About Film Freeway
Film Freeway is "one-stop-shop" for entering your film into festivals. Rather than have to enter your film individually into lots of different festivals, film-makers can create one upload to a single portal, and then apply through Film Freeway for as many competitions as you like.
Once you have successfully been accepted into a festival, you are now in the "official selection" for that festival. If you win a prize, this brings industry kudos and may also bring financial and other benefits. At the very least, you win bragging rights.
What does it cost to enter film competitions?
The fees vary immensely - from nothing to quite a lot. First of all, enter your project for the free ones, then take a look at your budget. Many festivals charge just $1, $2 or $3 to enter.
Free festival entries
To enter the free festivals, take the "entry fee" slider at Filmfreeway down to zero. This way, only the free festivals will show up in your search. In the end, it's up to you as to how many festivals you want to enter.
Apply early and often
Even small festivals get hundreds - or even thousands - of applications. You need to apply to many, many festivals to guarantee success.
Vimeo and YouTube
It used to be the case that most festivals would not accept films that are already available online, and for these festivals (such as the Academy Awards) you will still need to password-protect your film if you upload it to Vimeo. If you do this, you will need to cut a teaser/trailer (see below).
Teaser/trailer
Award-winning animator and writer (and Escapee) Evgenia Golubeva recommends cutting a teaser/trailer for your film which you can upload to Vimeo and YouTube to help generate interest in the film.
Should You Password-Protect?
Ultimately, the choice as to whether to make your film freely available at Vimeo and YouTube is yours. In our experience, apart from a handful of festivals, it doesn't make much difference either way.
Other useful sites
Film Freeway will allow you to access most, but not all, festivals. Other useful sites for entering festivals include clickforfestivals.com and - to see what festivals are on when - animationfestivals.com.
IMDB
One major advantage of entering your film project
into festivals is that this will get your film listed at the The
Internet Movie Database. The IMDB, is the principal portal for finding
people who work in film and broadcast media. It's where you go to look
people up.
Being listed is important. Anyone in the movie business who isn't listed, needs to be.
Getting Listed at IMDB
The simplest way to create a profile of your own at the IMDB is to attach yourself to a project which is already listed on the IMDB. This could be a student film, or a short project which is deemed worthy of inclusion. IMDB don't list every project that gets made - there are simply too many. But if your film is being entered into festivals and - best of all - winning prizes, it will be listed at IMDB.
Updating your details at IMDB
Once your film is listed at the IMDB, you can add the names of yourself and your cast and crew to the database. You do this through the IMDB tab marked "update" or "edit page". It takes a little while, and the interface is a bit fiddly, but once you get the hang of it, it works.
Submission of names is not automatic, so be patient. IMDB will review your submissions and, assuming all is well, post them around a week later. Now, with any luck, your name and those of your colleagues are listed online. Now you can start editing your profile, to add your CV, your demo reel, and links to your website. Remember, your goal is to create an online space for yourself as an industry professional.
Sometimes you will see a project at IMDB that should have your name on it, but doesn't. Don't feel aggrieved - it's not personal. All you have to do is go to the project page and update it by adding your name.
For some tips about how best to manage Film Freeway, see this post.
---Alex
The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To find out more about our new BA/MArt starting in September 2021, follow this link. To apply, visit the offical page here.
Once you have successfully been accepted into a festival, you are now in the "official selection" for that festival. If you win a prize, this brings industry kudos and may also bring financial and other benefits. At the very least, you win bragging rights.
What does it cost to enter film competitions?
The fees vary immensely - from nothing to quite a lot. First of all, enter your project for the free ones, then take a look at your budget. Many festivals charge just $1, $2 or $3 to enter.
 |
| Take the "entry fee" slider down to zero. |
To enter the free festivals, take the "entry fee" slider at Filmfreeway down to zero. This way, only the free festivals will show up in your search. In the end, it's up to you as to how many festivals you want to enter.
Apply early and often
Even small festivals get hundreds - or even thousands - of applications. You need to apply to many, many festivals to guarantee success.
 |
| Be at Vimeo, but password-protected |
It used to be the case that most festivals would not accept films that are already available online, and for these festivals (such as the Academy Awards) you will still need to password-protect your film if you upload it to Vimeo. If you do this, you will need to cut a teaser/trailer (see below).
 |
| Jerich0 - Festival Winner |
Award-winning animator and writer (and Escapee) Evgenia Golubeva recommends cutting a teaser/trailer for your film which you can upload to Vimeo and YouTube to help generate interest in the film.
Should You Password-Protect?
Ultimately, the choice as to whether to make your film freely available at Vimeo and YouTube is yours. In our experience, apart from a handful of festivals, it doesn't make much difference either way.
Other useful sites
Film Freeway will allow you to access most, but not all, festivals. Other useful sites for entering festivals include clickforfestivals.com and - to see what festivals are on when - animationfestivals.com.
IMDB
 |
Being listed is important. Anyone in the movie business who isn't listed, needs to be.
Getting Listed at IMDB
The simplest way to create a profile of your own at the IMDB is to attach yourself to a project which is already listed on the IMDB. This could be a student film, or a short project which is deemed worthy of inclusion. IMDB don't list every project that gets made - there are simply too many. But if your film is being entered into festivals and - best of all - winning prizes, it will be listed at IMDB.
Updating your details at IMDB
Once your film is listed at the IMDB, you can add the names of yourself and your cast and crew to the database. You do this through the IMDB tab marked "update" or "edit page". It takes a little while, and the interface is a bit fiddly, but once you get the hang of it, it works.
Submission of names is not automatic, so be patient. IMDB will review your submissions and, assuming all is well, post them around a week later. Now, with any luck, your name and those of your colleagues are listed online. Now you can start editing your profile, to add your CV, your demo reel, and links to your website. Remember, your goal is to create an online space for yourself as an industry professional.
Sometimes you will see a project at IMDB that should have your name on it, but doesn't. Don't feel aggrieved - it's not personal. All you have to do is go to the project page and update it by adding your name.
For some tips about how best to manage Film Freeway, see this post.
Laurel Generator
Some film festivals send you laurels, others do not. If you're not getting the laurels you need from the film festival, note that you can always make your own here.
---Alex
The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To find out more about our new BA/MArt starting in September 2021, follow this link. To apply, visit the offical page here.
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