Filmmaking / Directing : Ask Me Anything (AMA) Wednesday 2/12 to Thursday 2/13- Crafting the Perfect Film Festival Promotion Plan by Deborah Gilels

Hi, Deborah Gilels. I hope you're doing great! Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. What's one of the major things that goes in a film festival promotion plan?

Hi Deborah Gilels - thanks so much for having this AMA and spending your day with us. Question: What are the key factors filmmakers should consider when choosing the best festival for their premiere if they have never participated in one? Thanks in advance!

Hi Deborah Gilels! Welcome to Stage 32 AMA and thanks for doing for us! I am interested in understanding your perspective on the opportunities women have in directing within a predominantly male industry. From a marketing point of view, what is the best way to position us, women in the filmmaking industry? Thank you and congratulations on your amazing career :)

Hello Deborah.

I am new here and to the industry in general.

I have written a script, a true story of my life, it’s a heartbreaking drama. I would like to get in out there somehow, but I don’t know where to start. I will be grateful for any advice. Thank you

Thanks so much for sharing your insights and advice with us Deborah Gilels! As the Stage 32 Community Manager, however, I thought I would take a moment and address some concerns that are unrelated to your AMA - and then I'll ask my burning questions to you separately as a filmmaker who could TOTALLY use your advice!

Hey, Greg Zawaski ! Thanks so much for jumping into the "Ask Me Anything" so early! I love seeing active Stage 32 members! I'd like to answer some of your concerns outside of the AMA so you can continue to make the most of your time and money - regardless if it's on this platform or elsewhere.

1) I'd like to reframe a few things so you'll better understand exactly how hard it is to "sell a show" - and when you're in television, that is what you're doing. Not the pilot, the SHOW. So, if you don't have one yet, you should start working on a Pitch Deck that includes how your first season will end (because your pilot is only as good as what it sets up). This includes a pilot logline and a series logline. I highly recommend this FREE Webinar Stage 32 did in collaboration with Netflix on how to pitch to Netflix: https://www.stage32.com/education/my-library/8944870424883/learn

HELPFUL HINT: If you DO want an easiER sale, consider writing a feature film. Those sell way faster/easier than series (2 hours of screen time versus 8+ hours of screen time is cheaper).

So, a screenplay isn't just an "intellectual property" to sell, it's actually a business plan. A feature film or series is essentially a business - on crack. Most companies attempt to build themselves up in about 10 years, making money to show its viability, and then they sell the business. But instead of 10 years, we attempt to make a film in 2 years (i.e. on crack). Most networks / studios / production companies hedge their bets against a few different "properties" to ensure one's success will provide for the others' lack. But NONE of them will put a cent into anything they can't see making. SO, it's our job, as screenwriters, to give them the initial vision. And it needs to be as close to good-to-go before they'll even think about reading a script. That's why there is an elevator pitch, a 5-minute pitch, a pitch document, a pitch deck, a full pitch presentation, etc. They are all scaled ways to entice people - who are taking a HUGE financial risk to even consider your "business plan" - to read your script. One way to offset this risk of late is to write it as a novel first and self-publish. If you have people reading and leaving reviews, it's another great way to entice someone to read the pilot / pitch deck.

2) "Sell it" and "get it into production" are two different things, and you're only responsible for one of them. Just because it is sold doesn't mean it will be made. And it's totally fine if you "don't know exactly how this will happen" because film and television is a collaborative effort. The people purchasing it from you will know how to get it into production. If you're committed to being a part of the production, then I would recommend learning more about producing, starting with that pitch deck and learning more about what a showrunner does.

3) "My question would be how do I get my pilot to a major network like NBC?" The answer to this IS actually straightforward - through a manager or a lawyer. But that's not actually the issue. The issue is that no one likes to read scripts, SO I'd like to propose an alternative question. What else can you do to ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO READ YOUR SCRIPT? Success is not trying to direct lightning into a bottle but to increase your odds by increasing the number of bottles. In this case, I'm going to paraphrase RB, the CEO of Stage 32 - "don't be a script warehouse, be a script factory". Get this script to a good place, pitch and all, PITCH IT, and as you're pitching it, start writing the next one. When you get those general meetings in an attempt to sell your screenplay, you will get the question, "what else are you working on?" and you'll want to have an answer to it. So, my recommendation - as a writer, producer, director, and an expert in networking - is get feedback on your pitch and on your script from producers and development executives - and Script Consultations are a great way to do just that: https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/consulting

You can also check out another in the Stage 32 + Netflix Webinar Series - another FREE Webinar on Television Pilot Structure: https://www.stage32.com/education/my-library/8944885793075/learn

DON'T BOOK ANOTHER FLIGHT until you've exhausted all virtual pitch opportunities. At $35 each, you could schedule 10 pitches for half the cost of a flight to either city: https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/pitch-sessions

Plus, line up the meetings BEFORE you travel. The most successful people do that for any festival or film market. If you think you're ever wasting time, I invite you to share your process in the Screenwriting Lounge and see if you're skipping steps. Pitching a script before it's reached version 10 or 12, for example, will feel like a waste of time because you're expecting to hear a "yes or no", but you're still getting story notes.

