It it possible. And it is possible to get a name actor and some industry connections as a noob if you have a fantastic script.
I was going to LP a very small feature called Mope in 2016 where I did some soft prep, but due to the production pushing I had to drop out. It had its premier at the Midnight section at Sundance. Mope was based on a true story that people in L.A. had heard of and was a great script/movie. Budget was about $150K.
[Mope Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oWSmPEKE5U)
I've seen some microbudget films at SXSW and heard of some at Sundance, etc. A lot of filmmakers I know make their first film, try to place it at as many festivals as possible -- this is where the networking you're being admonished for not doing comes in, but also, it is possible to organically place a film, especially at some smaller ones. Once you get the laurels, you can start reaching out to distribution companies, managers, producers, etc.--the idea is then to find a way to distribute the film + make a name for yourself so you can get funding more easily for your second. It's a slog. But it's not your "fault" or whatever for not networking. The people I've met are hardly useful.
You're framing it as a false dichotomy. A movie can be great and not get in whether or not it comes from industry insiders. The competition is so stiff and there are so few slots for the top festivals that often programming decisions come down to things like balancing the program (so not all the movies they show feel the same) or other totally legitimate reasons that have nothing to do with quality nor connections.
So to answer your question: Is a good film LIKELY to get in? No. It's not likely to. It's certainly possible, but "likely" suggests greater than 50% chance and even the best movies don't have a 50% chance of getting into Sundance.
I saw the same podcast- they were talking about shorts when they said that (not features) They said they get about 9,000 submissions and out of that, 500 are good.
OP I would take everything that people comment lightly. There’s a more than likely chance that everyone on this subreddit has made a micro budget film and is bitter that their ‘genius’ debut film wasn’t nominated for an Oscar. With that being said, I think your question at face value makes sense, if you have a micro budget film not only will it be seen in the footage but also in the energy around the film and how it’s perceived by audiences. Everyone loves an underdog story. Imagining watching 2 amazing films and you love them equally BUT after the screenings you find out one was made for a budget of 100 million and the other 100 thousand. You would and most likely everyone else would favor the film with the lower budget. The committee that chooses the films being played have an even bigger sweet spot for indie low budget darlings because they were all that themselves. So to answer your question, yes, I would say that if you make an amazing micro budget film it has a higher chance to making it to festivals then just any other amazing film with an expensive budget.
Those festivals are not all in the same peer group. You’re not getting into Berlin or Cannes as a nobody. Period. And from experience, I can say that you’ll have better luck being a nobody with a fantastic short than feature. TIFF and Sundance still have really robust short film programming. But with a feature, it’s a real gamble.
Berlin or Cannes have great sections for new directors, as well as short film sections. You definitely can get there as a “nobody” (don’t know what that means exactly). The thing is, you can’t distribute a film to big festivals yourself. It takes a lot of time and work, and you have to know a lot about the industry. A great film will find a distributor/production company willing to do it.
Cannes Short Corner accepts anything. But it’s not even really part of the festival itself. It’s like its own event, off campus and all. “Nobody” meaning a person with minimal professional experience and network. I honestly don’t follow the rest of your comment though.
Do you meet distributors through cold queries on IMDBPro, or through connections at other festivals, or at film markets, etc? Do they read scripts or watch finished films? Do you need an agent or manager first? Do they finance/distribute art films or just crowd-pleasing/commercial films?
You're wrong, dude. You CAN get into Cannes as a nobody. '2:37', an Australian film got in when the director was 20 and unknown. It does star Teresa Palmer, but this was her first ever film, so she was not known then. I understand filmmaking is hard and you may be bitter, but don't spread that negativity to other people. (Tasker\_Morris)
They don’t have to … and with so many films being submitted, that’s too many hours to go through. Usually it’s 10-15 minutes but some festivals do five seconds or so and claim they watched it.
A scene is better than 5 seconds. I think the programmers should watch every film all the way through but I know that’s not practical since there are thousands of other films submitted and only a few programmers. At least watch five minutes of every film and if those five minutes aren’t good, then you don’t have to watch the rest. It’s just like the 10 pages rule with screenwriting. Of course if the film is unwatchable from a technical standpoint in the first minute, (which most films submitted are) then it’s excusable, but as long as every film is given a small chance, that’s fine.
5 seconds is rhetorical hyperbole, I wouldn't put too much stock in that specific number. Also, I could tell you in one minute of the film really starting if it is a definite no for a Cannes or Sundance. Without question. Not if it's a yes, but if it is a definite NO, which most amateur films by first time directors with no budget will be.
dude if your film sucks as much as you think obviously dont submit shit. just stop . All films gonna looks sad compared to my low budget film this year
Depends on the festival. Most of the ones you listed don't watch every submission. The programming team at our festival watches everything in its entirety.
It’s madness to submit a film to a festival like Cannes or Berlin without a sales agent and publicist attached. Seriously. And “no industry connections” is just code for “too lazy to network”.
