[NEohioPAL]If you are a filmmaker...

Thu Feb 23 10:08:22 PST 2006

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and you have made a film (short or feature), you most likely did it with
low to no-budget to get it done, it is your responsibility, as the
director, to continue promote your film to garner mass publicity. One of
the thing you would probably do is to submit it to film festival. And
many of you might select just a few of the major festivals like
Sundance, Slamdance, Cannes, etc. hoping to be selected and get in. You
probably also spend a fortune in submission fees as well.

Now, there are a lot of smaller sized film festivals that you should
consider submitting them, they might have free submission, some have
lower submission fees, etc. But the reason is once it is accepted, it
helps garner exposure to your film to a bigger audience viewer. However,
you also need to do some homework, don't just submit for the sake of
submiting, but to check out if the festival's current year theme and
that your film's genre would fit to their festival's interest. Also
understand what type of films that would get in quicker than the other,
strategy targeting is part of the game and it also increases the chance
for your film to be selected.

I have made several shorts and produced a few features, they all have
been played at several festivals or conventions or on television (not
public access type), this is not becuase I just blinding send it out and
such, but I create films that I think there are a wider audience that
might be interested and I look at each festivals/conventions, etc, to
see if my film woud fit to their current year's theme, I would never
send a comedy short film to a Horror film festival :). But I do send
them out, I send it to festivals small and big and I also get rejected
like everyone else, but because of selective submission, 90% of time, my
films get to be screened. And in a long run, you create a relationship
with these film festivals and you can continue to send and get in (much
easier than others who just started). We always know so, but we always
ignore it: Entertainment business is a people business, most of the time
is who you know to get you in to the door and what you can do is to
carry you to the roof of the building.

As you have heard much about A Joker's Card since April 2005, it went
places more than I anticipated, it won awards, it was well received,
many reviews and still circulating like crazy... It had brought a lot of
attention to the cast/crew who were involved. (if you visit
www.mdifilm.com/joker you will notice the list of festivals - big and
small), 

So, what's the benefit of submitting to smaller festivals? You never
know, for A Joker's Card, a small festival's organizer recommended to
Wonder Phil Productions of LA who now is taking it (no upfront cost
unlike some other sales representatives who charges to represent your
film) to all the film makerts (starting with this year's Cannes in May,
then to Toronto, then to American Film Market, then to HK, etc) for a
year. And soon it might be distributed as it already garnered some
attention. 

At ANOTHER smaller-2nd year film festival, the organizer recently called
me, he was asked to put together a program for South by Southwest Film
Festival (one of the biggest like Sundance but in TX this March 10-11,
2006), and Austin Film Festival (in Sep/Oct 2006). Why? Because
Brokeback Mountain had generated a lot of attention and hype across the
nation that these 2 festivals felt it was also a great idea to ride the
wave of such hype and showcase other films that might interest the same
audiences. Hence, A Joker's Card and my other short film Playing for
Keeps both were invited to be shown (meaning, automatic in, no fee need
to pay).  

So, my point of this is simple, don't neglect the smaller festivals, if
the programming director likes your film and it feels that it deserves
better, he/she will help promote your film to other festival organizers.
So when you make a film, make it for fun, make it for a goal, but also
spread it out, at least your cast and crew will be happy to come back
and work with you again in the future.

Johnny K. Wu

===============
Cleveland IndieClub
Monthly free filmmaking networking group
www.clevelandindieclub.com <http://www.clevelandindieclub.com/> 

Media Design Imaging
www.mdifilm.com <http://www.mdifilm.com/> 
216.373.3278

President (2006 & 2007)
Organization of Chinese Americans of Greater Cleveland
www.ocagc.org <http://www.ocagc.org/> 

