Film Festival Best Practices

Best Practices for Professional Film Festivals

These best practices represent a minimum set of standards, transparency into process and policies, and set of expectations that professional film festivals should meet when accepting film submissions and interacting with filmmakers.

Compliance with these standards and development of business practices that support them will benefit the film festival community in securing long-lasting, trusting relationships with filmmakers, distributors, agents, and other film industry professionals.

Film Submission and Entry Process
Submission guidelines and competition rules should be easily accessible on the festival's website and/or submission platforms and include:

1. The festival's mission or guiding purpose statement

2. Dates and types of the film festival's public screenings, virtual screenings, and special

   events:

   • Public 

   • Private 

   • Online 

   •  In-person

   • Converted / non-traditional venues 

3. A description of the festival's audience/demographics

4. Programmatic interests and competition categories

5. List of any awards or special recognition, including prize money available

6. Acceptable formats for both the review process and festival screenings

7. Information on any fees charged for technical conformity (e.g., DCP creation) or tech

   check screening

8. Requirements for film captioning

9. Premiere requirements

10. Submission fees and deadlines

11. Fee waiver policies

12. Notification date

13. Assurance that all submissions will receive a notification of acceptance or rejection no

    later than the published Notification date

14. Contact information for the programming department

15. Assurance that all entrant personal data and links to online content are treated in strictest confidence by the festival's staff

Festivals are strongly encouraged to also include:

• Names of Programming staff members 

• Any fees charged by third-party entities for possible technical conformity (DCP creation, 

  digital conversions)

• Any opportunities (free or paid) for technical assistance (closed captioning, DCP 

  creation, etc) for selected films

  Film Review and Selection Process

  The established system for evaluation of submissions should be easily accessible on the festival's website and/or submission platforms, and include:

1. A short description of the review process for both invited and unsolicited film submissions

2. The minimum number of reviewers who will evaluate the submission

3. A pledge similar to the following: "Submitted films links or copies will never be shared or

   duplicated outside of adjudication, including with donors, sponsors or for personal or fundraising purposes, unless specific permission is obtained from the filmmaker or submitting entity."

Filmmaker Outreach 

Shortly after acceptance into the festival, all filmmakers should receive comprehensive information outlining filmmaker benefits, which may include:

1. Travel arrangements/support

2. Lodging arrangements/support

3. Meal and snack accommodations

4. Support needs and accessibility contact

5. Complimentary festival passes or ticket policies

6. Screening fees or filmmaker stipends

7. Contact information for programming and hospitality staff

8. ANY additional fees to participate in the festival (parties, fundraising events, duplicate

   trophies) beyond the initial submission fees

9. Events filmmakers can expect at the festival (Q&A's, Red Carpets, Press Interviews)

10. Festival expectations for pre-screening introduction / post-screening Q&A

11. Virtual introduction / Q&A capability potential
12. Screening data and information that will be available post-festival
13. Opportunities to leverage festival attendance for future engagement (mailing lists,

tabling, program ads, etc.)

Traffic and Exhibition

Shortly after acceptance into the festival, all filmmakers should receive comprehensive information outlining exhibition standards and trafficking policies, which may include:

1. Exhibition format and delivery requirements for screenings

2. Capability and cost of any technical checks

3. Any other deliverables required (Stills, Posters, Headshots, .srt files)

4. Shipping address or upload information to receive exhibition materials

5. Final deadline to send all exhibition materials

6. Theater capacities and capabilities

7. A Description of Venues used (Cinema, Alternate Space Converted into a Theater,

   Non-traditional space like a bar or swimming pool)

8. Anti-piracy policies in place to protect filmmakers and ensure all exhibition materials will

   be handled in a secure manner

9. Festival policies regarding shipping and related costs
   
   

Accessibility

The following recommendations are based on the Accessibility Scorecard’s Impact Report and Recommendations, and are strongly encouraged:

• ●  Ensure content related to accessibility is easy to find on the website so filmmakers with disabilities understand what is available prior to submitting

• ●  Provide contact information, including name, email and phone number, for a staff member who is knowledgeable about the access advertised and can speak with filmmakers regarding accessibility

• ●  Require closed captions for films, either provided by filmmaker or funded by festival

• ●  Provide information on your website regarding additional access, including whether live

  captions, ASL, or a low-sensory space are available.
  
  

Good Faith

Festivals should operate on good faith. While it is not their intention to create ill-will towards filmmakers, there may be incidents which occur that are necessary for the smooth operation of the festival or beyond their control, such as:

1. Change in venue or screening times

2. Technical or equipment malfunctions

3. Enforcement of copyright claims

Any changes stated above should be communicated and negotiated professionally.