Helpful Tips

I recently had to pull a film because it was screening before our event. Filmmakers, please read our rules and terms before submitting, and planning your festival run.

I’ve said this many times, but local filmmakers need to start treating their films like products. Too many here in Wisconsin only submit to local festivals, while filmmakers from other states or countries screen widely across the country and internationally, often hitting just one local fest.

When I see a local filmmaker’s screening history, it’s usually filled with local fests. That’s fine, but realistically, most of those smaller festivals will take your film because you’re local and they think it'll fill seats. Instead, try targeting festivals outside the state first and build your reputation, win awards, and then return home. If you’ve had a successful run elsewhere, local fests will still want your film.

All festivals in this state, and there are a lot, are regional. We don't have big A list fests with movie stars premiering their films night after night. We are not a major hub like Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles. There're a few deep pocket fests here, but every fest is still regional. And smaller fests, like ours rely on the friends, family, cast and crew of the filmmakers to buy tickets in order to keep their festival going. Sure, we get walk-ins from media coverage, but the majority of tickets sold are those with a connection to the filmmaker. Showing films that have screened previously is a case of diminishing returns. Each screening has fewer tickets being sold.

Also, premieres do matter. I have taken a film that didn't premiere at our fest, but since the pandemic the viewing habits of everyday people has drastically changed. A film that might've played well with a 3rd screening no longer does. People have become accustomed to sitting at home and wanting a youtube link. Bigger fests fight over premieres, and I've had a few fests in WI do the same. Why, because premieres do better ticket wise than a 3rd run film. I can't tell the number of filmmakers who called me up and were crying that they had to pull their film because another fest demanded it.

A filmmaker should map out their fest run, look at festival dates, read their guidelines, and determine where you'll submit to. And do your research, look at what that festival has screened in the past to see if you are a good fit. As a programmer, I'll let you in on a secret. By the final deadline, or that extended final deadline we pretty much know what's in the festival because we've lived with these films for months, and we are just waiting on something that might fill a spot, or hoping that maybe a comedy will show up. If you send a 15 minute drama it'll probably get passed on. If a festival is charging 60-80 dollars for that extended final deadline, wait on it. They know what they already want in their line up, wait on it because you can just enter in their Early Bird deadline at a lower rate, and they'll live with your film for months. 

We reject many films that don't follow our guidelines. If you choose my fest to submit your film, thank you. If not, that's okay. Do what's best to position your film.