[Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals

[Bryan McKay]

Because watching a film in the theatre still beats watching one on your
computer screen? Because YouTube still can't manage to screen 35mm or 16mm?
Because you want to support your local arts community? Because the sort of
curation that goes on at festival screenings can elaborate heretofore unseen
thematic or aesthetic links between disparate works? Because you might
actually get a chance to meet and chat with the filmmaker whose work you've
just enjoyed? Because having a shared experience in a dark room with a bunch
of other people can be a profoundly moving experience?

On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 12:22 PM, Matt Helme <dcinema2134 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> When you can put your work on-line and have it seen worldwide, why bother
> with festivals?
> Matt
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff-94PXtixo
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* D Dawson <decodawson at shaw.ca>
> *To:* Experimental Film Discussion List <frameworks at jonasmekasfilms.com>
> *Sent:* Wed, February 16, 2011 12:11:52 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Frameworks] Current situation with Film Festivals
>
> I agree with Dominic,  I have heard horror stories about festivals sending
> home 150 tapes each to 5 individual undergrads telling them to choose 20
> that “he/she likes” no mention of the criteria of evaluation or the fact
> that a single person’s judgment might throw off the whole process.    I mean
> realistically how else are you going to get through 1000-2000 films right?
>
>
> Deco
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 2/16/11 10:38 AM, "DOMINIC ANGERAME" <dominicangerame at sbcglobal.net>
> wrote:
>
>
> I am noticing an alarming trend these days with experimental film festivals
> throughout the world. I received a notice from the Images Festival in Canada
> that they received more than 1,000 entries for exhibition. I am sure that
> Ann Arbor Film Festival received far more entries than the 150 films they
> are viewing. Since is seems that almost everyone is a filmmaker these days
> that the structure and procedures of the major experimental film festivals
> should be changed in major ways. Virtually all festivals charge an fee for
> entry. 1000 entries can mean $25,000 going to the festivals for
> admin/pre-screening, etc. This does not include the donations, governmental
> grants, and other sources of income.  I used to run a couple of festivals
> and understand the purpose of entry fees to help defray costs. However,
> since the number of entries for many festivals has risen more than 3 or 4
> times the amount the festivals need to consider extending their exhibitions
> to accomodate the amount of entries. Most filmmakers are now facing a 1 to
> 20 odds of having their films shown in major festivals. This is less than
> playing the lottery.
>
> It is distressing for me, having been making films for more than 40 years
> to see the festival situation become so debased. The volume of work being
> entered is drowning these festivals in both admin, and creative decisions. I
> have served on juries in many festivals and noticed when I looked at the
> list of the films rejected by pre screeners that many great films had been
> rejected. As a judge I requested to view those rejected and found most of
> the films selected by me were shown at these particular festivals. Since the
> volume of entered work in most well known festivals far exceeds the
> festivals ability to manage this volume, that a new structure needs to be
> put in place. This would be a great service to the filmmakers entering their
> works into these festivals.
>
> Dominic Angerame
> ------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------
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> www.decodawson.com
>
>
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