I submitted my first short film to 43 free festivals in 2020. Only one, from India, really considered it (watched it before replying and ranked it as a finalist). You even have one festival where all candidates who submitted their film MUST subscribe to a monthly service for the film to be screened and voted. So yeah, it became a global free festival of scams.
I was not surprised when Andrés told me this, but ironically after a while, this fact boosted my confidence in the film because that means that our success rate was actually higher than what I had thought. We got into 6 out of 8-10 festivals who actually gave it a chance.
When I was on the jury on several festivals and a president on one, I saw a lot of bs. I stopped all festival involvement. Too political and favoritism. I fought for one film a big festival didn't want. I put my foot down. It went on to win the audience award and the winner was a film that was aweful but later learned it had strong connections with the festival committee. What do you do?
Yup. The wealthy, powerful, connected, and corrupt control it all. That's just the reality of "the Biz", lol. 💪😎✌️ If you ain't rich and influential, then you ain't sheet. #copium
We need more people like you, man. Of course, not trying to slam a festival but Sundance only favors a film if it has a celeb in it or a bigger budget and they claim that they’ve watched all 30,000 submissions. Yeah, right! I didn’t think it was true until I’ve watched a couple of films that had gotten selected with celebs and was like….no comment on what I saw but seriously…To me they just care about their reputation and profits. Not saying my film was some charm because trust me, I’m my biggest critic who thinks that I could be better in everything I do but I spent so much money of my own money, made sure my film was short enough, hired the best actors and everything, still, to them, wasn’t enough. Wasted $70 for sure and I’m never submitting to them again. With my last film, it has gotten into 14 festivals so far, won an award and got 4 finalist nominations. I thought I did pretty well. But will I ever return to film after receiving over 30 rejections? I don’t think so. Definitely competitive, stressful and too expensive! So, I’m focusing on my screenwriting instead and so far for the first time submitting, I am a finalist in one festival that I submitted too. I submitted to two to try and test things out since I never submitted my screenplays. The other one is more prestigious but I don’t hear anything back until two months. 🫠🤞🏾🤞🏾 hope I get into that too.
I intend to build a small catalog before I start submitting anything. That way I can do the same thing you do for manuscripts: fill out the proper paperwork, write your schmooze rag (query letter or intro letter), send it in and then repeat, repeat, repeat and just mark off all the rejections and don't attend the ones that accept. That way you keep your head in the creation and don't interrupt it until someone comes to YOU with interest. I mean, you have to come to THEM when you're interested, why not make them do the same?
Wow! I wish I submitted my film to only 30 film festivals, I submitted to 76 film festivals and the acceptance rate is very low. It’s definitely a gamble.
You shouldn't be surprised. 90% of everything out there is just a scam. Ultimately, if an individual or team lacks coin, connections, crews, clout, control, corporate communities, and opulent opportunities... they ain't NOTHIN'. 💪😎✌️ Just another one of millions of nobodies. That's the reality. #copium
I directed over 30 short films, my first documentary feature film (that is currently doing the fest circuit), selected over 270+ festivals, and won over 55 awards. All dreams including art involve risks. Right now I'm in post-production with my second documentary feature film. I'm just someone who really, really loves movies and does not think about odds or rejection.
