We are in the midst of the Winter/Spring festival season so I thought it would be a great time to post my conversation with Sky Sitney — Georgetown University professor, co-founder and festival director of the DC/DOX Festival, and former artistic director of AFI Docs. We dove into the ins and outs of the current landscape of film festivals. We tackled the big questions on every filmmaker’s mind: How do you approach festivals strategically? How do you engage your audience? How do you stay adaptable in an unpredictable landscape? Here are some of the main takeaways from this AMA.
How Do You Build a Festival Strategy?
Get Clear on Your Goal: Is your aim distribution, career growth, audience building, social impact or money? Knowing this will shape which festivals you target and how you approach them.
“What’s the goal of your film, and how does your festival strategy meet that goal?” ~ Sitney
Dream Launch: What’s your ideal way to introduce your film to the world? Define this before submitting to festivals.
What does your film offer, and who are the niche audiences it connects with?
Flexibility is Key: Festivals are unpredictable; rigid plans can backfire. Be ready to pivot based on your film’s reception or new opportunities.
Sales Festivals vs. Networking Festivals: Major festivals like Sundance are known for sales, but smaller festivals with strong networking opportunities, panels, and industry presence can be just as valuable.
Not every festival is about making a sale — some are about making connections and connecting with audiences.
How Do You Engage with Festival Programmers?
Word of Mouth Matters: Programmers want to discover new films, but word of mouth can accelerate a film’s visibility. Good films don’t get disregarded, though they may not always resonate with a festival’s criteria.
“All festivals want to be a place of discovery. That’s really the goal for programmers.” ~ Sitney
No One-Size-Fits-All Approach: Programmers rarely talk to each other post-COVID. Focus on making your film stand out on its own, rather than relying solely on cover letters or introductions.
“Programmers want films to speak for themselves outside of the context of the materials.” ~ Sitney
Special Screening Factors: If there’s something unique about your screening — like a partner organization or a high-impact audience — let the festival know. This can create urgency and excitement.
“A festival wants to know that the film will land with audiences.” ~ Sitney
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