Film Festivals

Film festivals are the perfect way to get noticed as a film director, actor or screenplay writer. The exhibition of short films at film festivals is a known route for scouts looking for new talent for Hollywood. As it is rare to see short film exhibited to the public anywhere else apart from online, film festivals are a great opportunity and one that is needed within the film industry.

The process of getting a film shown at a film festival is one that differs from festival to festival. There are however many things that don't differ. Things such as the entry requirements are usually similar and the legal conditions are almost always the same. One example is that to enter your film, you absolutely must have "artistic property". This is documentation that everyone and everything in the film has been accounted for and the people involved allow for the film to be copyright to you. This is why you often see labels covering brand names etc.. Multinationals are generally against small time film makers from using their products in films because if they are shown in a bad light it could have a negative effect on the company.

	Encounters	LFFS	RSS
When Did They Start?	1995 – Brief Encounters	2003 – The Halloween Short Film Festival – 2008 LFFS.	1998-Rushes Soho Shorts
When DO They Take Place?	Bristol – November	11 Venues all over London. 8-17 Jan 2010	10 day festival 21st-31st July
What Awards & Catergories Are there?	International Jury Award South West Jury Award DepicT! Awards Film Club Teenage Jury Award Best British Award UK Film Council Award Cartoon d’Or Nominations Online Audience Award 4mations International Newcomer in Animation Award South West Screen Audience Award Film Club Child Jury Award Animation/Action Nahemi/Kodak prize for Creative Film making Cinematography	UK FILM COUNCIL AWARD for best Film of the Festival Shooting People Comedy Award Current TV Documentary Award East End Film Festival Award Time Out Award for Best London Film Sci-Fi London Award for Best Horror Film Wallflower Press Award for Best Experimental Film	The international category The long form category The documentary category The animation category The best new-comer category Music video category The broadcast design category
How To Enter?	Can be sent via DVD or www.yousendit.com	Unavailable information as festival has just finished	15 pound per film. Submit via uploads or DVD Post
What Kind Of Film Do You Need To Apply	Wide range of genres because the wide range of awards.	Wide range of genres because the wide range of awards.	Wide range of genres because the wide range of awards.
How Big Is The Festival? Sponsorship? Event?	Huge amount of sponsors including big companies etc. that suggests it is big scale.	Over 200 screenings. 6000 tickets sold.	1200 professional & amateur filmmakers 140 films in final selections.

The table above shows the differences between three different short film festivals and some data about them.