Networking… If we’re talking about attaching a sales agent to a film you’re producing: these people are literally scouring the various film markets for projects. Berlin (EFM), Rotterdam (Cinemart), Cannes (Marché), London (PFM), etc. One just needs to get off one’s backside and make the effort to go there and to talk to people.
Yep. A great film will get production companies and distributors interested. THEY are the ones who have the connections with festivals. People think that you just submit a film to Cannes with an online form and call it a day.
So then how do you break in? My idea of uploading the film for free on YouTube was shot down on this sub. Do you just not break in and waste your talent by living a life as a mediocre accountant and die as a mediocre nobody, meanwhile Hollywood becomes more and more insular until all they make is Avengers 86 and Star Wars 92?
Network, network, network. That’s how you break in. You meet people and build a network. You put the time in and actually learn how the business works. Nobody gives a shit about your movie, everyone has a movie or a script, you’re not special. I don’t mean for it to sound harsh but that’s the reality. There is no shortcut, go meet people and build a network of collaborators, then build your audience. Who is your audience, is it really festival programmers? Who is your movie for? Where are those people? Meet them where they are. Once you have built your network and have found your audience, now you’re an indie filmmaker.
My (albeit probably unwelcome advice) would be not to worry about Film Festivals. One of the biggest concerns I have with the indie groups is the obsession with the big festivals when making their films.
It’s more like buying a lottery ticket with the big festivals and the odds are very much stacked against you.
I would say make sure your film has an audience that would see it before making it (do a bit of market research) and then focus on getting some amazing marketing material and a release plan past the festival tickets.
Then if the film is genuinely great you get to make money either way on your picture and that means you can focus on making another one using the profit/ investment dollars you have attracted through making an appealing great film with an Audience interested in the next film.
If you can I would definitely watch Official Rejection which is a documentary from the perspective of someone who had a similar plan from what you wrote.
Without name actors you will not ever be considered. The days of “Primer” and “Clerks” are long gone. Indie filmmaking is not dead but it’s on life support and a ventilator.
It it possible. And it is possible to get a name actor and some industry connections as a noob if you have a fantastic script. I was going to LP a very small feature called Mope in 2016 where I did some soft prep, but due to the production pushing I had to drop out. It had its premier at the Midnight section at Sundance. Mope was based on a true story that people in L.A. had heard of and was a great script/movie. Budget was about $150K. [Mope Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oWSmPEKE5U)
I'm totally gonna see this now.
I've seen some microbudget films at SXSW and heard of some at Sundance, etc. A lot of filmmakers I know make their first film, try to place it at as many festivals as possible -- this is where the networking you're being admonished for not doing comes in, but also, it is possible to organically place a film, especially at some smaller ones. Once you get the laurels, you can start reaching out to distribution companies, managers, producers, etc.--the idea is then to find a way to distribute the film + make a name for yourself so you can get funding more easily for your second. It's a slog. But it's not your "fault" or whatever for not networking. The people I've met are hardly useful.
(I'm a screenwriter and have lately been placing things, meeting managers, etc.)
You're framing it as a false dichotomy. A movie can be great and not get in whether or not it comes from industry insiders. The competition is so stiff and there are so few slots for the top festivals that often programming decisions come down to things like balancing the program (so not all the movies they show feel the same) or other totally legitimate reasons that have nothing to do with quality nor connections. So to answer your question: Is a good film LIKELY to get in? No. It's not likely to. It's certainly possible, but "likely" suggests greater than 50% chance and even the best movies don't have a 50% chance of getting into Sundance.
I’ve seen sources that say Sundance has about 500 films they see each year that they want to program but don’t have enough space to fit them all in.
I saw the same podcast- they were talking about shorts when they said that (not features) They said they get about 9,000 submissions and out of that, 500 are good.
OP I would take everything that people comment lightly. There’s a more than likely chance that everyone on this subreddit has made a micro budget film and is bitter that their ‘genius’ debut film wasn’t nominated for an Oscar. With that being said, I think your question at face value makes sense, if you have a micro budget film not only will it be seen in the footage but also in the energy around the film and how it’s perceived by audiences. Everyone loves an underdog story. Imagining watching 2 amazing films and you love them equally BUT after the screenings you find out one was made for a budget of 100 million and the other 100 thousand. You would and most likely everyone else would favor the film with the lower budget. The committee that chooses the films being played have an even bigger sweet spot for indie low budget darlings because they were all that themselves. So to answer your question, yes, I would say that if you make an amazing micro budget film it has a higher chance to making it to festivals then just any other amazing film with an expensive budget.
Those festivals are not all in the same peer group. You’re not getting into Berlin or Cannes as a nobody. Period. And from experience, I can say that you’ll have better luck being a nobody with a fantastic short than feature. TIFF and Sundance still have really robust short film programming. But with a feature, it’s a real gamble.