You’re better off releasing on TH-cam nowadays (as seen in the stand up scene). Distributors seem to need to see a proper track record before even “wasting their time” on something that may be a dud. It’s similar to how active following on social media now will be weighed in casting decisions. It is a shame, but thankfully there are still plenty in the industry that prefer actual talent to numbers on a social page
@@filmcourageI’ve seen that more and more stand up comedians are releasing on TH-cam or other platforms. In that realm a lot of them also release many clips across platforms to get their name out there. The mantra I’ve stuck to is “you can make the best cake in the world, but if nobody knows it exists, what is the point?” And I use this as not a meanings of earning revenue, but as a way to share your creation with as many people as possible. For filmmakers I have seen quite a lot of great shorts on the internet. I follow their work and I have seen them bloom quite significantly. I suppose I will end with that it is definitely a creative field, and when you extrapolate the “creative” portion of that, you will have to utilize your creativity in the other sections of the business (marketing, budgeting, etc)
@@filmcourageFrom what I see, stand up comedians on the indie level are way, way more focused on finding their audience than filmmakers are. It sometimes feels like the target audience for indie movies are other filmmakers/industry people rather than actual viewers. Which makes sense given how important networking is, but given that a lot of film/TV now is made based on how it can be connected to a preexisting audience, not having one yourself is a big disadvantage, at least if you have aspirations to be an auteur-like director or something
NEVER submit to nonsensical "contests". All you're doing is giving your money, hours, efforts, and materials to lascivious teams of tyrants who want to turn a quick profit. If you ever hope to legitimately be aided, recognized, or supported, you're going to have to simply be LUCKY. Well, either that, or if you're already wealthy and powerful, you should just get started doing whatever you like. But ultimately, of the millions upon millions of artists out there... YOU ARE *ONE*. Just one. And only the fortunate climb to the top. But that isn't in your control and it probably never will be.
With my cynical nature, I would expect to get into none. I personally don’t like asking permission to distribute my work. If I ever make an independent film where I have complete control, I probably won’t even bother with film festivals. Instead, my film would be available on DVD and video on demand services. That way, I maintain complete autonomy.
What do you think about what Andrés says at the 8:31 mark?
I submitted my first short film to 43 free festivals in 2020. Only one, from India, really considered it (watched it before replying and ranked it as a finalist). You even have one festival where all candidates who submitted their film MUST subscribe to a monthly service for the film to be screened and voted. So yeah, it became a global free festival of scams.
I was not surprised when Andrés told me this, but ironically after a while, this fact boosted my confidence in the film because that means that our success rate was actually higher than what I had thought. We got into 6 out of 8-10 festivals who actually gave it a chance.
Crazy how that works
Amazing that you could find 43 festivals with no submission fee.
@@filmcourage They do marketing and it was 2020, many festivals were remote and free😅
There should be a website that list best film festivals to submit to and ones to stay away from.
There are several websites listing the good ones.
@@andreswhatwhich would you suggest?
Thank you for posting. I am going through the exact same experience right now, so this video is really helping.
Our best to you as you move forward!
When I was on the jury on several festivals and a president on one, I saw a lot of bs. I stopped all festival involvement. Too political and favoritism. I fought for one film a big festival didn't want. I put my foot down. It went on to win the audience award and the winner was a film that was aweful but later learned it had strong connections with the festival committee. What do you do?
Thanks for sharing!
Yup. The wealthy, powerful, connected, and corrupt control it all. That's just the reality of "the Biz", lol. 💪😎✌️ If you ain't rich and influential, then you ain't sheet. #copium
We need more people like you, man. Of course, not trying to slam a festival but Sundance only favors a film if it has a celeb in it or a bigger budget and they claim that they’ve watched all 30,000 submissions. Yeah, right! I didn’t think it was true until I’ve watched a couple of films that had gotten selected with celebs and was like….no comment on what I saw but seriously…To me they just care about their reputation and profits. Not saying my film was some charm because trust me, I’m my biggest critic who thinks that I could be better in everything I do but I spent so much money of my own money, made sure my film was short enough, hired the best actors and everything, still, to them, wasn’t enough. Wasted $70 for sure and I’m never submitting to them again. With my last film, it has gotten into 14 festivals so far, won an award and got 4 finalist nominations. I thought I did pretty well. But will I ever return to film after receiving over 30 rejections? I don’t think so. Definitely competitive, stressful and too expensive! So, I’m focusing on my screenwriting instead and so far for the first time submitting, I am a finalist in one festival that I submitted too. I submitted to two to try and test things out since I never submitted my screenplays. The other one is more prestigious but I don’t hear anything back until two months. 🫠🤞🏾🤞🏾 hope I get into that too.
Thanks for this interview🙏
There's only maybe 10 festivals that might have a positive effect on your career, but people love any festival accolades for the sheer vanity of it.
