PREP YOUR INFO!
I am not a detail perslon.
I don't notice the little things often, as I'm too concerned with the Big Picture. And when I DO notice the details, it's usually because I've convinced myself (or it's true) that if I don't, there will be serious repercussions (like failing Algebra and not going to college....).
I've gotten better at this and certainly for work related things or the movie, I get more specific. One of the ways this has manifested has been the FILM FESTIVAL SPREADSHEET. Everybody's got a spreadsheet program these days (that sounds like an obscure Beatles song), and once you've gone through the hassle of setting it up from scratch, it becomes fun and (dare I say it?) exciting to fill out.
As I pressed the "Submit" button over and over on both Withoutabox and FilmFreeway, I realized I should maybe keep track of where I had submitted, especially if they would need a DVD or digital copy sent. So the Spreadsheet began.
I highly recommend this for a number of reasons, many of which are probably self-explanatory based on the graphic, but if you'd like detail:
This originally began because I could spend more time online than my producer, and I wanted to get a nice list of festivals that we could then discuss and decide where to submit. I separated between WITHOUTABOX and FILMFREEWAY - who knows if there would be submission problems or I'd have things to fill out later based on how I submitted? I then started a list of all the festivals I wanted to submit to. It was just a laundry list in the first column, appropriately titled "FESTIVAL." It was just a wish list of options to discuss.
DUE DATE was actually next. That's how to keep the spreadsheet in order: BY ORDER OF DUE DATE - you'll always know what's coming up next. You can put festivals on "Watch Lists" on the sites which will then email you, but it's good to have your own stuff together as well.
PRICE is important for records, especially if you're splitting costs. Make note of who paid, and you can then settle up afterward. Or if you'll be doing a fundraiser afterward, you'll know how much to ask for!
Note when you SUBMITTED and what the RESPONSE DATE is. The first is so if anything goes awry, you have a specific date of when your film was submitted, the next is so you don't go crazy wondering "why haven't they contacted me? Have they got my movie? Do they not like it?" If the response date is December and it's now August, don't even think about contacting the festival unless you personally know someone. (Just my opinion, but I always err on the side of "Don't bug people, especially if there's nothing really to be done.")
Keep your TRACKING NUMBER - it's even more important than the date you submitted. With a tracking number, if anything goes wrong, you have solid proof that you submitted and you can either get refunded or your movie resubmitted for free. (On that note, once again, submit EARLY so that any issues can be addressed before the festival judges and viewers are tired and want to kill people for submitting more films.)
I also made a column for media type. Do they want a DVD, a Blu-Ray? A Digital copy? Often this information wasn't available, but when it was, I made sure I notated - a lot of festivals tend to ask for two copies of your movie on DVD. This may change in the future to video drives and encrypted USBs.
Finally, the FESTIVAL DATE and ADDRESS. Knowing in advance if you can or cannot attend a festival based on date and location is important. Not attending a festival where your movie is playing isn't the kiss of death (for short films, at least), but it certainly seems wise (and fun!) to attend as many as possible, or connect friends or family local to a Festival to go in your stead.
I'm a fan of highlighting completed transactions so they don't get confused on the page, also of continuing to list upcoming Festivals that may or may not even have a due date yet. This is why so many people say that going to Festivals is a year-long or sometimes two-year affair. Two years seems way too long to me. Hell, eight months seems too long, but let's assume you're working on your next film at some point in there. ;)
I don't notice the little things often, as I'm too concerned with the Big Picture. And when I DO notice the details, it's usually because I've convinced myself (or it's true) that if I don't, there will be serious repercussions (like failing Algebra and not going to college....).
I've gotten better at this and certainly for work related things or the movie, I get more specific. One of the ways this has manifested has been the FILM FESTIVAL SPREADSHEET. Everybody's got a spreadsheet program these days (that sounds like an obscure Beatles song), and once you've gone through the hassle of setting it up from scratch, it becomes fun and (dare I say it?) exciting to fill out.
As I pressed the "Submit" button over and over on both Withoutabox and FilmFreeway, I realized I should maybe keep track of where I had submitted, especially if they would need a DVD or digital copy sent. So the Spreadsheet began.
I highly recommend this for a number of reasons, many of which are probably self-explanatory based on the graphic, but if you'd like detail:
This originally began because I could spend more time online than my producer, and I wanted to get a nice list of festivals that we could then discuss and decide where to submit. I separated between WITHOUTABOX and FILMFREEWAY - who knows if there would be submission problems or I'd have things to fill out later based on how I submitted? I then started a list of all the festivals I wanted to submit to. It was just a laundry list in the first column, appropriately titled "FESTIVAL." It was just a wish list of options to discuss.
DUE DATE was actually next. That's how to keep the spreadsheet in order: BY ORDER OF DUE DATE - you'll always know what's coming up next. You can put festivals on "Watch Lists" on the sites which will then email you, but it's good to have your own stuff together as well.
PRICE is important for records, especially if you're splitting costs. Make note of who paid, and you can then settle up afterward. Or if you'll be doing a fundraiser afterward, you'll know how much to ask for!
Note when you SUBMITTED and what the RESPONSE DATE is. The first is so if anything goes awry, you have a specific date of when your film was submitted, the next is so you don't go crazy wondering "why haven't they contacted me? Have they got my movie? Do they not like it?" If the response date is December and it's now August, don't even think about contacting the festival unless you personally know someone. (Just my opinion, but I always err on the side of "Don't bug people, especially if there's nothing really to be done.")
Keep your TRACKING NUMBER - it's even more important than the date you submitted. With a tracking number, if anything goes wrong, you have solid proof that you submitted and you can either get refunded or your movie resubmitted for free. (On that note, once again, submit EARLY so that any issues can be addressed before the festival judges and viewers are tired and want to kill people for submitting more films.)
I also made a column for media type. Do they want a DVD, a Blu-Ray? A Digital copy? Often this information wasn't available, but when it was, I made sure I notated - a lot of festivals tend to ask for two copies of your movie on DVD. This may change in the future to video drives and encrypted USBs.
Finally, the FESTIVAL DATE and ADDRESS. Knowing in advance if you can or cannot attend a festival based on date and location is important. Not attending a festival where your movie is playing isn't the kiss of death (for short films, at least), but it certainly seems wise (and fun!) to attend as many as possible, or connect friends or family local to a Festival to go in your stead.
I'm a fan of highlighting completed transactions so they don't get confused on the page, also of continuing to list upcoming Festivals that may or may not even have a due date yet. This is why so many people say that going to Festivals is a year-long or sometimes two-year affair. Two years seems way too long to me. Hell, eight months seems too long, but let's assume you're working on your next film at some point in there. ;)
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