Three qualified speakers shared many insights about these 2 major festivals that are applicable to filmmakers, film lovers, or just casual film goers.
Javier Fuentes-León - Director of Undertow, winner of the Audience Award at 2010 Sundance & Project:Involve Alumnus
Drea Clark - Executive Director, Slamdance & MV programmer LAFF
Nguyen Tran - Producer's Rep
General Matters
-What you want to get out of festival?
-How do you want to come across?
-Come up w/ a wish list (priority list).
-Befriend the staff. Interact with them. Inspire good will.
-Ask nicely for film to be shown the first 5 days of festival.
-People are approachable at the festivals, more than seeing them in LA.
-Make individual connection with everyone you encounter.
-People will go bat for you if they love your film.
-Know your collaborators: their experience, their tastes, their comfort
-Who are there? Distributors, producers, reps.
Publicity
-Check in w/ the festival publicist.
-Know who's the press. Get festival's press list.
-Remember you are a client to your publicist. You should have a rapport with them, know who they speak with during the fest. Make sure they are visible to you and in the festival.
Producer's Rep
-Know your product. What's the goal? Empower the rep to sell your film because it's a long, hard process.
-The rep checks the expectations of their clients. On the same page?
Marketing/Audience
-Target the locals in advance w/ radio ads. They are bodies who blog, do social network.
-Creative promotions: chocolate hearts for romance movie, zombie performers, "dead strong" wrist band for a movie about zombie's rights.
If you don't have a film but has a script
-Have your one-line
-But people like to feel they make a connection. Not things thrust on them. Make good, fun connection. Come across you have something fun in your back pocket.
-Get a card and send script after Sundance.
If you have film
-Talk about the strength in your film and how you plan to follow up. Put yourself into the flow of things.
-They maybe not have bought your film, but they want to partner with you on your next project. People want to be first in line for the new talent.
Parties
-Everywhere but your hotel rooms. Some hard-to-get-in-party, once you get in, it's disappointing. Spend every waking moments meeting people.
-Relax, enjoy people you went there with.
Resources
Indiewire
Screen Daily
Nikki Finke
Sundance
Slamdance
*Special thanks to Paul from FIND for organizing this amazing event.
