answering questions that had been sent in from fans/viewers, and he answered many of the questions i would ask him on the relevance of festivals within the film industry.
Looking at this official video by a film producer allows me to take the source more seriously as opposed to asking a student film maker or a member of the public how important a film festival is. To have this comment made by someone in the industry, by putting their name and opinion to a statement, gives me the reassurance that this source is a valid source for it's authentification; it being supported by the presence of the man himself making the statement to camera.
I also looked at Joe Yang's website 'Foreign Films For You'. I looked at this source so that i could evaluate the valiaidity and importance of the information given on the site compared to the information given from established industry professionals and against the information given on film festival websites.
Although the source i used wasn't very useful, it did allow me to conduct more research from professional sources such as books and festival websites, and it also gave me an opinion of a writer with a passion for films, which i could then go on to use against the opinions of peers or similar.
On a whole some of my sources did prove useful and in future i would like to take more time to interview and actively engage with industry professionals with a voiced opinion on this matter, but due to time constraints and possibly not managing my time better, i had to stick to books and the internet for my sources, due to their accessibility and speed.
However, i did get a great response from the Film & Festival Mag after i Tweeted them which i did not expect to receive. I didn't think it was wise to try contact sources higher within the industry such as a representative for Raindance or to contact a fstival organiser as i felt that i wanted a more personal contact through a meeting or similar but due to time constraints i was unable to, and i used the sources within my means to find my information.
This is a weak point in my research techniques, being unable to source a wide variety of useful and some unuseful sources, for comparison, although i have learnt that this is my weak point and i will work on this for future work.
Bibliography
Aesthetica Film Festival. 2012. Aesthetica Short Film Festival. [online]. Available at: http://www.asff.co.uk/ [Accessed: 12 June 2013].
Beggs, Scott. 2010. 'Culture Warrior: The Paradoxical Importance of Film Festivals'
. [online] Available at: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/culture-warrior-the-paradoxical-importance-of-film-festivals.php [Accessed: 12 June 2013].
British Council Film. 2011. British Council Film: Festivals Directory. [online]. Available at: http://film.britishcouncil.org/festivals-directory [Accessed: 12 June 2013].
IMDB. 2013. IMDB. [online]. Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2570015/ [Accessed: 10 June 2013].
Leipzig, Adam. 2013. Ask Adam #6: "Filmmakers, are film festivals really important to your project?". [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtJ1pq42b04 [Accessed: 12 June 2013].
Raindance. 2013. Raindance Film Festival. [online]. Available at: http://www.raindance.org/worlds-top-short-film-festivals/ [Accessed: 10 June 2013].
Yang, Joe. 2008. International Film Festivals:Do they matter?. [online] Available at: http://www.foreign-films-for-you.com/international-film-festivals.html [Accessed: 12 June 2013].
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