risks of submitting before you're ready...

B

brianluce

So I think with a little luck I can meet the Dec 9th cut off for the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Best case scenario is I'll have a less than optimal cut. Need more time. SB Film Fest is fairly high profile, so the odds are long, but, I live in SB and thought it'd be cool to enter it -- so I'll try and meet deadline and submit my first shot at narrative film production.
Question: Aside from rejection and the money, what other risks and potential praftfalls are associated with submitting a film to a festival before your film is in top form. Again, I'm only scrambling because it's my hometown fest.

Thanks in advance.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
If you are selected, just give your updated version to them on the required projection format.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Rejection is not a risk. Only thing you risk is money. If this is a festival you'd really like to get into, submit the best film you've got, and give them a detailed (but succinct) list of what work is still to be done.

Good luck!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I would not point anything unfinished out, you are submitting as a finished film, not a WIP. Just hope you get in, and submit you best work for projection.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
indietalk said:
I would not point anything unfinished out, you are submitting as a finished film, not a WIP. Just hope you get in, and submit you best work for projection.
Click to expand...

In my experience, they usually ask for a list of what's yet to be done, if it's a WIP, and I assumed that's what it was being submitted as. But I guess I shouldn't make a blanket-statement that they all want that. It should answer this question on their FAQ page.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Just checked their FAQ. They take WIP submissions, and they do want a list of what's yet to be done. They also seem to prefer local filmmakers, which bodes well for you, Brian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6ALySsPXt0

:)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Right, some accept WIPs as long as it will be finished by fest time. Check it out and follow their instructions. But if it is 95% I wouldn't even bother calling it a WIP, they may accept, say, 100 finished films, and 10 WIPs because of the risk, and then that puts you in the smaller acceptance group. See what I mean? But I don't know that for a fact! Every fest is different and there's no way to tell how they select unless you know someone.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
indietalk said:
Right, some accept WIPs as long as it will be finished by fest time. Check it out and follow their instructions. But if it is 95% I wouldn't even bother calling it a WIP, they may accept, say, 100 finished films, and 10 WIPs because of the risk, and then that puts you in the smaller acceptance group. See what I mean? But I don't know that for a fact! Every fest is different and there's no way to tell how they select unless you know someone.
Click to expand...

Yes, that makes perfect sense. I guess the decision also depends on how close he is to being completely finished. Cheers.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top