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Film Fest Friday: Press Kits

Posted Oct 29 2010 by krystamasciale with 0 Comments

When we host a premiere or represent our films at festivals, we always carry a few press kits with us (in addition to our business cards and other print collateral).

A press kit doesn’t have to be super fancy; although we recommend having the person who does your film’s logo help you out with this as well. Items a press kit should include:

  • a brief rundown of the film
  • a short synopsis of the story
  • a bit of background, how it came about, what it’s shot on
  • a cast list & crew list
  • a couple of great production stills that can be used for press and promotion

Who you should give a press kit to:

  • interested investors
  • members of the press
  • bigger industry players interested in passing along information regarding your film

If you would like an example, check out Official Selections press kit here.

At the very least, make the press kit accessible online. This way, members of the press can access information about your film without having to dig through your website (which they won’t, by the way … so make it easy for them to find what they need!).

Establishing comedic tone for Official Selection

Posted Oct 18 2010 by krystamasciale in Inspiration, Official Selection with 1 Comment

Establishing musical tone for a film’s score is typically a straightforward process of elimination and addition.  For example, a drama needs dramatic music that is easily dictated by the scene; if a scene needs to be sad, we give it sad music, and then fill out the other emotions required, like hope or bitterness and so on; if a scene is “x,” then the music will be “x.”  For comedy however, writing music can be more complicated because it is never funny without context (unlike other types of music that don’t require context to convey emotion), and determining which tone will be funny within that context inevitably adds an additional layer of complication.

In Official Selection, our two main characters are respectively interested in making a refined drama and flashy action movie.  Much of the script’s comedy is derived from the fights between the proponents of these two genre extremes, which create the context that the score enters into.

The primary decision that must be made is whether the music itself will become a part of the context or act as a third party.  As a part of the context, it attempts to make no comment on the scene, being deadly honest to the content.  I say attempt however, because this is difficult.  If the music is too honest, then it becomes sarcastic, and if it isn’t honest enough, it becomes contemptuous in its apathy, mocking the emotions present in the characters to comedic ends.  Honesty itself can also be quite funny, as it tends to be in a dark comedy or some indie-style comedies (In Bruges and Greenberg come to mind).  Alternatively, if the music varies between these three lines, ducking in and out as it pleases, then it becomes a third party, making comments on the film as the narration progresses.

For Official Selection, the music plays this third party.  It consistently begins each new scene attempting to be emotionally honest, but the ridiculous behavior of the characters soon causes it to grow annoyed or impatient and it begins to swing at extremes.  For example, the film begins with a serious orchestral build rising to bombastic, classical horns and chords over the majestic phrase “UPON YOUR IMAGINARY FORCES,” but withers when the title is suddenly pulled.  For the second title, “Die Tomorrow 2: Resurrection Drift,” the music is prepared to sell the idea, beginning and ending concisely, before it can be pulled, but by the time the third title rolls around, it no longer cares and shows us with a half-hearted attempt at supporting what it believes is just a bad idea.  This cycle of providing honest tone before becoming sarcastic or apathetic cycles every scene, occasionally cutting out as if to say, “I’m not even going to respond to that behavior.”

The score, now a third party player, also goes one step further by aligning itself to the film’s cyclical nature.  Just as the film starts in an honest endeavor, deviates and then returns to seriousness, the music manages to find that honestly serious tone in the end.  I find this brings immense satisfaction to the end of the film; rather than ending in chaos or commentary, we end in honest conviction!

DS Wallace, Composer for Official Selection [http://www.ds-wallace.com/]

Film Fest Friday: Follow up

Posted Oct 15 2010 by krystamasciale in Film Fest Friday with 0 Comments

You meet a lot of people at festivals (in case you haven’t caught on to that yet). Some people will request your business card because they want to send you their scripts or email you for freebies when they get home. But some will actually want to keep in touch because they believe in your work and want to either be a part of future projects OR invest in you.

Please don’t let these folks slip through the cracks.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hubbub of festival activities and shove business cards into you coat pocket that you only wear in Boulder because you live in sunny California. But it’s very important that you make a point to follow up with the people you meet via email when you get home.

