Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals

From: D Dawson (email suppressed)
Date: Fri Feb 18 2011 - 09:55:33 PST


I think the conversation of online dissemination versus festival exhibition
could be viewed as the following:

Why run for office if you can state your platform on your webpage? And its
free!

One seeks a vocal, public response to onešs views and has to work tirelessly
at expressing themselves if they hope for their ideas to move people and be
a cause for change, while the other feels they have completed their job once
someone has visited their site.

I think the idea of festivals runs deeper than simply viewing the work.

It would be interesting to find out if in the future politicians too will
migrate towards sole representation via the web.

Deco

On 2/18/11 11:44 AM, "Matt Helme" <email suppressed> wrote:

> http://www.myspace.com/slpff . They have no entry fee.
> Matt
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff-94PXtixo
>
>
>
> From: DOMINIC ANGERAME <email suppressed>
> To: Experimental Film Discussion List <email suppressed>
> Sent: Fri, February 18, 2011 12:39:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals
>
> I have just received your guidelines and you are on the right track. You have
> no restrictions in regards to completion dates like 90% of the festivals here,
> and no penalty entry fee and it sounds like a real FESTival. I will be sending
> in some work.
>
> Thnaks
>
> Dominic
>
>
>
> From: Matt Helme <email suppressed>
> To: Experimental Film Discussion List <email suppressed>
> Sent: Thu, February 17, 2011 12:04:05 PM
> Subject: Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals
>
> Sound's good to me.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff-94PXtixo
>
>
>
> From: Isabel Fondevila <email suppressed>
> To: Experimental Film Discussion List <email suppressed>
> Sent: Thu, February 17, 2011 2:05:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals
>
> This is indeed a big conversation. Thank you for sharing.
>
> At ATA we have film screenings, including many experimental ones, year round.
> The ATA Film & Video Festival was founded to celebrate and promote a different
> type of film and video experience. We hope that inspires people to get out
> there and discover more unconventional, un-dependent film. If they do this at
> home in front of their computer, or at ATA or their local Microcinema
> (recommended), that is another story.
>
> Like Experiments in Cinema and Basement Films the whole grassroots operation
> is run by volunteers. We already pay rent for the venue so our costs are low
> but still, our budget depends on the submission fees. We luckily don't receive
> 1000 submissions and so far we are able to manage it. The Festival staff
> watches everything, and preselects around 60 pieces that will be shown to a
> selection panel. From the panel we put together two programs of shorts, and
> that seems to be just about right for us and our audience.
>
> Now, when Dominic says a new structure needs to be put in place.. what if a
> "Frameworks" film festival or an exhibition network was organized? With all
> the venues and filmmakers in this list alone..who knows what could happen?
>
> Isabel
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 8:38 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
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>>
>
>

www.decodawson.com


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