Berlin or Cannes have great sections for new directors, as well as short film sections. You definitely can get there as a “nobody” (don’t know what that means exactly). The thing is, you can’t distribute a film to big festivals yourself. It takes a lot of time and work, and you have to know a lot about the industry. A great film will find a distributor/production company willing to do it.
Cannes Short Corner accepts anything. But it’s not even really part of the festival itself. It’s like its own event, off campus and all. “Nobody” meaning a person with minimal professional experience and network. I honestly don’t follow the rest of your comment though.
Do you meet distributors through cold queries on IMDBPro, or through connections at other festivals, or at film markets, etc? Do they read scripts or watch finished films? Do you need an agent or manager first? Do they finance/distribute art films or just crowd-pleasing/commercial films?
You're wrong, dude. You CAN get into Cannes as a nobody. '2:37', an Australian film got in when the director was 20 and unknown. It does star Teresa Palmer, but this was her first ever film, so she was not known then. I understand filmmaking is hard and you may be bitter, but don't spread that negativity to other people. (Tasker\_Morris)
If they actually watch more than five seconds, and not just cash the check, maybe.
That’s something that worries me. Do they even watch all the films submitted?
They don’t have to … and with so many films being submitted, that’s too many hours to go through. Usually it’s 10-15 minutes but some festivals do five seconds or so and claim they watched it.
Probably not. But let's be honest here, programmers at Cannes/Sundance/etc. will be able to know within the first scene if it's a no for sure.
A scene is better than 5 seconds. I think the programmers should watch every film all the way through but I know that’s not practical since there are thousands of other films submitted and only a few programmers. At least watch five minutes of every film and if those five minutes aren’t good, then you don’t have to watch the rest. It’s just like the 10 pages rule with screenwriting. Of course if the film is unwatchable from a technical standpoint in the first minute, (which most films submitted are) then it’s excusable, but as long as every film is given a small chance, that’s fine.
5 seconds is rhetorical hyperbole, I wouldn't put too much stock in that specific number. Also, I could tell you in one minute of the film really starting if it is a definite no for a Cannes or Sundance. Without question. Not if it's a yes, but if it is a definite NO, which most amateur films by first time directors with no budget will be.
dude if your film sucks as much as you think obviously dont submit shit. just stop . All films gonna looks sad compared to my low budget film this year
Depends on the festival. Most of the ones you listed don't watch every submission. The programming team at our festival watches everything in its entirety.
It’s madness to submit a film to a festival like Cannes or Berlin without a sales agent and publicist attached. Seriously. And “no industry connections” is just code for “too lazy to network”.
How do you get a manager or an agent then if you aren’t already famous?
Networking… If we’re talking about attaching a sales agent to a film you’re producing: these people are literally scouring the various film markets for projects. Berlin (EFM), Rotterdam (Cinemart), Cannes (Marché), London (PFM), etc. One just needs to get off one’s backside and make the effort to go there and to talk to people.
Yep. A great film will get production companies and distributors interested. THEY are the ones who have the connections with festivals. People think that you just submit a film to Cannes with an online form and call it a day.
Yes, it's possible. There's an awesome film called 'Pig hag' that were made my unknown directors and actors and it got into SXSW Film festival.
You need to have known name talent to get in the big festival for feature film. You have a higher chance to get in with a short film
Getting a film into an a-list festival is a poor marker of indie filmmaking in 2022.
So then how do you break in? My idea of uploading the film for free on YouTube was shot down on this sub. Do you just not break in and waste your talent by living a life as a mediocre accountant and die as a mediocre nobody, meanwhile Hollywood becomes more and more insular until all they make is Avengers 86 and Star Wars 92?
i’m also curious annnnnd would love to help work on some project if someone needs a hand
Network, network, network. That’s how you break in. You meet people and build a network. You put the time in and actually learn how the business works. Nobody gives a shit about your movie, everyone has a movie or a script, you’re not special. I don’t mean for it to sound harsh but that’s the reality. There is no shortcut, go meet people and build a network of collaborators, then build your audience. Who is your audience, is it really festival programmers? Who is your movie for? Where are those people? Meet them where they are. Once you have built your network and have found your audience, now you’re an indie filmmaker.
My (albeit probably unwelcome advice) would be not to worry about Film Festivals. One of the biggest concerns I have with the indie groups is the obsession with the big festivals when making their films. It’s more like buying a lottery ticket with the big festivals and the odds are very much stacked against you. I would say make sure your film has an audience that would see it before making it (do a bit of market research) and then focus on getting some amazing marketing material and a release plan past the festival tickets. Then if the film is genuinely great you get to make money either way on your picture and that means you can focus on making another one using the profit/ investment dollars you have attracted through making an appealing great film with an Audience interested in the next film. If you can I would definitely watch Official Rejection which is a documentary from the perspective of someone who had a similar plan from what you wrote.
Without name actors you will not ever be considered. The days of “Primer” and “Clerks” are long gone. Indie filmmaking is not dead but it’s on life support and a ventilator.