by Elliot Grove
Using a short film, or a series of short films has always been considered a viable and useful way to demonstrate one talent to the industry powers-that-be on route to building a career in features, or in commercials and pop promos. Here are the routes novice filmmakers are using in Europe. Many of these techniques are applicable universally.
1. Film Festivals
A festival screening allows you to screen your film in front of total strangers. Until you have sat in a screening room full of strangers watching your film you do not really know how the film “plays”. Do they laugh at the right place for example.
Getting your film accepted into a film festival is not easy. If you are selected, you then need to send the festival a screening copy of the film, usually on digibeta or DCP along with a picture of yourself, or a still from the movie that they can use in their festival catalogue. Try and book your holiday around a festival screening. Get there a few days earlier and pass out postcards with a good strong image of your film on one side, and the screening dates and times on the reverse. Festival organizers should also be able to help you with a list of local distributors and sales agents who might be interested in acquiring short films (ie: buying a license to screen your film). Contact these people by email and telephone. If you submit your film to Raindance you will get a list with the name of every international short film buyer, along with their contact details and commissioning policy.
Screenings at certain film festivals almost certainly guarantee other festival invites. Many festivals rely on bell-weather festivals such as Raindance, to act as a filter to whittle down the huge number of films to a manageable lot of a certain quality.
Remember that each festival has different taste, and to be rejected by one festival is not to be taken personally.
The best way to research film festivals is to look at these two sites: www.filmfestivals.com, an English-speaking company based in Paris, and www.withoutabox.com, an American company with a subsidiary office in London.
Top European film festivals for shorts:
There are at least 9 European short film festivals which show shorts only. Other festivals, such as Raindance, have dynamic short film strands. Research the festivals and try to ascertain which ones have videotechs, such as Rotterdam. At those festivals, even if you are not selected, industry scouts will be able to see your film.
2. Internet Self Distribution
The explosion of YouTube and MySpace means that you don’t need to rely on the whims of a festival programmer (the job title of the person at a film festival who decides which submissions are selected for screening). You can simply upload your masterpiece yourself to one of the www2 sites (for example to Daazo.com), send an email to everyone in your address book with the link and hope that enough people watch and love your movie and tell so many friends that your film becomes a viral hit leading to your discovery as the next Spielberg.
3. Internet Distribution
Sites like Atom Films, iTunes and the Australian channel NICEFILM specialize in shorts and offer different forms of revenue recoupment: either in the form of a one-off license fee, or a revenue participation model based on the number of people who see your film (and see the ads on their site. Each of these sites have different adjudication processes.
4. Competitions
There are currently so many film competitions that a reasonably talented debutante filmmaker should be able to get the latest cameras, editing software, and even first class trips around the world on the strength of their successful submissions. Before submitting to a competition, it is important to research the organization or company sponsoring the venture to see if you can determine the reason why. Sometimes they are created solely to promote a product or service. In such cases the benefit to you as a filmmaker, is solely the value of the prize. The best competitions are the ones where the promoter is seeking content for their website, or broadcast channel: be it web-based, television or mobile. In these cases, usually by submitting you will be included as part of their content and the possibility will exist to earn extra revenue or exposure. It is up to you to decide which will suit your career best.
5. Airlines
Cathay Pacific and Virgin are the only remaining airlines who license shorts for their in-flight entertainment. Filmmakers typically receive $500 for a six month short. The best length for these shorts is about 10-15 minutes each, and soft romantic comedies are the topics the airlines like the most. The best agent to deal with is Dazzle Films in London. Owned and operated by Dawn Sharpless, it has been acquiring and selling shorts since the late 1990’s.
6. Advertising Agencies
Ad agencies are always on the lookout for hot new talent. If your work is very short (under one or two minutes) then ad agencies might consider you for a commercial. Make sure you invite the relevant executives from ad agencies in the cities that you play in. Obviously, London, Paris and New York have the most agencies, but don’t discount agencies in smaller cities.
Some agencies, like Saatchi & Saatchi have in-house intranet sites (theirs is called Sushi & Sushi) where new work is put up for the exclusive use of their employees. The career advantages of this are obvious.
7. Compilation DVDs
Certain festivals like Raindance, organizations like Shootingpeople and others publish annual collections of DVDs which showcase shorts. As part of their marketing campaign, these DVDs are generally given to journalists, ad agency creatives and agents as a way of inducing filmmakers to allow their shorts to be placed on the DVD. From this platform, Raindance has noticed that the filmmakers included on our DVD receive many festival invites and offers of work.
Should I put all my films on YouTube, or not?
YouTube is a great way to get your showreel up, but it ruins the premiere status of your films for festivals, other web distributors and television. Be very careful about what you include and when you include it on YouTube.
What is the most common reason filmmakers fail to sell their films?
Either they fail to tell a story, or they fail to clear music rights. Or both.
Does it matter what I shoot my film on?
Absolutely not. The story you’re telling is far more important. Just make sure you are able to deliver your film in the correct format and resolution required by whichever festival or broadcaster you are targeting.
What happens if I sign an exclusive agreement?
It means that you are unable to give your work to anyone else, sometimes even other film festivals. Consider the repercussions carefully before you agree to such a deal. Sometimes the commercial benefits will sway you, and other times it will be the exposure.
