Blivits! Festival Strategy

1. Goal Statement

My plan for festival submissions revolves largely around the idea of using the participants in my movie as its advocates at screenings.  Each one of the festivals below is withing 10-30 miles of someone that appears in my film.  I have asked these folks to be nice enough to encourage their friends to come to the movie if we get into their local festivals and they have all agreed.  This will do two things at the same time. It will drive audiences for my film at the screenings, which will improve my reputation as someone that shows well.  It will also provide me with more possible buyers for the DVDs and tee-shirts I will be selling at the events.

My only goal for the film's monetary success is that it makes back what it costs.  Anything beyond that is literally a bonus.  I would like the chance to make another film and I believe driving this film's audience to buy in, would be a huge step toward proving to distributors and production companies that I am a marketable filmmaker.

2. Festival List and Important Info

Seattle Film Festival
website
Festival director -Beth Barrett
Years in existence - 39 years
Deadlines/fees -
$45 Earlybird Submission Deadline October 7, 2013
$70 Regular Submission Deadline November 4, 2013

$95 Final Submission Deadline January 6, 2014
Requirements - Digital Press Kit
This is a relatively prestigeous film festival compared to the rest of my list, but it is the most appropriate big swing for my documentary.  Unfortunately the person that participated in my film Doug Smith, recently pasted away, but his widow still wishes to be a part of film's community.
Special Guest - Paula Smith


Traverse City Film Festival
website
Festival director - Michael Moore (yes, that Michael Moore)
Years in existence - 10 years
Deadlines/fees - "No fee/No deadline/No Guarentee it will be watched"
Requirements - None
This festival serves to critically important functions: firstly it is in the hometown of the Randolph Association's historian Chuck Manning, but it is also the hometown festival of Michael Moore.  This festival is by invitation only, but they do accept DVDs with the possibility of screening them. This really falls under the "what the heck, couldn't hurt...right?" line of thinking.
Special Guest - Chuck Manning


Orlando Film Festival
website
Festival director - Daniel E. Springen
Years in existence - 8 years
Deadlines/fees -
May 1, 2013 Earlybird Deadline  40.00
June 1, 2013 Regular Deadline  50.00
June 16, 2013 Late Deadline  60.00
Requirements - None
This is the better shot than getting into the Florida Film Festival, and its the one that is the closest to the star of Blivits!...Ed Sutter.  Screening in Orlando poses the best chance for the film to win an audience award somewhere.
Special Guest - Ed Sutter


Daytona Film Festival
website
Festival Co-Directors Michael Becker & Stephanie Mason-Teague
Years in existence - 10 years
Deadlines/fees -
Early Deadline – June 30, 2012: $20 entry fee
Regular Deadline – July 30, 2012: $25 entry fee
Late Deadline – August 30, 2012: $30 entry Fee
Requirements - Press Kit upon selection
This festival would be relatively easy to travel to, and is very near the home of the director of the Randolph Association.
Special Guest - Earl Kline


Newport Beach Film Festival
website
Festival director - Amanda Salazar
Years in existence - 15 years
Deadlines/fees -
Early Bird Deadline - October 25, 2013 $45
Thanksgiving Special - November 22, 2013 $60
Regular Deadline - December 20, 2013 $65
Final Deadline - January 24, 2013 $75
Requirements -DCP with a frame rate of 24
Newport News is where the USS Randolph was built, and it served as the ships home port for 35 years.  Newport also has a large population of Navy sailors and retired sailors.  These are the people that I would like to get my film to as I think they would be the most interested in seeing it.
Special Guest - Dave Davenport


Dead Center Film Fest
website
Festival director - Kim Haywood
Years in existence - 13 years
Deadlines/fees
$35 November 30, 2013 Earlybird Deadline
$40 December 31, 2013 Regular Deadline
$45 January 30, 2014 Late Deadline
Requirements - 2 copies of submission
This festival specializes in films that are made for less than $10,000 and it happens to be close to two of the people that appear in my film.
Special Guests - Fred Bartlett & Allie Ryan


Barebones Film Festival
website
Festival director
Years in existence
Deadlines/fees
$35 July 31, 2013 Early
$45 Oct. 15, 2013 Regular
$55 Nov. 30, 2013 Late
Requirements - under $50,000
This film festival, also in Oklahoma, caters to low/no budget filmmakers and happens to be close to two of the people that apear in my film.
Special Guests - Fred Bartlett & Allie Ryan


Atlanta Film Festival
website
Festival director - Dr. Kay Beck
Years in existence - 40+ years
Deadlines/fees
$35 June 28th, 2013 Earlybird Deadline
$45 October 4th, 2013 Regular Deadline
$55 November 8th, 2013 Late Deadline
Requirements - Atlanta area premiere
This is where the home of another cast member from Blivits! lives.
Special Guest - Russell O'Day


Macon Film Festival
website
Festival director - None listed
Years in existence - 9 years
Deadlines/fees
$20 July 20, 2013 Earlybird Deadline
$30 August 30, 2013 Regular Deadline
$40 September 20, 2013 Late Deadline
Requirements - None
Five of the Randolph's living alumni live in the Macon area, including three that actually appeared in the film. Also this festival has some of the best food in the country.
Special Guests - Willie Bibbs, Bill Marshall & Jack Reynolds


DCIFF
website
Festival director - Deirdre Evans-Pritchard
Years in existence - 3 years
Deadlines/fees
$28 September 10, 2013 Earlybird Deadline
$33 November 20, 2013 Regular Deadline
$40 December 1, 2013 Late Deadline
Requirements - 2 Copies of Film
This film festival is smaller and a more likely yes for Blivits! to be shown in the DC area, where Don Hilliard lives.
Special Guest - Don Hilliard


Silverdocs
website
Festival director - Sky Sitney
Years in existence - 11 years
Deadlines/fees
Submissions Accepted beginning January 14, 2013
$35 Early Deadline February 1, 2013
$45 Regular Deadline March 1, 2013
$55 Late Deadline March 15, 2013
Requirements - Finished film no earlier than Jan 1, 2014
This is the best festival for documentaries in the country and there are no places that a documentary would rather play.
Special Guest - Don Hillard