The Complete Filmmaker’s Guide to Film Festivals
by Rona Edwards and Monika Skerbelis
Reviewed by Five
Okay, so you have finished post-production of your first indie film and it is to die for… Now what? The simple answer is: Get a copy of The Complete Filmmaker’s Guide to Film Festivals by Rona Edwards and Monika Skerbelis, and read the darn thing!
Not only is it complete like the title implies, but chances are it will soon become your best friend. Why? Because in essence, the real work begins after the film is made. And to the credit of the authors, both industry professionals in their own right, they have crafted a thorough and accessible step-by-step guide to assist you in every twist and turn of the film festival experience.
Whether your baby is a feature length film, a short film, or a documentary, and whether you are a new or an experienced filmmaker or producer, this book will expertly save you valuable time and energy, as well as stave off the numerous mistakes and headaches so many have made and gotten before you.
For those of you who are wondering the following question: How do I promote this sucker? Do not fret. By taking a step back, the book helps you in the all-important initial process of establishing a strong logline so that your audience will know what your film is about. Moving forward it will help you create a powerful hook so that you are able reel an audience in to see your film.
From there the authors offer valuable insights and show you in detail how to create an effective Electronic Press Kit in order to help brand your film and brand yourself via the trailer, bios, posters, flyers, stills, and merchandising.
Today, there are literally thousands of film festivals worldwide. Short of holding your hand, Rona and Monika’s superb book will help you narrow down the list so that you can target the right festivals for your film. Included is a comprehensive list of film festivals by country and region, along with websites.
The reader will also find a chapter devoted to candid interviews with various distributors, producers, acquisitions, and reps who have had a successful runs on the festival circuit. If you’ve got to learn, you may as well learn from the best.
A filmmaker should never lose sight of the goal: to get your film seen, win awards, get distribution, make industry contacts, and to promote your next film as well as your career. This book will be a valuable asset to help you realize those goals.
One final tip: Do not forget to include the cost of a copy of The Complete Filmmaker’s Guide to Film Festivals as a line item in your budget. You won’t regret it!
Click here to watch the video of Rona and Monika at Book Star in Studio City July 27, 2012.
Click here to see the ES Entertainment website which offers courses and workshops on topics like screenwriting, creating a production company, creating a film festival, and much more.
Click here to see more information on the Film Festival book.
Click here to get a signed copy of the book from Book Star.
Click here to get a signed copy of the book from Book Soup.