Post by snowman on Nov 3, 2009 12:46:48 GMT -5
If this forum is truly for the lo-budget film maker, then most of you reading this will be, or have made your own lo-budget horror movie.
You've made your movie, what's next? Get it into festivals.
My response is don't waste your time or money unless you have a minor celebrity somewhere in the movie, so you can put some asses in festival seats.
Here's my reasoning, and you'll need a little background on me, since you don't know me from a hole in the head.
I worked ten years as a stage manager for a repertory theatre on Long Island, took screenwriting classes at Gotham Writer's Workshop, and it took over two years but I managed to make my movie "Us Sinners". While Us Sinners is far from perfect, it has excellent acting and some truly disturbing kills. But, the biggest asset Us Sinners boasts is the best ending ever shot on MiniDv. That's a bold statement, but it's true. Even people who hate the movie (and there are plenty of those) don't deny the ending. It's great, and unexpected. Yet, for the audience member who is truly insightful, it's foreshadowed.
Us Sinners' first eight reviews were absolutely glowing "A horror movie for True Horror Fans" blah blah blah...
I entered a rough edit in the Spooky Movie Film Festival and while it didn't make the festival it was picked for a movie marathon in Oct. 2007.One person literally jumped out of their seat, and another screamed "Holy sh*t" when the ending came about. That's pretty d**n good for a movie made for practically nothing.
I was flying high. Then came the next eight reviews, and most claim it to be the worst movie ever made. If they could even call it a movie.
That didn't deter me. The reviews were split 50/50, so I had a good chance of getting it into 50% of festivals. I started entering it in every horror festival I could find. NOT ONE was it picked for. Then I started seeing the movies that beat out Us Sinners and I was pissed. Many of these movies SUCK, I mean suck. They have nothing redeeming in them. I gave these "festivals" fees to have a shot, and I had no shot. Because the one thing these "horror" movies had that Us Sinners didn't is some D star cameo.
A name in a movie goes a long way in festival land. One festival promoter put it to me this way "Festivals are a business, and we need an audience. A movie with a star's name will bring in fans. A completely unknown movie won't."
Before you spend what little cash you have to enter a festival. Check out a few things; First, see the films that have played years earlier. If 90% of them have a name in it, then don't bother. Second, that 10% that don't have names, see where the film maker and film is located. It's more then likely from the immediate area. The thought process is "A movie made in the suburbs of Chicago, playing in Chicago will bring the film maker, his family and friends." Again, all about business, and nothing to do with actual merit.
IMO the majority of festivals are a crock and a complete waste of money.
If you've made a movie that's really good and deserves an audience, spend the money on marketing and other places. Entering it in festivals is just pissing the money away.
You've made your movie, what's next? Get it into festivals.
My response is don't waste your time or money unless you have a minor celebrity somewhere in the movie, so you can put some asses in festival seats.
Here's my reasoning, and you'll need a little background on me, since you don't know me from a hole in the head.
I worked ten years as a stage manager for a repertory theatre on Long Island, took screenwriting classes at Gotham Writer's Workshop, and it took over two years but I managed to make my movie "Us Sinners". While Us Sinners is far from perfect, it has excellent acting and some truly disturbing kills. But, the biggest asset Us Sinners boasts is the best ending ever shot on MiniDv. That's a bold statement, but it's true. Even people who hate the movie (and there are plenty of those) don't deny the ending. It's great, and unexpected. Yet, for the audience member who is truly insightful, it's foreshadowed.
Us Sinners' first eight reviews were absolutely glowing "A horror movie for True Horror Fans" blah blah blah...
I entered a rough edit in the Spooky Movie Film Festival and while it didn't make the festival it was picked for a movie marathon in Oct. 2007.One person literally jumped out of their seat, and another screamed "Holy sh*t" when the ending came about. That's pretty d**n good for a movie made for practically nothing.
I was flying high. Then came the next eight reviews, and most claim it to be the worst movie ever made. If they could even call it a movie.
That didn't deter me. The reviews were split 50/50, so I had a good chance of getting it into 50% of festivals. I started entering it in every horror festival I could find. NOT ONE was it picked for. Then I started seeing the movies that beat out Us Sinners and I was pissed. Many of these movies SUCK, I mean suck. They have nothing redeeming in them. I gave these "festivals" fees to have a shot, and I had no shot. Because the one thing these "horror" movies had that Us Sinners didn't is some D star cameo.
A name in a movie goes a long way in festival land. One festival promoter put it to me this way "Festivals are a business, and we need an audience. A movie with a star's name will bring in fans. A completely unknown movie won't."
Before you spend what little cash you have to enter a festival. Check out a few things; First, see the films that have played years earlier. If 90% of them have a name in it, then don't bother. Second, that 10% that don't have names, see where the film maker and film is located. It's more then likely from the immediate area. The thought process is "A movie made in the suburbs of Chicago, playing in Chicago will bring the film maker, his family and friends." Again, all about business, and nothing to do with actual merit.
IMO the majority of festivals are a crock and a complete waste of money.
If you've made a movie that's really good and deserves an audience, spend the money on marketing and other places. Entering it in festivals is just pissing the money away.