Guest Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Festivals are FLOODED now with submissions. I have got over 40 PMs from members of this forum asking me how to best market their films, first thing I tell them is to not waste time with the festivals. The aggravation, time, and money spent, simply doesn't equal any potential benefits. People talk about Sundance this and Sundance that, well they only program 120 of the 3500 feature submissions they get every year. And only 5% of the 120 will walk away with some sort of deal. The problem is that the media only reports the deals about the guys who made a movie on DV for $14.78 and sold it to Miramax for 20 million. Oddly they never report on the other 99%, the ones that never sell the finished product. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted March 20, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted March 20, 2009 While not all, of course, but so many of film festivals are a soft scam. Imagine how many submissions a festival can get and multiply that by $30 to $50 submission fee. They pretty much already know who they're going to show. So, your submission (DVD, not money) will go straight into the dumpster. They pre-choose most submissions based on the prestige they can get from showing it. They need that prestige to bluff sponsors into giving money for the festival, in which the festival will also give them advertising space. Then the festival will try to get someone to provide the venues which often go for free because the venues want exposure and traffic. The venues can get 100% of concessions on heavy traffic if it is a commercial venue. Finally, the festival will get saps to do all the work as volunteers. They often find people who want social exposure and rank increase through some form of title like, Official Festival Media Coordinator. So, who gets all that money? Curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dzyak Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Don't wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it ;) R, That reminds me of a quote I found (and like) a while back (and unfortunately can't find the author's name): If you're not failing occasionally, you're not reaching far enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 So, who gets all that money? Curious. To their credit Sundance has very low submission fees. At least that is one point in their favour. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Figueroa Baez Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I get hundreds of resumes a year unsolicited and when I ask for a particular job opening. Most of those resumes were useless, poorly written and with not enough real expereince to be a PA. Ok, so what would you consider then a proper resume...I am a graduate with a bachellor in film and I have over 20 different gigs in experience, mostly PA, grip and camera dept. I am willing to accept that there are people with a better resume than mine but, with over 90 resumes sent I've merely had 2 call backs. What do you say to us that have the passion and the training yet still find it hard to get work in order to get that experience that will get us the next gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steven Beverly Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) The problem is that the media only reports the deals about the guys who made a movie on DV for $14.78 and sold it to Miramax for 20 million. Oddly they never report on the other 99%, the ones that never sell the finished product. R, Well see THOSE people got what they deserve for shooting a feature on DV. As for the guy who made the $14.85 movie and sold it for 20 mil sometimes God has a really twisted sense of humor. I never want to enter a festival, I only want to win the award. :rolleyes: Also, I'm pretty much broke all the time so for me it seems like just another day in paradise, besides, I lived through the 70s so this poop is old hat to me. :D Edited March 21, 2009 by James Steven Beverly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steven Beverly Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Poop ?? :blink: Hey cool, a dirty work to politically correct language translation machine. I love it. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Rodgar Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Hey Saul, I used to be really concerned about the use of logical fallacy in chat and forums. I soon had to just give it up. Logical fallacy should be renamed common thought because of its prevalence. I guess what I'm saying is that navigating interactions with people seems to require a lot of overlooking of your own brain-flags. I still like all of these people even though, occasionally, some of their thoughts don't always fly cleanly through my head. I assume they show me the same courtesy... often. Yeah, Paul. Overlooking your own brain-flags . . . I like that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dzyak Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Apparently Brian you are some sort of pot smoking free love socialist commy hippy, and David is some sort of Dick Chenney loving capitalist that drives over homeless people in his luxury SUV. It's ok, it's clear to us all on the forum now :lol: R, :) Hmm, perhaps, though I've never had pot and haven't ever been to a swingers party. :P Socialist, perhaps. There is socialism all around us even when the Conservatives don't want to admit it. Despite that, a slight majority of the IA membership just voted to throw other "brothers" off their boat so we'll see how long the remaining shrinking boat can stay afloat. That's an inherently Capitalist mentality wherein those on "top" have no problem leaving others behind as long as their own interests are preserved. It's simply a difference of ideologies that exist on the planet. Some people see the big picture and know that if there is inherent inequality, then civilization itself will eventually falter. Others don't care about anyone else or the long term future as long as they get theirs. :( We'll never come to an agreement so long as that built-in selfishness exists, so the best we reasonable people can do is try to find a middle-ground that keeps the extremes grumbling but on the sidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hyslop Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Poop ?? :blink: Hey cool, a dirty work to politically correct language translation machine. I love it. :rolleyes: What did you originally write? Four letters, starts with "S" and ends with "hit"? -- Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steven Beverly Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 3 letters and an asterisk which is why it kinda suprised me. I'm thinking of writing a whole list of dirty words just to see what it comes up with. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steven Beverly Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) Ya know, I've been reading this and was not going to get involved but what the Hell. I gotta tell ya, I TRULY don't have a problem with people who work hard, take risks and make their way to the top. I actually admire them greatly. I do very much have a BIG problem with people who lie, cheat and steal their way to the top, then use every underhanded, scheming dirty trick they've ever learned in their rotten morally bankrupted life to bilk as many people as they can out of every possible penny in the name of unbridled greed and insatiable averse taking all and giving next to nothing in return, circumventing the laws meant to protect us in the process. People who buy politicians and get them elected with deceit, character assassination and treachery in order to maintain their stranglehold on the working class public by selling goods that poison our planet at artificially super inflated prices that any honest human being would cringe at in disgust so they can stuff billions upon billions of dollars into their dirty, bloodstained, money grubbing hands so they can live a life of unprecedented luxury built on the sagging backs of the ever increasing set upon working class. Or they so overprice even the most basic of services like simple healthcare and