Wu Family Martial Arts
2800 years of Family System
www.wujiaquan.com

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>and =
you have made a=20
film (short or feature), you most likely did it with low to no-budget to =
get it=20
done, it is your responsibility, as the director, to continue promote =
your film=20
to garner mass publicity. One of the thing you would probably do is to =
submit it=20
to film festival. And many of you might select just a few of the major =
festivals=20
like Sundance, Slamdance, Cannes, etc. hoping to be selected and get in. =
You=20
probably also spend a fortune in submission fees as =
well.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Now, =
there are a lot=20
of smaller sized film festivals that you should consider submitting =
them, they=20
might have free submission, some have lower submission fees, etc. But =
the reason=20
is once it is accepted, it helps garner exposure to your film to a =
bigger=20
audience viewer. However, you also need to do some homework, don't just =
submit=20
for the sake of submiting, but to check out if the festival's current =
year theme=20
and that your film's genre would fit to their festival's interest. Also=20
understand what type of films that would get in quicker than the other, =
strategy=20
targeting is part of the game and it also increases the chance for your =
film to=20
be selected.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have =
made several=20
shorts and produced a few features, they all have been played at several =

festivals or conventions or on television (not public access type), this =
is not=20
becuase I just blinding send it out and such, but I create films that I =
think=20
there are a wider audience that might be interested and I look at each=20
festivals/conventions, etc, to see if my film woud fit to their current =
year's=20
theme, I would never send a comedy short film to a Horror film festival =
:). But=20
I do send them out, I send it to festivals small and big and I also get =
rejected=20
like everyone else, but because of selective submission, 90% of time, my =
films=20
get to be screened. And in a long run, you create a relationship with =
these film=20
festivals and you can continue to send and get in (much easier than =
others who=20
just started). We always know so, but we always ignore it: Entertainment =

business is a people business, most of the time is who you know to get =
you in to=20
the door and what you can do is to carry you to the roof of the=20
building.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As you =
have heard=20
much about A Joker's Card since April 2005, it went places more than I=20
anticipated, it won awards, it was well received, many reviews and still =

circulating like crazy... It had brought a lot of attention to the =
cast/crew who=20
were involved. (if you visit <A=20
href=3D"http://www.mdifilm.com/joker">www.mdifilm.com/joker</A> you will =
notice=20
the list of festivals - big and small), </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>So, =
what's the=20
benefit of submitting to smaller festivals? You never know, for A =
Joker's Card,=20
a small festival's organizer recommended to Wonder Phil Productions of =
LA who=20
now is taking it (no upfront cost unlike some other sales =
representatives who=20
charges to represent your film) to all the film makerts =
(starting with=20
this year's Cannes in May, then to Toronto, then to American Film =
Market, then=20
to HK, etc) for a year. And soon it might be distributed as it already =
garnered=20
some attention. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>At =
ANOTHER=20
smaller-2nd year film festival, the organizer recently called me, he was =
asked=20
to put together a program for South by Southwest Film Festival (one of =
the=20
biggest like Sundance but in TX this March 10-11, 2006), and Austin Film =

Festival (in Sep/Oct 2006). Why? Because Brokeback Mountain had =
generated a lot=20
of attention and hype across the nation that these 2 festivals felt it =
was also=20
a great idea to ride the wave of such hype and showcase other films that =
might=20
interest the same audiences. Hence, A Joker's Card and my other short =
film=20
Playing for Keeps both were invited to be shown (meaning, automatic in, =
no fee=20
need to pay).  </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D390554317-23022006><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>So, my =
point of this=20
is simple, don't neglect the smaller festivals, if the programming =
director=20
likes your film and it feels that it deserves better, he/she will help =
promote=20
your film to other festival organizers. So when you make a film, make it =
for=20
fun, make it for a goal, but also spread it out, at least your cast and =
crew=20
will be happy to come back and work with you again in the=20
future.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Johnny K. Wu</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cleveland =
IndieClub</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Monthly free filmmaking =
networking=20
group</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.clevelandindieclub.com/">www.clevelandindieclub.com</A=
></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Media Design =
Imaging</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.mdifilm.com/">www.mdifilm.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>216.373.3278</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>President (2006 & =
2007)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Organization of Chinese =
Americans of=20
Greater Cleveland</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.ocagc.org/">www.ocagc.org</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Wu Family Martial =
Arts</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2800 years of Family =
System</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>www.wujiaquan.com</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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