Remember the Production Triangle - you can either make something FAST, CHEAP, or GOOD. Choose 2 of the 3 things, and you'll make it happen every time. If you're in a position to spend the money to travel but haven't spent enough time on your materials, then what should have been FAST/CHEAP is still only going to be FAST because you're spending your money on the wrong things to get your materials to GOOD. If you continue to use free resources, like the Stage 32 Lounges and some of our education, then it'll at least be better and cheaper, but you have to be willing to be patient.

4) "It's not rocket science" - you are absolutely right! Business, including the film & tv business, is actually far more complicated, nuanced, and in-direct but also incredibly simple - No one is going to give you the time of day if your learning curve is too steep. Their job is to get it to the finish line. Your job is to get your materials - plural - as close to the finish line as possible to make YES their BEST option. And consider how enticing it would be for NBC to see three other networks bidding on your series? Don't limit your opportunities by trying to define success by WHO buys the series. Just focus on finding SOMEONE to want to buy the series, and then play ball.

For example, I would start by updating your Stage 32 Bio. Right now, the area that should be telling me about you is telling me about your series. And because your name is approximately the same as your series name, it's hard to tell if you're being creative and you're talking about yourself or a series you're attempting to sell. Why share a little bit about yourself? Everyone in the industry is a real person, and sometimes they want to talk about people stuff - like a sports game, their kids, their pets, their hobbies, or even the inspiration for what they do. We all started out as fans, so why not geek out over your favs to get the conversation started? If you get someone talking about one thing, they are more likely to want to talk to you about other things. NETWORKING is just making friends, so find a way to connect as yourself, not just the writer of this one script.

Now - from here, you can continue to learn INCREDIBLE things on Stage 32, and on this thread alone! Did you know that HollyShorts now screens pilots? And if Deborah Gilels is a sponsor of HollyShorts, then she may have some insight into whether or not shooting a pilot helps to sell the series, or if more effort should be put into a pitch deck and attachments (like talent and a showrunner).

Finally, KEEP GOING! It took them 30 years to make The Queen's Gambit, and it was absolutely worth it! But definitely start with that bio, and maybe share your video of your verbal pitch in the Screenwriting Lounge and see what feedback you get. We do a weekly Pitch Practice Session in the Writer's Room, Thursdays at 5:30pm PST - if you're ever interested in trying it out, I think you'll learn a lot from it! If you'd like to try a month free, drop me an email at WritersRoom@stage32.com

*You'll note how most of my recommendations are free or low-cost, and none of them included getting a manager or entering a contest? You should, however, get as much feedback as possible and revise your materials. Cheers!

You are very welcome, Greg Zawaski! Yeah, there's a lot there... I may make it into a blog LOL But hey, I wasn't kidding - take what time you need to digest, but then KEEP GOING!

Greg Zawaski, Karen goes by Kay, as noted in the "" around her name. Getting right the names of people you are interacting with in the industry (and the rest of the time) is important.

Greg: A really good script can go a long way- and if you use a short film as a proof of concept, make sure you have a script to back it up!!

Hi Deborah Gilels my question for you is: What minimum percentage of the budget should a 5 to 10 million independant production allocate for marketing, or what would the ideal budget amount for marketing be? And would you know any parties in the US market today that could make a succesfull launch like Artisan did for the Blair Witch Project.

Hello, Deborah Gilels, my question for you is more of a plee for advice; I have completed my science fiction comedy script, have you got any signpost advice to my next step? Many thanks and my warmest regards, Samuel.

Hello Deborah Gilels, I have a ton of questions I could throw your way, but I'll limit it to what I am most curious about regarding festival submissions and how they are viewed; in your experience, are they traditionally viewed in order of submission, and are acceptance and rejections withheld based on the timing of announcements, simply when the festival discovered if the film is going to fit into their curated program, or a combination of the two? And I might have lied and will ask some other questions leading up to tomorrow. Thanks for your time!

I do have another question regarding the availability of a proper poster/presskit/trailer/etc. to festivals prior to submission. Are these materials taken into consideration before accepting a film, making them more valuable to have available before submission (i.e., already uploaded to filmfreeway), or is it traditionally a priority only after being accepted into a festival?

