Setting Yourself Up for Success at a Festival

Next week, I’m headed to Park City for my tenth Sundance Film Festival. As I think about how to prepare for this year’s edition, especially since the last two have taken place on my couch, I’m particularly excited about seeing folks in person. As the Executive Director of the Film Festival Alliance, I’ll be focused on seeing our members and hearing from them about their plans for the upcoming year. I’ll also try to squeeze in as many films as I can (the most I’ve ever seen is 25 in a week!).

Whether you’re headed to Utah for Sundance or Slamdance, or making plans for another festival this year, I want to share some recommendations for making the best of your fest. In my 10+ years of attending festivals, I find myself relying on these to ensure a fun, productive, and inspirational experience.

1. See movies! People will ask, “What have you seen? Did you like it?” You never know who you’ll meet in a line or on the bus – make sure you’ve got something to contribute to the conversation.

2. Buy a pass, not tickets. Almost all festivals will offer passes, which vary from unlimited movies to conference-only. Passes are a great way to engage with all that a festival offers. It can be the most economical option too! In the past, I’ve attended TIFF with their Conference Badge, which is much cheaper than their standard passes. It allows you into all of the education sessions and panels, and lets you waitlist for movies at no extra charge. Only rarely did I get shut out of a film and I met so many people through the daily happy hours hosted by the Festival, open to passholders only. (And made my dinner from those happy hours…)

3. Collect connections, not cards. I have stacks of business cards from years past, and most of them are for folks I don’t recall. It’s so easy to pass out a business card or postcard for your film and then never receive a follow-up. Don’t waste your money. Focus on making genuine connections that you can follow up on. Going back to #1 – use what you’ve seen or heard to get the conversation going. I’ve met some incredible people at festivals, and the reason we stayed in touch was that we had an hour-long conversation about great films, not because they gave me their business card.

4. Stay hydrated. Wear supportive shoes. Bring a tiny backpack. Go grocery shopping and pack snacks every morning (PB&Js are highly recommended). Have a battery pack on you. All of this allows you to go with the flow. I’ve had days that started and ended at 8am. You want to be flexible enough to change plans without having to hike all the way back to wherever you’re staying. The spontaneity of the festival day is one of the things I love the most!

5. Explore. Discover. The best part of a festival is the discovery. Programmers excel at bringing you films and makers from around the world, from voices not yet heard to perspectives yet-to-unfold on screen. Use this opportunity to expand your understanding of cinema and to be inspired by this incredible art form. I usually pick one or two big films that I really want to see before their release. And then, I go straight for the films less likely to be picked up. This might be my only chance to see them!

My last recommendation supersedes all of the above (except the supportive shoes…), and that is to identify why you’re going to the festival. Are you going to support a friend’s film? Looking to meet collaborators? Seeking to pitch a project of your own? Needing to be inspired? Plan your schedule accordingly, giving more weight to your why, and leave just enough room for that festival magic (or the blizzard that brings three feet of snow to Park City overnight).

Safe travels, and I hope to see you on the festival circuit this year!

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