Put these people into your database (if you have one) and make sure they get updates about your film or latest projects. These are the kinds of people that tell their friends about the work you do and get people you would never otherwise connect with to jump on board with your work.

Follow up. There is no other reason to go to a festival if you aren’t going to be diligent about maintaining relationships.

Film Fest Friday: Thank You Notes

Posted Oct 8 2010 by krystamasciale with 1 Comment

I’ll make this short and sweet: It’s important to thank the people who chose your film to screen in their festival.

These people work their butts off to provide a platform for talented filmmakers to gather, exchange business cards and have their film viewed by an eager audience. Not only do they sift through hundreds of submissions, they also wrangle volunteers, put together mixers and coordinate your accommodations. The least you can do is send the programmer a nice little note acknowledging their hard work.

Your gratitude will be appreciated and probably much needed after the festival is finished.

So, make sure to bring a few thank you cards along and fill them out in your hotel room before you leave. Chances are you’ll forget to mail it, so bring it with you to a festival event and ask a volunteer or staff member to make sure the programmer receives it (unless, of course, you have the chance to hand it to the programmer directly).

That’s all folks. It’s a simple gesture that goes a long way!

Film Fest Friday: Press Releases

Posted Sep 24 2010 by krystamasciale in Film Fest Friday with 0 Comments

This won’t be the sexiest post, but I feel it will come in handy for those of you trying to get some press in festival cities. You can Google this information for more detailed examples!

Remember, your best bet is to submit releases to publications in cities where you have representation. Example: You are screening at Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kansas and your producer happens to be a Wichita native who has come back from L.A. to show his/her film in their hometown.

Here is a basic template to use for submitting releases (and remember, make sure to do your research and submit it to the person covering entertainment/festival news):

[Your Logo Here]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (date)

[Title Here]

(Example: XYZ Inc announces launch of new website )

Description: (optional) This is a very short description about the press release. Many online PR distribution sites will ask for this.

[CITY], [STATE],[Date] – [This is the opening paragraph. It should contain about 3-5 lines and considered most important since this catches attention of news readers and journalists. Typically questions for questions of who, what, when, where and why answered here. Keep it short and highlight what’s whole release is all about.]

[This paragraph goes into little depth. Give more details of product or any events taking place. This should contain about 2 comments made by spokespersons. For example, Mr. XXX said “xxxx”.]

[This paragraph focus on where users can find detailed information about product or events. Give a contact or website site for more information so that more additional information can be found. This paragraph should be concluded within 5-10 lines]

[The conclusive paragraph is known the “boilerplate” and can contain no more than 3-4 lines. A short "about" section, providing independent background on the issuing company, organization, or individual. Here you should explain future aspects, your or aim in meeting the current market or success. In general what you intend to do achieve.]

Contact Information:
[Company Name]
[Address]
[Telephone]
[Website]

###
(This mark lets the reader know that it is the end of the article.)

[Editors Note: optional]

Film Fest Friday: Mingling 101

Posted Sep 17 2010 by krystamasciale in Film Fest Friday with 0 Comments

Let’s play a game this week.

Scenario 1

You’re in line for some popcorn before the next screening at a big festival and you realize you’re behind someone you’ve been wanting to meet for a while now.

You:

a) Tap said individual on the shoulder and say, “Hi (insert name)! I am a HUGE fan of your work. I mean, you’re like one of my heroes. I would love for you to check out my film at 4:00 p.m. today. Here’s my business card and cool little promo gadget. Let’s grab coffee sometime.”

b) “Hey there! I’m (insert name). What have you thought about the festival so far? Any films you recommend I see?”

If you chose option A, you’re the person everyone tries to hide from. Why? Because people don’t like kiss asses. This industry is full of them and film festivals are no exception. Option B at least puts you in a position to talk about something other than yourself (and conversation 101 says that’s a much better way to engage someone in participatory dialog).

Scenario 2

You’re at a filmmaker’s mixer thrown by the festival coordinators. You walk in to find yourself in a sea of filmmakers (duh) and approach the bar with sweaty palms. Once you have your drink, you realize you don’t know where to begin.

