Monday, September 16, 2013

My Interview with Monika Moreno


1.How many entries did they get this year? For films make sure to ask them to distinguish between features and shorts.  
Under 600 all shorts under 90 mins.  Doc, animation, narrative. 

2.How many films do they aim to screen each year? 1 evening screen 15 finalist in one night.  Next day show runners up total of 30 films or less.  Other events during the year to screen other films. How many papers/presentations do they accept? Again, for films make sure to ask them to distinguish between features and shorts.
3.What is their pre-screening process? How many pre-screeners do they have each year?  Who is typically chosen as a pre-screener?
Films are mailed in.  They are stripped of any nice artwork so they will all look alike.  They do this so the screeners will not be able to judge based on school or fancy artwork. The first round is done by knowledgeable students or persons in the lower ring of the Hollywood industry ladder that includes film makers, actors, producers, editors.  They mix the male and female number of viewers in order to obtain a fair voting.  Some movies will get a larger male vote and others larger female vote because of the subject matter of the film.   Each film is seen by 3 people groups and multiple groups. 2nd round the jurors are people who are more entrenched in industry.  Top 10 percent left will be sent to the final round.  During the first two process they numbers decrease from about   600 to 60 total films.  Jury for finalist must be in the industry to be a juror for the final films.
4.How do they score entries? Do they use a scoring template/rubric?   They use a scoring guideline for the first round of films.  They are rated on such topics such as directing, editing, etc…  They are also graded on how well they fit the scene or theme of the festival.  The second rounds of entries are scored very detailed. In order to be a juror for the second round of rubric’s they must be in the industry and have screened at other festivals. 
5.Do you have a jury after the pre-screening process has ended? The jury for the Angelus film festival has a jury template.  The heads of the Angelus film festival also watch the films.  The templates are used to help refer back to films and notes.
6.How far in advance do they send out their call for entries? How do entries typically roll in? Early? 
Late? In waves? Early enrollments 35 May 1st-Jan. Regular entries 45 by June 1st.  late 55-65 by July  first. 
7.How many paid employees do they have each year? How many volunteers? 2 full time employees.  4 part time.  Interns 2-3. 
8.Do you use specific programming, trafficking, budgeting software? Do you like it?  Withoutabox is a godsend and something every festival should use.
9.What community outreach do you do outside of your festival season to keep your event on the 
public's radar and/or to raise funds? (Workshops, mini-festivals, fundraiser dinners, etc.) Angelus works very hard to keep track of past winners of the festival.  They do this in order to gain support for the film maker and use them in the future.  They get previous winners together in order to raise public awareness of the festival including dinners and lunch ins.  They also take select winners to Sundance film festival in order see other films and to help them make contacts in the industry that they can use in the future on upcoming works.  The last four years they have had sponsors that have enabled them to take filmmakers abroad to London and Czech Republic for festivals.    Last 4 years sponsors to help take filmmakers abroad, London, chech.  They also do smaller screenings around the states and involve local festivals.  Screenings around states.  Involve in local festivals to help gain support of their own festivals.  . 
10.         Do you give out swag bags to visiting filmmakers? Presenters? Guests? If so, what type of items 
do you include in those bags? Yes.  Contact industry groups.  Contact Final Draft.  Screen Writer software.  Contact ASAP for us.    T-shirts to magazines subscriptions also given away. 
11.         Do presenter/filmmaker pay registration to attend?
NO directors and makers do not pay.  After party invitation only for staff and filmmakers, sponsors( We need to start doing more of this).
12.         Are you able to provide presenters/filmmakers with funds to cover travel or lodging?
When we can.  Sponsors normally give stipends.  Check airfares.   Pick them up from airport and help them out.
13.         What "perks" do your filmmakers/scholars enjoy at your festival/conference? What else do you 
encourage them to do while they're in town? m(Free dinners, tours, exclusive activities...in Wilm, 
we'd try to take them to the beach, Screen Gems tour, etc.)
Van ride of town.  Fuji Film, tour of Hannah Visions and  Warner Brothers Studio’s tour in past.  Hawaiian appetizers night before festival for all film makers to meet and get comfortable with each other.  Once winners are announced in August they hold a finalist lunch in.  Nice restaurant.  Announce on twitter.  Monika is a big supporter of using Facebook and twitter for alumni of the festival also invited to the lunch in.  It is great to at this time to interview the filmmakers and post the interview online.  We must have an alumni page on Facebook to keep this festival growing.
14.         Do you have special donor perks during the event? Or how do you thank them?   Special place for them at reception.  VIP treatment.  Keep it going during the year.  Give them VIP tickets to festivals or pass’s to visions.  Give them ad on program.  Or on website. 
15.         What do they wish they had done differently or better when they were first starting out? What do 
you wish you knew then that you know now?   Involve more and get more sponsors.  Don’t get complacent with just a few.  Make each year different.  Live music.  Add something more each year.   After festival debrief with staff and sponsors. 
16.         If it’s a festival or conference that no longer is in existence...why did it end? Economics. 
The main sponsor of the festival had to back out due to economics’ at the time. 
17.         Any other ideas or advice that we haven’t thought to ask about? Don’t have fear for asking celebs or anyone high in the industry for help.  They will love to help student film makers anyway they can.  Have celeb jurors, and invite them to the festival.  They will most likely come and be honored judge and be invited to the festival.  They will come just being asked.  Just ask Hollywood for help.  They are open to helping student filmmakers.  Get an outside perceptive from people.  Jurying will attract students.  One year HBO selected the winners.  Internaltional Documentary Association to ask for a juror for the documentary films at our festival.  Animation students, try to find an animation studio’s or giant in the industry to be a judge or juror for the process.  This will attract participants if they know a star or giant in the industry is watching the films.  Know how much time it will take, when the films will be to them, when you need it back to the exact date, they are very busy but willing.  We need to create a feed lapse email announcing when and any small details about our festival so everyone is constantly reminded of the festival. PR department.  Make list of indie film sites online and post all of our call for entries on them as well.    Post on those sites.  Winners take pic and link sponsor information.  Send to all prior and everyone on the mailing list. 
For our website she said if we want a really good website try to contact a film poster creator or someone who is a movie art person to make a poster.  She thinks the contest idea that I had about branching out to the digital arts departments to create bumpers before films is an amazing idea.   

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