housing that the only way anyone not at the upper echelon of society can afford it is to resort to some form of socialism just as a way to, by a very small measure, even the odds. Americans and Liberals are not lazy slobs with their hands out for a free ride that think the world owes them a living, they are proud,caring people with honor and dignity that have had the deck so stacked against them by the soulless greed of self centered modern day robber barons that they have been FORCED to rely more and more on the government because these odious slimballs without conscious or moral worth have become too powerful and have used their money and power to corrupt the system to the point of nearly destroying it. Ultimately they really only want 2 classes, themselves with all the money and everyone else with none. You want to blame socialism in America on someone, blame the people you are defending. THEY caused this mess and now WE have to clean it up while they sit in one of a dozen mansions they own and watch and wait for us to rebuilt the society that they destroyed, to the point that we can make more money for them to steal. <_< Edited March 22, 2009 by James Steven Beverly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted March 22, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted March 22, 2009 Thanks for that, JSB. As they say, "Nothing like a hammer that ain't scared of nails." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Rakoczy Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That's an inherently Capitalist mentality wherein those on "top" have no problem leaving others behind as long as their own interests are preserved. That is a untrue... a total distortion and flagrant generalization. Brian, you have a very twisted view of capitalism... tho you enjoy it's benefits...you have allowed a (rotten few) to define Capitalism.. I could do the same for liberalism.... btw JSB... if you think healthcare is expensive now... just wait until it is 'free'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dzyak Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That is a untrue... a total distortion and flagrant generalization. Brian, you have a very twisted view of capitalism... tho you enjoy it's benefits...you have allowed a (rotten few) to define Capitalism.. I could do the same for liberalism.... btw JSB... if you think healthcare is expensive now... just wait until it is 'free'... I'm a reasonable person and would like to understand how my previous statement is "untrue...a total distortion and flagrant generalization." :) Nothing could make healthcare more expensive than it has become under the profit-motive system favored by Republicans for the past thirty years. For a nation like ours to still not have nationalized health care is a disgusting travesty that everyone should be ashamed of. There are plenty of ways for people to make money and raping our population with healthcare and insurance costs should never have been allowed to become one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 btw JSB... if you think healthcare is expensive now... just wait until it is 'free'... Sorry David you're wrong on this point ;) Canada spends LESS of its GDP than the USA on health care to insure all of it's citizens, while the USA leaves 50 million of its own citizens with no health insurance. I lived in the USA for five years, good grief what a major pain in the ass every time you want to see a doctor. They are far more concerned with how you are paying than your health condition. I have lived on both sides of the fence so I know. Here in Ontario....I show my health card, easy, over, done, finished, no mess no fuss. I wouldn't trade this system for US style care under any circumstances. Especially since I am self employed and have two small children to think about as well. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs since this latest recession started and to add insult to injury they lose their health insurance as well. What a nut bar system!! R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Alderslade Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Canada spends LESS of its GDP than the USA on health care to insure all of it's citizens, while the USA leaves 50 million of its own citizens with no health insurance. This is something Tony Blair's government found when they started hiring private companies for NHS services, suddenly these contracts started to drain unexpectedly money out of the rest of the service. Private organisations tend to be more efficient, but they charge so much due to their large profit margins that any improvement in service just isn't worth the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Buick Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 With what, a disposable? An FM2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Buick Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 (edited) Now, anyone know the best way to pass one's time while waiting on work? I'm thinking of learning to ferment my own wine.... Start with something like ginger beer, or root beer first. If the alcohol ends up turning into methanol it could make your liver be in trouble! :P There's a place called Northern Brewers that's rather nice, it sells root beer essence. Don't get any on your hands. Richard, I was under the impression Canada had an NHS system? It's certainly time the USA did. To get back on topic I think filmakers will always need cinematographers, they may have to work for less money, or use lesser equipment, but they won't be made redundant, surely a tough economy will increase demand for escapist entertainment. In 1929 cinema ticket sales went up by something like a third after the Wall Street mishap, and continued to rise consitstently until 1934, when thing started improving. We'll ride this recession out OK too, it doesn't seems as bad as 1929, and honestly, it's not as if bombs are dropping on out heads every second, or our loved ones are dying of a horrible incurable illness. The sun will still rise and set, and god is still looking after us all. Edited March 25, 2009 by Matthew Buick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dzyak Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 ...and god is still looking after us all. Well, if THAT'S true, then we need to rethink the common belief that "he" is a kind and benevolent being. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 That is a untrue... a total distortion and flagrant generalization. Brian, you have a very twisted view of capitalism... tho you enjoy it's benefits...you have allowed a (rotten few) to define Capitalism.. I could do the same for liberalism.... btw JSB... if you think healthcare is expensive now... just wait until it is 'free'... It's free here, and quite expensive. Much less as a percentage of GDP than the USA spends on it, though. The language filter on this forum is quite comical at times. I used one of the words for the male member in describing, IIRC, a Scottish soup. Asterisks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Chris Keth Posted March 26, 2009 Premium Member Share Posted March 26, 2009 May I suggest you guys could take your catfight to PMs or e-mail? It really doesn't seem in the otherwise professional spirit of the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Buick Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 (edited) Well, if THAT'S true, then we need to rethink the common belief that "he" is a kind and benevolent being. ;) It is true. And he is kind and benevolent. This is our fault, not his. :) Edited March 26, 2009 by Matthew Buick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brereton Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 wow, so now we've got religion and politics in this thread. Quick, someone mention Nazis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Keller Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 wow, so now we've got religion and politics in this thread. Quick, someone mention Nazis! Don't worry, if the discussion gets yanked for being off-topic, someone will. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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