You:

a) You stand there like a fool and wait until someone approaches you (after all, your film is the bees knees. Who wouldn’t want to talk to you?)

b) You only hang out with the people you came with.

c) You start introducing yourself to people or at least the one person who seems to be the resident extrovert.

If you chose option A, don’t be so shocked when your conversations last mere seconds (if anyone approaches you at all). If you choose option B, that’s OK. But couldn’t you do that back home? Option C at least makes you look approachable or interested in having a good time (both a plus if you don’t want to be walking to the rest of the festival events alone).

Other filmmakers are not your enemy. So mix, mingle, and have a good time with them. You at least have one thing in common with everyone in the room: you completed the hairy task of making it through, yet another, production. If it helps, bring someone with you who likes to meet new people and knows enough about your film to have a slightly intelligent conversation about it if need be. Otherwise, have a few drinks, loosen up and celebrate. The hardest part is already over!


Film Fest Friday: Where Lifers Emerge

Posted Sep 10 2010 by krystamasciale with 1 Comment

To me, a festival is like summer camp. There are a lot of people you will probably never speak to again. But once every few years, you’ll meet someone who will end up becoming a lifer. And that’s what this week’s Film Fest Friday post is all about.

1. Festivals are the best places to meet people who will be lifers.

lif·er: lasting a lifetime; lifelong

When you attend a festival with the intention of finding people you can genuinely connect with (rather than finding the next victim to push your film on) it’s obvious. It won’t happen every festival, but you will eventually find someone who “gets”  you. I mean, really gets you. I promise you … nothing will be more refreshing.

For us, one of our favorite people in the industry came out of a weekend in Boulder while we were screening at the Boulder International Film Festival. If you are ever chosen to screen there, you better find a way to get there. You’ll have the best weekend of your life and be in fabulous company. In our segment alone, there were 3 Oscar nominated films. (No need to pack your ego, you won’t be needing it on this trip. You’re just lucky to be there. But do bring a coat, it gets chilly!)

When we met our new BFF in Boulder, we hadn’t seen his film yet (nor had he seen ours). In fact, we all mentioned before the screening that it would be a total buzz kill if we hated each other’s work. I sat in-between the two filmmakers during the screening and clenched my teeth throughout both films. When it was finished, I watched as both guys sighed in relief that the friendship wasn’t doomed to failure due to poor taste and lack of talent. (You can check out what they’re doing at Druid Films here and here … The Academy did and decided to hook them up with a nomination this year.)

2. It’s easy to promote someone else’s projects when you really like them as a person and love their work

We talk about what these guys are up to every chance we get because we believe in what they’re doing as filmmakers.

And that’s what happens when you’re more intentional about building meaningful relationships than whoring out your film. You find people you can really connect with that give you just the amount of hope you need to keep going in this industry. Festivals are the place to make those connections. If you don’t take advantage of that caveat, you’re really missing out on an opportunity to find the lifers you’ve been looking for.

You don’t have to take my word for it. These folks have been around the block more times than I and even they would conquer:

Chris Gore’s Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Film-Festival-Survival-Guide/dp/1580650570

Sharon Badal’s Swimming Upstream: A Lifesaving Guide to Short Film Distribution http://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Upstream-Lifesaving-Guide-Distribution/dp/0240809556/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283971248&sr=1-2

* Tune in next week for practical tips on how to make the most of your conversations during festival weekends!

Those Dreaded Rewrites: Guest Blogger-Ryan Scott Self

Posted Sep 3 2010 by krystamasciale with 0 Comments

For many writers, it’s the most terrifying sentence they will ever hear: “It’ll be a great script with a few rewrites.” I can’t even count the number of time I’ve been stuck in rewrites, wanting to bash my head through my monitor in hopes that, as my body convulses with electricity, my brain will somehow meld with the digital script and yield, in my dying breath, a suitable draft. Yet recently, I’ve developed a few habits that have kept my relationship with rewrites at an amiable friendly-enemies status. So, for all you blog-sloggers, here’s my Tips on Rewrites.