Great video. Very useful. Thanks. ❤
I intend to build a small catalog before I start submitting anything. That way I can do the same thing you do for manuscripts: fill out the proper paperwork, write your schmooze rag (query letter or intro letter), send it in and then repeat, repeat, repeat and just mark off all the rejections and don't attend the ones that accept. That way you keep your head in the creation and don't interrupt it until someone comes to YOU with interest.
I mean, you have to come to THEM when you're interested, why not make them do the same?
Wow! I wish I submitted my film to only 30 film festivals, I submitted to 76 film festivals and the acceptance rate is very low. It’s definitely a gamble.
I feel for Andrés. Sad.
I'm sure MANY can relate to this video! 😮
Maybe it's just us, but we were really surprised by what Andrés says at the 8:31 mark.
You shouldn't be surprised. 90% of everything out there is just a scam. Ultimately, if an individual or team lacks coin, connections, crews, clout, control, corporate communities, and opulent opportunities... they ain't NOTHIN'. 💪😎✌️ Just another one of millions of nobodies. That's the reality. #copium
I directed over 30 short films, my first documentary feature film (that is currently doing the fest circuit), selected over 270+ festivals, and won over 55 awards. All dreams including art involve risks. Right now I'm in post-production with my second documentary feature film. I'm just someone who really, really loves movies and does not think about odds or rejection.
What do you think about this?
You’re better off releasing on TH-cam nowadays (as seen in the stand up scene).
Distributors seem to need to see a proper track record before even “wasting their time” on something that may be a dud.
It’s similar to how active following on social media now will be weighed in casting decisions.
It is a shame, but thankfully there are still plenty in the industry that prefer actual talent to numbers on a social page
Thanks for sharing! What are you seeing in the Stand Up scene that could benefit filmmakers? Any examples
that come to mind?
@@filmcourageI’ve seen that more and more stand up comedians are releasing on TH-cam or other platforms. In that realm a lot of them also release many clips across platforms to get their name out there.
The mantra I’ve stuck to is “you can make the best cake in the world, but if nobody knows it exists, what is the point?”
And I use this as not a meanings of earning revenue, but as a way to share your creation with as many people as possible.
For filmmakers I have seen quite a lot of great shorts on the internet. I follow their work and I have seen them bloom quite significantly.
I suppose I will end with that it is definitely a creative field, and when you extrapolate the “creative” portion of that, you will have to utilize your creativity in the other sections of the business (marketing, budgeting, etc)
@@filmcourageFrom what I see, stand up comedians on the indie level are way, way more focused on finding their audience than filmmakers are. It sometimes feels like the target audience for indie movies are other filmmakers/industry people rather than actual viewers.
Which makes sense given how important networking is, but given that a lot of film/TV now is made based on how it can be connected to a preexisting audience, not having one yourself is a big disadvantage, at least if you have aspirations to be an auteur-like director or something
We appreciate your follow up Wesley! Great to see someone who is into comedy also coming across our work. Our best to you!
NEVER submit to nonsensical "contests". All you're doing is giving your money, hours, efforts, and materials to lascivious teams of tyrants who want to turn a quick profit. If you ever hope to legitimately be aided, recognized, or supported, you're going to have to simply be LUCKY. Well, either that, or if you're already wealthy and powerful, you should just get started doing whatever you like. But ultimately, of the millions upon millions of artists out there... YOU ARE *ONE*. Just one. And only the fortunate climb to the top. But that isn't in your control and it probably never will be.
With my cynical nature, I would expect to get into none. I personally don’t like asking permission to distribute my work. If I ever make an independent film where I have complete control, I probably won’t even bother with film festivals. Instead, my film would be available on DVD and video on demand services. That way, I maintain complete autonomy.
The festivals are still key to getting a distribution deal. There is SO much content that this is how you get exposure so that you can land a deal.
Rich gotta rich, poor gotta poor. 💪😎✌️ Be rich. That's the only way to WIN.
How can we watch your movie Andres?
Thanks for asking! It’s not out yet, but we’re working on it!
@@andreswhat thank you, can’t wait to watch it!