You just finished the final export of your film. The sound is done, the color grading is good (enough), and on edit #27, you and your team have done all you could. 

Render time: 1 hour 43 minutes.

Now it’s time to upload your giant file to FilmFreeway and browse for some festivals to submit to. Right?

Actually, no. This is the part where filmmakers lose money and their love of the game.

Planning a festival strategy DURING post-production or even earlier is just one of the many keys to success former Festival Strategist, Esther Um (they/she), shares with me in their interview.

I’m Cameron Kit, a filmmaker working in both narrative and documentary, and the founder of YOYOS, a documentary storytelling company. I’ve made over 30 films and been  around the “festival circuit” many times. I still love going to premiers and festivals, even when I’m not a part of it. The energy and excitement you can feel in the theater always fills me with a passion to keep making.

But getting to festivals isn’t something that just happens for you (unless you know the right people, your dad is Matt Damon, etc). Festival strategy is partly about who you know.

Did your producer have a film get into a great festival in Fort Myers, Florida?

Does she know the programmers? Cool. That helps a lot.

But if you don’t know people or have those connections, film festival strategy is about - What You Know. Doing the research, watching past winners, understanding the festival’s unique vibe (mission, audience - drivers) of each festival, and seeing if they align with your project.

Want to maximize your chances of getting into festivals, winning awards and finally feeling validated? Don’t wait until you’re done editing to plan your festival strategy. Do some deep thinking and planning ahead of time. Esther tells us their secrets from their time as a Festival Strategist and as a filmmaker and actor themselves -  It's’ all about knowing your film’s language.

Interview with Esther Um, former Festival Strategist

Cameron: Tell me about yourself!

Esther: I’m a Filmmaker and actor. I got into the work of Festival Strategy while Interning with One & Other Productions. I went to Cannes with them and jumped into the work feet first from my first day with them. I co-directed a short in 2021, I’ve written shorts that other production companies have made, and I’ve been acting too.

Cameron: What are you working on right now?

Esther: I just directed a film called “Blue Hour” and it’s on the festival circuit.

Screenplay Awards & Accolades

OFFICIAL SELECTION Indie Short Fest 2023

OFFICIAL SELECTION Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival

Cameron: Very cool. So how did you work on your own film fest strategy for it?

Esther: It’s an AAPI, child focused, immigrant story. So it’s going to festivals that traditionally lift up Asian voices, or festivals I have seen similar stories, voices or narratives in.

Cameron: So you went for festivals that aligned with the story, but did you also submit to more broad fests?

Esther: We are doing both.  You have to be honest about where the film lies in relation to other films. It helps that I’ve watched so many shorts to know what my film has…like “this doesn’t have the language of XYZ Fest”. Remember these festivals are a brand. They have their own voice and approach. Knowing that going in helps you know where you would fit. Starting out, I didn’t know as many programmers, I was working on a research basis instead of going from connections. So I made a list, a calendar. We finished the post in two months, on May 1st.

Remember these festivals are a brand. They have their own voice and approach.

-Esther Um 

 

Cameron: You were done editing in 2 months? I know filmmakers (myself included) that take over year to get these shorts finished. How did you do it?

Esther: Yeah, we were done with editing in 2 months. My executive producer at Filmmatics is amazing, he pushed us to be done. He said “Why wait? it’s 6 minutes long.” So I needed things to get done, poster, trailer, director's statement, credits. I was able to get all that done in a few days and we put it up on Film Freeway.

Cameron: Okay so walk me through it from the Festival Strategist viewpoint. How do you build a film fest strategy without massive connections?

Esther: Think about where your film lives in the world of films, the audience. Think about it as the film is being edited and you’re seeing the cuts, think “what kind of filmmaking language am I utilizing?”

 Language can mean:

• What is the genre?
• What are the issues?
• What does it actually look like?
•  What does it feel like?
•  What are comparable movies?

If it’s a horror, does it read like Hereditary or The Blair Witch Project? Think in comparables. Then ask yourself, where have I seen a film like this at a festival somewhere? If you can’t think of any, just go with what comes to the top of your head and your research.

Ask yourself also, how long the edit turns out to be, if it’s 45 minutes you might need to be careful. Wes Anderson made a long-form short called The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. He got it up there because of his name, that’s not the same for many up-and-coming filmmakers. Longer makes it harder for the programmer to justify it. If your film is 20 minutes, the programmer could fit 2 or 3 films in.

Cameron: Can you give me an example of a film you consulted on and how you chose the festivals?

Esther: Yeah, one film I worked on was a psychological thriller about immigration and mental health. We thought about the feel, the demographic, and the experience of the creator. They were a first-time writer and director. We looked at the Big Apple Film Festival and regional festivals in Florida. I remembered seeing a film in the Big Apple that had similar film language, so we messaged Big Apple to say “We are a first-time filmmaker and would love to get a waiver code, but if not that’s ok”. We also messaged them when we submitted. And then this film just had its New York Premier.

Cameron: Ugh, that is such good advice. I feel like most new filmmakers on the festival circuit submit based on price and due date, and forget to think about what else has played there, what films the festival generally features, themes and such.

Esther: Watch the social media on film festivals. I look at who tagged them in posts when people say “I got into this festival”. If the fest was last year, they probably have their film up on Vimeo now,  you can look at it. What are these films saying, does it seem like a stretch production quality? Watch the films submitted last year, what and who WON the previous year? Look at their archive. It’s time-consuming but fascinating and often advantageous.

Cameron: So how do you recommend making those decisions?

Esther: Make a clear spreadsheet with name, date, and cost, do I have a discount/waiver code or should I ask, what does it qualify for, what is the benefit of going to it, and can I afford it? That tends to decide for you.

Cameron: What do you wish filmmakers knew about Festival Strategy?

Esther: Know that it’s easier if you streamline the process. Yes, it is time-consuming but the more you streamline it the easier it will be and the less it will cost you. Make lists and go by your list, don’t just apply on the fly when you see things.

Be intentional, applying randomly means spending more money than you expected.

Make time to write a focused cover letter.

Focus on your list and schedule, and think about premier requirements. It takes thinking ahead of time and planning, but it’s worth it.

Cameron: Thank you so much Esther, amazing!

Esther: No problem, this was fun.

To Summarize:

• Don’t wait until you’re done editing to think which festivals to submit to.
• Use a spreadsheet to keep organized.
• Watch the films that were accepted or won last year! Use Instagram’s “tagged” section to look for those. Get a sense of the tone and language of the festival.
• Streamline your process and stay focused so you don’t go over budget.

Good luck out there! Stay focused, have fun, and keep track of those deadlines!

Find out more about Esther Um here  https://www.estherum.net/

Esther’s Insta: https://www.instagram.com/estherumm/

See more about her work: www.CameronKit.co

Check her out on LinkedIn.

Cameron’s insta: https://www.instagram.com/cameron__kit/

Volume 28, Issue 7 / July 2024 Festival Reports   digital cinema   esther um   feminist cinema   film festivals   independent cinema