Never rewrite before you’re done writing. It is all too easy when you’re working on a script, particularly a feature or anything that takes months to complete, to go back to earlier pages and see obvious mistakes and weak scenes that will need to be rewritten. But beware. That is one of the biggest pitfalls of a new writer. It’s also easy to get stuck on that “important scene.” I know, I know, the whole movie hinges on it being perfect! But for now, the whole script’s existence hinges on it being not perfect. I’m not saying to write crap. I’m saying you need to be okay with placeholders. The most important step in writing a script is to write the script. I have several writer friends who have never finished their first screenplay because they’re stuck rewriting something that doesn’t even exist yet. It’s like trying to build a Lego by taking one piece at a time out of the box at random. It’ll never work. You’ve got to pour out all the pieces at once into a big messy pile, figure out what you’re working with, and then start constructing. Just puke those pages out, sloppy as they may be. You can always fix them with rewrites. Plus, you’ll be surprised with how much gold will end up coming out unexpectedly. Once you have a completed first draft, take some time off, and then begin the rewrites.

Set realistic draft goals. Don’t think you’ll be shooting the first draft. Or even the second draft. Don’t even think you’ll be giving the first draft to your friends. You should only pass out your script when you’ve gotten it as good as you can get it yourself without feedback. Set a plan for your rewrites. Figure out what will be accomplished with each draft. My writing partner and I have a four-draft plan for most our scripts. Granted, we tend to write six or more drafts when all is said and done. But just think of four drafts as the minimum. Your first draft is just to get the story out. If you are having trouble with that first step, I would suggest creating an outline as a sort-of pre-first-draft. I always do. Your second draft is for you. Everything you are not happy with as you reread it. As a side note, it usually helps to take some time off between each draft. A week for a small project, a month for something bigger. Work on another small project, play some video games, go see some movies. Then come back with a fresh perspective. Once you have a second draft (and I don’t mean a polished 1st draft — you need to honestly be willing to cut/add/rewrite entire scenes if need be), then I would find a few trusted friends (not your mom) who will give you honest, perhaps even harsh, criticisms. From these critiques you’ll construct your third draft. Your fourth will be like your second; just for you. Make sure that all the notes you incorporated in your third draft don’t feel inconsistent with your original vision. Make everything shine. This fourth draft is usually the one I would show any perspective buyers, producers, or directors. And I would tell them it’s a first draft. Because once you have a team signed on, the whole process will start again. Bringing us to the next tip:

Learn to filter feedback. Everyone will have their own opinion. Sometimes they’ll be right. But more often than not, they are simply adding another perspective. You will never be able to write a script that the whole production team loves through-and-through. But you can write a script that has something for everyone. The key is learning how to pick your battles and

how to make compromises. If you get the same note from different people, chances are it’s a legit concern. If you get conflicting feedback from two sources, go with whatever you feel resonates with you the most, or try to find a suitable middle-ground. When all is said and done, it’s your script, not the producers’, and it’s up to you to write it. Their job is just to push you to do the best you can. In some cases, you’ll even get notes that you just don’t agree with. That’s okay. You will never be able to incorporate everyone’s notes. Just look at any movie you see on the big screen. There will always be a scene or a character choice or a line of dialogue that you would have replaced or cut. But that’s because that was not your script. Filmmaking is subjective art. The most important thing is that you don’t lose sight of your love; the passion that ignited the script. As long as you hold on to that, you will always find the words needed for a rewrite. And another rewrite. And another….

Ryan Scott Self – Writer of Official Selection, Survival Value and Pure.

www.ryanscottself.com

Film Fest Friday: Promo Materials for Cheap

Posted Aug 27 2010 by krystamasciale in Film Fest Friday with 2 Comments

It’s another Film Fest Friday!

As I promised last week, we’re going to be chatting today about promotional materials for festivals. Now, we understand that most of you don’t have the cash flow to be dropping hundreds (read: thousands) of dollars on posters, give-aways, DVD covers, etc. Trust me, we didn’t either. Although we were fortunate enough to raise some funds specifically for promo materials, we still had to do a few things ourselves to keep costs down.

