EPKs for shorts festivals

[Guest Tim Partridge]

I have noticed that a few festivals request an "electronic press kit" to go with short film submissions. A couple of behind the scenes photos, plot synopsis and a brief credits list. Are these becoming more of a standard requirement at festivals? Does it hurt to send just the film in?

 

Any info about short film EPK dos and don't would be appreciated!

 

Thanks

[A. Whitehouse]

I've done a couple of short film EPKs for different projects and they are pretty standard documents with the materials you listed. Generally the festival will use them to generate their programs or for their website so whatever you send them gets printed. My only tip would be to keep it as short as possible, two pages. I would send it in hard format and on cd with some stills. It's just about making it as easy as possible for the festival. Ive seen some 6 page EPKs for shorts and what busy festival office is going to want to wade through all that? Include shooting and screening formats and a picture of the director. I made the mistake of sending a picture of myself with a chimpanzee and thats what they printed in the program at one festival so there isn't a lot of vetting of the materials. Also include a list of your festival screenings as this is useful information for them as well.

Hope this helps.

[Guest Tim Partridge]

Thankyou for this info!

 

So by the sounds of things, you COULD send just a hard copy of these basics? I was under the impression that a DVD extra stills gallery and all of that other tedium was involved.

 

Has anyone ever lost out on a festival by not contributing an EPK?

 

PS what's wrong with a Chimpanzee? ;)