Oh My Goodness, These Credits Are Scrolling Forever, I'm Going To Step Out For A Minute
Those are the comments that I hear sometimes during the end credits of short films. An excellent film screens at the festival, the audience applauds for the first 10 seconds of the credits, and then, after 20 outtakes and 100 slow crawling names in the credits, people get restless. Add long end credits logos of production companies and three minutes later ... Everyone in the crowd is looking at their phone, or returning from the bathroom. If you want to be successful on the Film Festival Circuit, this is one piece of advice that you simply cannot ignore. Understand the difference between the Festival Cut and the Final Cut and you will have an advantage. This film ( LINK ) which was an official selection of the Portland Comedy Film Festival managed to pack A LOT of credits into a single frame at the end. Very creative and effective right? I recently wrote a short book, film festival website tips and advice for filmmakers that are submitting their creative work to the Film Festival Circuit. A small investment, goes a long way. Do yourself a favor. Download this book and avoid common mistakes that filmmakers make every day when submitting to Film Festivals. Strengthen your submission and get ahead of thousands of filmmakers that are submitting their work on FilmFreeway. Below, is the first paragraph of Chapter 11.
Chapter 11: Final Cut Or Festival Cut? Don’t Submit The Wrong One
"The “Final Cut” of your film is the glorious version of your film that will live out its days on Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, etc ... Or is distributed throughout eternity by a company that has purchased the rights to your film. Every cast member, crew member, extra, producer, production company logo, location, music credit, country of filming, film commission office, funding platform, equipment contributor, film festival laurel, university, inspirational quote, funny out-take, special thanks and dedication to lost souls is included. All of these credits, get an individual frame that lasts for 3-5 seconds, or crawl slowly down the screen, for as long as it takes, to properly recognize the human effort that it took to create your film. You may plan to screen this “Final Cut” for the cast, crew and family. A celebration, release party, or private screening, where each slow moving credit is applauded, whistled at, and cheered endlessly with positive energy. This cut has its purpose and should be enjoyed in the right context in the right venue. For programming reasons, you probably don't want to send the “Final Cut” of your film to 50 film festivals around the world. Which is why the “Festival Cut” is so important. Here are some guidelines for making a great Festival Cut of your film." - Would you like to read more? Download the Film Festival Submitter's Handbook now!
This eBook Is Out Now!
My name is Mikel Fair and I have written this 30 page ebook to help filmmakers strengthen their submission when submitting to Film Festivals. This guide is based on my experience, starting in 2008 as a Film Festival Director that has watched, rated and reviewed more than 5000+ submissions of all genres from over 100 countries. There are several mistakes that filmmakers are making on a daily basis that I can help you avoid. I explain in detail, about how the packaging and editing of your submission can have a direct effect on how many festivals that your film is accepted to. Priced under $10 US, I have made this book affordable for everyone and will email you any new versions that we release until January 2021. Please read the first chapter for free! ( LINK )
- Chapter 1: Does Packaging Really Matter? - Free Chapter!
- Chapter 2: Are Your Contact Details Accurate? A Daily Common Mistake
- Chapter 3: Does The Name Of Your Film Stand Out? Or Will It Be Lost In The Shuffle?
- Chapter 4: Tips For Creating The Right Tagline And Synopsis
- Chapter 5: Do You Know That A Director’s Bio And Resume Are Two Different Things?
- Chapter 6: How To Write A Compelling Director’s Statement That Tells A Story.
- Chapter 7: The First Impression Of Your Film Is It’s Official Poster.
- Chapter 8: Without A Trailer, Your Film Might Become An Afterthought.
- Chapter 9: Why Do Film Festivals Love Submissions With A Social Media Presence?
- Chapter 10: Your Film’s Website, Is Its History And Point Of Contact
- Chapter 11: Final Cut Or Festival Cut? Don’t Submit The Wrong One.
- Chapter 12: Stretch Your Submissions Budget. Use Promo Codes. Get Discounts.
- Conclusion