Here are a few items I feel are absolutely crucial as you prep to promote at festivals:

Website. I know, they can be expensive. But WordPress has some killer templates these days that cost very little to nothing at all. I am not an advocate for simply throwing up a website … that can actually hurt your film’s ability to captivate an audience if done poorly. However, if you have the skills (or know someone who does) to put some info into a nice format online, it’s the best way to get people involved in a conversation around your project. Just remember not to put your entire film online until after you have screened at all the festivals you submitted to. You could be disqualified (I know you know that, but I felt the need to remind you just in case).

Business Cards. I don’t leave home without a set of my own (or a set of my director’s). And I especially don’t walk into a crowded lobby of festival goers without a stack of them in my hand. If you have a production company, using your company’s brand on your cards is a good idea. That way they are multi-purpose and have a longer shelf life. If you don’t have a production company, that’s totally fine. Simply put your film’s logo somewhere on the card, your name and title, contact information and most importantly, the web address for more information regarding your film. (Moo.com is a great site for quick, easy and inexpensive business card options!)

Postcards. We went to an office supply store and purchased a nice, glossy card stock. Then we shrunk our poster design onto a postcard sized format (4 should fit on each page). We added our film’s website in bold, large lettering on the bottom of each postcard and printed away on our home computer. It’s a pain to wait for them to print and cutting each of them isn’t super fun, but it’s cost effective. Since we knew we’d be attending multiple festivals, we also purchased clear, small labels. We had space on our postcard to put the label, which we modified for each festival and included the screening time.

DVDs. I wouldn’t suggest spending your time trying to sell a bunch of DVDs at festivals (UNLESS you have a good friend who is willing to man the table for you). You need to be out there meeting new people and talking about your film. I would suggest making a dozen on your home printer and having a few with you at festivals. You know, just in case that one important person walks up to you and says, “I loved your film. Do you have a copy I could take home with me to show to a few friends?” It’d be a real bummer if you weren’t prepared.

Because we had a sponsor for promo materials, we were able to get posters, a sweet banner, some fun coasters, professional postcards and business cards. But those things certainly are not necessary for getting the word out.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment if you’re so inclined!

Krysta

Film Fest Friday

Posted Aug 21 2010 by krystamasciale in Film Fest Friday with 0 Comments

I love alliteration. And when it works for blog titles I get especially excited.

That’s probably why the team doesn’t let me out to play much. Unless, of course, it’s festival time.

My piece of the Reel Vision pie is to make sure people know about the work we do. For our latest project, Official Selection, we started with the audience. In this particular case, we were targeting filmmakers, film students and people familiar with the industry in general. As you know, there is no better place to get come face time with these peeps than the festival circuit.

We started with the obvious: the Academy Qualifying Festivals. From there, we chose festivals in areas where our key contributors are from (i.e. our writer is from St. Louis, DP is from Michigan, Producer is from Kansas, all of which have prominent festivals). Since festival submission isn’t cheap, we decided to submit to hometown festivals because we felt we could maximize the potential of the film’s exposure with a built in fan-base (proud mama’s and their social networks).

We started by notifying local newspapers and University publications in the cities where we had been chosen to screen. We had ground teams posting flyers and leaving promo materials wherever they went (tune in next week for the exhilarating topic: Promo Materials For Cheap). We should have pursued local radio shows, but it honestly didn’t occur to me at the time. We made sure everyone we knew in those towns were aware of our screening time via Facebook, Twittter, our website, and of course, our moms. And then, if we could, we made sure to have a representative from the film attend the festival so that we would have a physical presence (more on prepping your representative for festival conversations later).

I love festivals. I love meeting new people and talking about how awesome our cast and crew is. It’s easy for me because I believe in these guys (which is helpful for anyone promoting anything). If I were honest, I get pretty jazzed about the prep leading up to festivals as well which is where I will leave you with a piece of advice:

Just as you look for the best person to shoot your film, write your script and perform the lines, you should do the same for the film’s promotional efforts. It’s overwhelming to do it alone, and truthfully, you may not have much energy left at that point to do the best job. Besides, it’s likely that this isn’t what you’re passionate about. If it were, you would be in marketing, not film making. So, find someone who can help you out and carry some of the load for you. It’d be a real shame if you did all that work and no one outside of your post production team got to see it.

Krysta

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