HBO, A Major Player in Niche Cultural Festivals

If you’re evaluating key festivals for submissions, or looking for emerging talent, there are a handful of festivals that are leaders in their space, attracting home entertainment companies, television networks, digital distributors and studios. If that’s not enough to peak your interest, many filmmakers also walk away with meaningful prize …

A Programmer’s Introduction

The wearing of multiple hats in the little world of independent film is so common that it is hardly worth mentioning.  I know critics who are programmers, distributors who are critics, and filmmakers who run distribution labels.  Mostly, I’m a festival programmer who programs film festivals, but I feel like …

Navigating the Film Festival Circuit Part One

Dear Filmmakers:

My most recent posts have focused on your film’s festival premiere. This time around, let’s move past your first festival and consider how to deal with the festival circuit beyond.

As mentioned previously, often by being included in that first festival, your film will be noticed by other festivals, leading …

Sundance 2011: Deals, Deals, Everywhere, But Is There Money to Make?

With the conclusion of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, many sales agents, distributors and mediamakers breathed a collective sigh of relief that more than twenty six deals were negotiated prior to and during the ten day event with some deals about to close in the festival’s aftermath. However, one can …

Making the Most of Your Festival Experience Part Three: Your Premiere & “What’s Next?”

Director Cameron Yates and documentary subject Jeanette Maier during the Q&A for The Canal Street Madame at its SXSW Premiere, 2010

Dear Filmmakers:

This post wraps up my thoughts on how you can maximize your film’s festival premiere for the good of your film, and for your career. Part one addressed …