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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

DVD for submitting to film festivals

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Katie. A

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Hi,
What software do you use to make dvd for submission to film festivals?
 
I have used Adobe's Encore and Apple's Compressor for this, but I prefer Encore.

Festivals like to have self-starter discs, no title nor menu.

Being through all kinds of festivals, there is no better tip (AFAIK) than to get a truck-load of DVD player and test, test, test. Seriously.

My best wishes for the submission!
 
Hey Dr,

So festivals will accept a dvd which will play straight away without having the need for play button or menu? Do you leave some half second blank/black screen in the beginning of your dvd?
 
Katie,

A few frames will not hurt, but think of the initial impression if that goes too long, it feels like something is broken. Keep in mind that some festivals get up to ten thousand submissions. It is a preview marathon. There is certainly not much patience. Keep it clear and simple is my ideal. I have the feeling that most festivals care a lot, but the huge amount of submissions drains energy, so what ever makes their work easier is certainly the best way to do, including the wrapping of the shipment!
If it is for the initial submission, include perhaps chapter-markers (every ten minutes, to quote from the "Film-Festival-Secret Book).

If you get the official selection -- check again what they like. If possible avoid DVD at that point, it is nearly the lowest option possible, and things changes from submission to the final festival screening. I had always a BluRay and an HDcam tape with me with me, if the celluloid wasn't working, etc., just in case.

Lately I used the download option/submission via With-out-a-Box. It saves quite some time and money, if a festival accepts it.

Again, my best wishes.
 
Hello Katie, Dr. Sassi,

I would strongly advise using DCPs for playback on festivals instead of DVDs, blu-rays or hdcam tapes. The playback technology is not that expansive these days. All you need is a PC with NeoDCP Player software (www.neodcp.com) and ask authors, if possible, to provide their movies in DCP format. DCPs are much more easy to check during festival preparation phase, it is simple to make playlists for projection and there are no signal switch needed during playback of more movies. Recently I have very good experience from two weeks ago on Art Film Fest. Using DVDs really not the best choice these days ...

Ian
 
Ian M. said:
Hello Katie, Dr. Sassi,

I would strongly advise using DCPs for playback on festivals instead of DVDs, blu-rays or hdcam tapes. The playback technology is not that expansive these days. All you need is a PC with NeoDCP Player software (www.neodcp.com) and ask authors, if possible, to provide their movies in DCP format. DCPs are much more easy to check during festival preparation phase, it is simple to make playlists for projection and there are no signal switch needed during playback of more movies. Recently I have very good experience from two weeks ago on Art Film Fest. Using DVDs really not the best choice these days ...

Ian
Click to expand...


Hi Ian,

Have you traveled with your movie to many festivals?
The last time I checked -- there are 3.500 festivals in the U.S. -- do you know them all?
My research for the last movie was based only on 720 of them, most of them did not even accepted a BluRay.

My experience is more mixed than to be able to give a general answer, like you do.
My advice is to check what --each-- festival has to offer, before you just send a DCP.

I agree that DVD is (after DVcam tapes, etc.) certainly the worse idea to present your movie.
I have had send celluoid copies (Cinemascope) to festivals, only to see that they play the screener DVD.

In the past 25 years I have seen a lot of changes for our festival submissions (Europe and USA), but I'm not aware that DCP is standard at all already.

The question was how to prepare the DVD, not what is best to send in.


Best

Sassi

P.S.: you made me curious, and so I checked randomly some festivals:

Submission (not exhibition) Format, as that was the question of this thread

SF Shorts: DVD only
Vancouver IFF (int. Shorts): DVD only
JOZI FILM Festival (Fiction Shorts) DVD and QT
Naples IFF (Shorts) DVD only
Chicago IFF (Shorts) DVD and BluRay
IFF Manhattan, NY (Shorts) DVD only
...
 
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For submission, most people go with DVD or online screener because its cost effective and faster to make

For exhibition, its almost always blu ray or DCP.
 
I think Dr. Sassi has a good point. To me, the right answer is: ask the festival what they want. Some want DVD, some can handle Blu-ray, some even still can play HDCam (or HDCam-SR), and the biggest festivals can handle DCPs with no problem. My advice: bring two of these, with one as a backup. We were once told that a festival wanted HDCam, we brought them HDCam, and then found out 4 hours prior to the screening that there were audio issues and half the soundtrack was out. Rather than deal with that, we had them play the Blu-ray and it looked fine.
 
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