In a previous thread (http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=64484), I mentioned that I was interested in
submitting to film festivals, a significantly re-edited version of a short film that was screened at the 48 Hour
Film Project in Chicago and that did not win anything in that film contest.
I looked through the list of festivals available at FilmFreeway.com, and I have found some festivals to which I can submit my film. But I have some questions about the submission process.
1) Typically, a festival's submission application asks whether the submitted film would be a world premiere, a
United States premiere, a premiere in the state of the festival, etc. The re-edited version that I would be
submitting, has never been screened anywhere. So, that re-edited version would be a world premiere. However, the original version was screened in Chicago.
So, in the application, do I say that the re-edited version is a world premiere?
2) A festival's submission application also asks when the film was finished. I am assuming that, by "finished", the application means the completion of post-production, not principal photography.
Do I state the date on which the re-edited version was finished? Or the date on which the original version was
finished?
3) The film that I would be submitting, is in an MP4 file. This file has a frame rate of 59.94 fps and a sample
audio rate of 48 kHz.
In the previous thread, I mentioned that my 48 Hour Film Project team's DP had edited his own version of the film, and that I had refined the DP's version. The DP's MP4 file had a frame rate of 59.94 fps and a sample audio rate of 48 kHz, and that is the MP4 file that I "inherited". Thus, my film's MP4 file has the same frame rate and the same sample audio rate.
I read somewhere that films are supposed to have a frame rate of 24 fps or 30 fps. Also, when I made my own acting reels for Vimeo, I used a frame rate of 30 fps and a sample audio rate of 44.1 kHz. So, I used software called Avidemux to resample my film to a frame rate of 30 fps and a sample audio rate of 44.1 kHz. However, the result looked awful. So, for my film's MP4 file, I stuck with a frame rate of 59.94 fps and a sample audio rate of 48 kHz.
My film's MP4 file plays very well in Windows Media Player, in Windows 7, on my hard drive.
I uploaded the MP4 file to Vimeo. In Vimeo, in regular-screen mode, the film plays very well. However, if I go to
full-screen mode, the film freezes from time to time.
When I submit my film to festivals, I will most likely be submitting a link to the film's Vimeo URL. Can I say, in
my submission cover letter, that, in Vimeo, the film should be played in regular-screen only? Or will the festival
programmers and screeners automatically assume that the film should be played in regular-screen only?
4) Speaking of festival-submission cover letters, what should I put into one? I looked online for sample cover
letters, and I couldn't find any. Is there a website which shows sample cover letters?
5) The festivals listed on FilmFreeway.com, accept Vimeo submissions. However, if a film is accepted into a
festival, the person doing the submitting, must send to the festival a version of the film that can be screened at
the festival. Festivals differ on what they accept. Some festivals accept DCP only, but other festivals accept MP4
files.
I have an MP4 file. And, from what I've read, creating a DCP and sending the DCP to a festival, is a cumbersome
process. So, I naturally gravitate toward the festivals that accept MP4-file screeners.
Some of these MP4-accepting festivals may accept MP4 files sent via a download site like wetransfer.com. But other festivals insist that you burn your MP4 file onto a DVD. My research has shown that there is software like DVD Flick and AVStoDVD that can burn an MP4 file onto a DVD. However, I have read that DVD Flick and AVStoDVD may cause problems with sound-video sync on the DVD. Is there any software (preferably free) that can burn an MP4 file onto a DVD without causing any sync problems?
6) Festival applications ask for a synopsis of the film. Am I supposed to give a detailed accounting of what
happens from beginning to end, even revealing the surprise ending? Or am I supposed to provide only a summary of the film?
Thank you for any information.
submitting to film festivals, a significantly re-edited version of a short film that was screened at the 48 Hour
Film Project in Chicago and that did not win anything in that film contest.
I looked through the list of festivals available at FilmFreeway.com, and I have found some festivals to which I can submit my film. But I have some questions about the submission process.
1) Typically, a festival's submission application asks whether the submitted film would be a world premiere, a
United States premiere, a premiere in the state of the festival, etc. The re-edited version that I would be
submitting, has never been screened anywhere. So, that re-edited version would be a world premiere. However, the original version was screened in Chicago.
So, in the application, do I say that the re-edited version is a world premiere?
2) A festival's submission application also asks when the film was finished. I am assuming that, by "finished", the application means the completion of post-production, not principal photography.
Do I state the date on which the re-edited version was finished? Or the date on which the original version was
finished?
3) The film that I would be submitting, is in an MP4 file. This file has a frame rate of 59.94 fps and a sample
audio rate of 48 kHz.
In the previous thread, I mentioned that my 48 Hour Film Project team's DP had edited his own version of the film, and that I had refined the DP's version. The DP's MP4 file had a frame rate of 59.94 fps and a sample audio rate of 48 kHz, and that is the MP4 file that I "inherited". Thus, my film's MP4 file has the same frame rate and the same sample audio rate.
I read somewhere that films are supposed to have a frame rate of 24 fps or 30 fps. Also, when I made my own acting reels for Vimeo, I used a frame rate of 30 fps and a sample audio rate of 44.1 kHz. So, I used software called Avidemux to resample my film to a frame rate of 30 fps and a sample audio rate of 44.1 kHz. However, the result looked awful. So, for my film's MP4 file, I stuck with a frame rate of 59.94 fps and a sample audio rate of 48 kHz.
My film's MP4 file plays very well in Windows Media Player, in Windows 7, on my hard drive.
I uploaded the MP4 file to Vimeo. In Vimeo, in regular-screen mode, the film plays very well. However, if I go to
full-screen mode, the film freezes from time to time.
When I submit my film to festivals, I will most likely be submitting a link to the film's Vimeo URL. Can I say, in
my submission cover letter, that, in Vimeo, the film should be played in regular-screen only? Or will the festival
programmers and screeners automatically assume that the film should be played in regular-screen only?
4) Speaking of festival-submission cover letters, what should I put into one? I looked online for sample cover
letters, and I couldn't find any. Is there a website which shows sample cover letters?
5) The festivals listed on FilmFreeway.com, accept Vimeo submissions. However, if a film is accepted into a
festival, the person doing the submitting, must send to the festival a version of the film that can be screened at
the festival. Festivals differ on what they accept. Some festivals accept DCP only, but other festivals accept MP4
files.
I have an MP4 file. And, from what I've read, creating a DCP and sending the DCP to a festival, is a cumbersome
process. So, I naturally gravitate toward the festivals that accept MP4-file screeners.
Some of these MP4-accepting festivals may accept MP4 files sent via a download site like wetransfer.com. But other festivals insist that you burn your MP4 file onto a DVD. My research has shown that there is software like DVD Flick and AVStoDVD that can burn an MP4 file onto a DVD. However, I have read that DVD Flick and AVStoDVD may cause problems with sound-video sync on the DVD. Is there any software (preferably free) that can burn an MP4 file onto a DVD without causing any sync problems?
6) Festival applications ask for a synopsis of the film. Am I supposed to give a detailed accounting of what
happens from beginning to end, even revealing the surprise ending? Or am I supposed to provide only a summary of the film?
Thank you for any information.