Hi Joey! I've been going through this on a client's film - its hard to gauge the reality of programming until they film's are almost chosen. Our film scored high and was on the radar for a festival we wanted to premiere at and then once all the other films were watched and they team decided the tone of the programming. That said, we got 3 offers the following week - so its timing and then tone.

Regarding materials, I think the film is the most important - then a poster and a director's statement can help an interested party, but most important is the film.

Hi William, its hard to say not knowing the cast, etc. But that said, horror is the easiest genre to promote and there are so many ways to market it - I was sort of involved in the recent release of WEREWOLVES where one of my clients was one of the stars. They sought extra P and A funds for TV spots.

Companies like Blumhouse, A Bigger Boat, Lionsgate, and the Solution are all viable.

Hi Mike- yes because there are more opportunities in indie films than going the traditional writing route - since the strikes, much has changed and people want to do more.

Hi Maurice! The promo plan pretty much is determined by what you want to accomplish and where you are screening. If you can be more specific so can I.

Hi Leonardo, it depends what you are premiering - ie feature, short, etc. and what you want to accomplish. In general i think festivals in LA, NY and Oscar qualifiers seem to be a great route.

Hi Sandra, its a great time for women who want to direct - opportunities will open up depending on the cast you can get and the film genre and script.

Thank you Deborah Gilels I feel that! Go to share about my feature screenplay:

Title: Soul Mated

The Logline:

"Two souls destined for each other must find each other and fall in love on earth before their spirit selves dissolve forever."

Genre: Female Driven Romantic Drama Fantasy

Dream Team:

Director: Rose Glass

Actors: Jodie Comer and Rebecca Ferguson

Dreams comes true :) Thank you!

Thanks so much Deborah Gilels. My thought was a grounded fantasy short.

I don't have any experience with film festivals, Deborah Gilels, but I'm thinking I'd try to get a film into a big festival if I was submitting one. An answer for either a short or feature would be fine.

I would pick by location - LA, NY or Atlanta, where there is an industry presence.

Hi Deborah, do you have any film festivals in New York? I would love to start going to them

Ok, thank you, Deborah Gilels.

Thanks so much Deborah Gilels Great AMA!

Billy- there are lots- Tribeca, Dances With Films, New Filmmakers NY and lots more!!

Samuel - I think you should enter in all kinds of screenplay competitions - that's a great way to start opening doors.

Deborah Gilels, what are the key elements of a strong film festival press kit, and how can indie filmmakers make the most of limited resources to promote their film effectively?

What is the best way to get a foreign screen writing partner. I am writing a script that would be good for the Korean market but I need parts of the script translated to Korean. Also I need to the format the script for Korean producers

HI Ashley good question - I would say a great poster and director or producer statement, succinct bios and synopsis. Limited resources should be spent in the bigger markets like LA and NY, and towards getting the best audience for your film. If you are playing a festival in a smaller city, let the festival generate any publicity - you should focus on LA, NY, Atlanta, etc. enhancing the most marketable aspect of your film.

Delrey, I would research the Korean production companies that make the series on Netflix or Apple and approach them. well written letter can go a long way.

Hi Amy, I would start by entering screenplay competitions and film festivals, that's a way to start out getting noticed - if there's any established writer you admire, reach out to them for advice, etc. They might be helpful in your networking.

A friend in the Writer's Room has her first short film accepted into its first film festival - YAY! We talked about what to have with her, and I thought I'd write the suggestion here, and then open it up to the rest in the thread - what promo materials would you recommend bringing to a film festival?

My Suggestion:

- Use a digital "business card" for your personal contact info

- Have a Postcard with your Poster design printed

- On the back, you can print a QR code or other "evergreen" info BUT keep enough space on the back for a label/sticker

- print labels with the specific DATE / TIME / BLOCK of your screening (so you can save the postcards for different festivals and only print new labels)

- Make sure you attend other peoples' screenings so you have an easier time of talking to them b/c you'll chat them up about what you saw

- Also, make sure you know what "NEXT" is for you - do you want people to follow you? Get coffee with you? Give you a job? Book your service? Help finance the long-form of your short?

- And before you go, make sure you make the "funnel" clear - if there are too many clicks, you may lose them before you can stick the landing

Congratulations to your friend on her first short film getting accepted into its first film festival, Karen "Kay" Ross! Fantastic suggestions! What about custom merchandise that promotes the film? Like a watch bracelet that the protagonist uses in the film, labeled with the movie's logo (www.4allpromos.com/category/watches?customer). Nothing too expensive though.