Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals

From: Seth Fragomen (email suppressed)
Date: Wed Feb 16 2011 - 09:47:53 PST


I agree with Dominic. I think we need community and micro cinemas more than
ever. It's more or less up to us.

On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 12:30 PM, Bryan McKay <email suppressed> wrote:

> Because watching a film in the theatre still beats watching one on your
> computer screen? Because YouTube still can't manage to screen 35mm or 16mm?
> Because you want to support your local arts community? Because the sort of
> curation that goes on at festival screenings can elaborate heretofore unseen
> thematic or aesthetic links between disparate works? Because you might
> actually get a chance to meet and chat with the filmmaker whose work you've
> just enjoyed? Because having a shared experience in a dark room with a bunch
> of other people can be a profoundly moving experience?
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 12:22 PM, Matt Helme <email suppressed>wrote:
>
>> When you can put your work on-line and have it seen worldwide, why bother
>> with festivals?
>> Matt
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff-94PXtixo
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* D Dawson <email suppressed>
>> *To:* Experimental Film Discussion List <email suppressed>
>> *Sent:* Wed, February 16, 2011 12:11:52 PM
>> *Subject:* Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals
>>
>> I agree with Dominic, I have heard horror stories about festivals sending
>> home 150 tapes each to 5 individual undergrads telling them to choose 20
>> that “he/she likes” no mention of the criteria of evaluation or the fact
>> that a single person’s judgment might throw off the whole process. I mean
>> realistically how else are you going to get through 1000-2000 films right?
>>
>>
>> Deco
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 2/16/11 10:38 AM, "DOMINIC ANGERAME" <email suppressed>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I am noticing an alarming trend these days with experimental film
>> festivals throughout the world. I received a notice from the Images Festival
>> in Canada that they received more than 1,000 entries for exhibition. I am
>> sure that Ann Arbor Film Festival received far more entries than the 150
>> films they are viewing. Since is seems that almost everyone is a filmmaker
>> these days that the structure and procedures of the major experimental film
>> festivals should be changed in major ways. Virtually all festivals charge an
>> fee for entry. 1000 entries can mean $25,000 going to the festivals for
>> admin/pre-screening, etc. This does not include the donations, governmental
>> grants, and other sources of income. I used to run a couple of festivals
>> and understand the purpose of entry fees to help defray costs. However,
>> since the number of entries for many festivals has risen more than 3 or 4
>> times the amount the festivals need to consider extending their exhibitions
>> to accomodate the amount of entries. Most filmmakers are now facing a 1 to
>> 20 odds of having their films shown in major festivals. This is less than
>> playing the lottery.
>>
>> It is distressing for me, having been making films for more than 40 years
>> to see the festival situation become so debased. The volume of work being
>> entered is drowning these festivals in both admin, and creative decisions. I
>> have served on juries in many festivals and noticed when I looked at the
>> list of the films rejected by pre screeners that many great films had been
>> rejected. As a judge I requested to view those rejected and found most of
>> the films selected by me were shown at these particular festivals. Since the
>> volume of entered work in most well known festivals far exceeds the
>> festivals ability to manage this volume, that a new structure needs to be
>> put in place. This would be a great service to the filmmakers entering their
>> works into these festivals.
>>
>> Dominic Angerame
>> ------------------------------
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> _______________________________________________
>> FrameWorks mailing list
>> email suppressed
>> http://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>
>>
>>
>> www.decodawson.com
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> FrameWorks mailing list
>> email suppressed
>> http://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> FrameWorks mailing list
> email suppressed
> http://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>
>


_______________________________________________
FrameWorks mailing list
email suppressed
http://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks