Creating a More Transparent Film Festival Landscape
A brief discussion with Gray Rodriguez of the Film Festival Alliance on a great step forward for our Industry.
I think you know, like with most things, as much as I love them, I have a beef or two, with film festivals.
And if you’ve been reading HopeForFilm, you probably recognize that I am a fan of practices that make any process clear to all participants, both from their position of participation and of the process at large. So much still remains cloaked and unclear in the film world. If we had an Artists’ Bill Of Rights, transparency to the promotion and business processes would be part of it; it is our right IMO.
We have a cause to celebrate today though. Two birds, one stone. When our film organizations take it upon themselves to help us better understand how the biscuits are made, they deserve far more than a cheer. The Film Festival Alliance has done just that. They have released an initial Best Practices protocol for their members and will expand upon it as time continues on.
As I encourage all to both think utopian and practice pragmatism, extending beyond this one can see how a Film Festival Best Practices is a necessary component for all filmmakers to be able to structure a common sense festival strategy, you start to see while you are drinking your coffee, I am dancing a jig.
I got the opportunity to chat with Gray Rodriguez, Film Festival Alliance’s Director of Communication, on this new initiative.
How did the idea for best practices develop and what problem does it address?
The idea has been around for quite some time. Many of our members and even filmmakers have reached out to us at various points in time asking about some sort of professional standards for festivals. Over the years we’ve hosted countless conversations at festival gatherings, board meetings, and filmmaker feedback sessions. We kept hearing the same questions: "What happens after I submit?" ,"Is anyone actually watching my film?", “Are festivals a scam?”.
These best practices address a fundamental need for transparency in how festivals operate and communicate with filmmakers. We’ve taken years of discussion and feedback and turned it into a solution: the Film Festival Directory and accompanying Best Practices for Professional Film Festivals. We’re really excited to see how festivals implement these best practices, and how filmmakers interact with the directory.
I’m with you, and am looking to see how it grows from here. Who is able to be a part of the Film Festival Directory?
A directory profile is one of the many benefits of being an FFA Member. We want festivals of all sizes and focuses to participate because creating a more transparent festival landscape benefits everyone. Whether you're a first-year festival or have been running for decades, if you're ready to commit to these basic professional standards, there's a place for you.
Cool. How do you imagine people using the Film Festival Directory?
We see filmmakers using the directory as a starting point for their festival submission strategy. Before heading to a film submission platform like FilmFreeway, they can start with our resource to find festivals that match their values and goals, doing research that helps them understand those festivals better before spending any money on submissions. The profiles offer insight into programming strategies, accessibility information, and filmmaker benefits.
Festival organizers might use it to connect with other festivals that share their values or to learn about practices they could implement, particularly in reviewing programming statements. It's also a valuable resource for film schools and organizations advising filmmakers on their festival strategy. This isn't just a list – it's a critical tool for building trust between festivals and filmmakers.
Awesome, and well said! What's next for this project?
The launch of these best practices and the directory is a great starting block for us as we plan ahead for future programming and resources. We'll be gathering feedback from both festivals and filmmakers about what's working and what could be improved after it has been out in the world for a while. We're excited to see how this project opens up new conversations between festivals and filmmakers. We want to keep building tools that make the festival world work better for everyone involved.
Check out The Film Festival Alliance’s Film Festival Directory here: https://filmfestivalalliance.org/filmmakers/film-festival-directory
Kudo’s to the initial steps of Best Practices too. I know I have often wanted to find such information for a festival and had little insight into these. What else would you like to see added in the days to come?
https://filmfestivalalliance.org/advocacy/best-practices
It makes me wonder, was it a help that I wrote this way back when, or was it more the collective unconscious that spoke up that this was how things had to change:
Read more about the Film Festival Alliance here: https://filmfestivalalliance.org/about-us/who-we-are
Film Festival Alliance creates a collaborative global community for mission-driven film festivals. FFA advocates for a sustainable and inclusive environment for our industry within the cinema exhibition ecosystem and creates a powerful collective voice for film festivals and the people who run them.
I wish the Film Festival Alliance well, though its mission will be difficult to achieve. The one thing I wish that all festivals would come to understand is that, they are not in competition with each other. So many festivals feel proprietary over selected films, and that insistence harms both the films/filmmakers and the festivals themselves. So many festivals fade away because of this illusionary bias. A sharing and mutual celebration of great works makes every festival that recognizes that quality effort shine as a beacon of good taste and trusted curation.
I go to multiple film festivals every year and the mix is between some of the biggest and some of the smallest. Each festival gives me something different, unique to each organization even when I am seeing films that have played the other festivals I attend. I chose festivals because of their character, their selection of great films and never have I not attended one because the films weren't in premiere status. It's not a competition, it's a celebration and we can all participate and bring our own spin to the spinning of plates of entertainment value to the show.
Thanks, I will forward the best practices to our team I didn’t know about them til I read this