Week 12 — Submitting to Festivals

This week focuses on preparing your video essay for public circulation. You will learn how to research festivals, package your work professionally, and think strategically about how short films and video essays move through contemporary networks.

Finishing a film is only part of the process. How you present, describe, and frame the work shapes how it is received.

Class Focus

By the end of this module, you should understand how to:

• Identify appropriate festivals for your work
• Prepare a clear, compelling submission package
• Present your video essay online as a complete project
• Think strategically about circulation and audience

Researching Festivals

Not all festivals are the same. Some focus on experimental film, others on documentary, short form, student work, or emerging media.

• Research festivals that align with your essay’s form and tone
• Look at past programs to see what kinds of work they select
• Pay attention to runtime limits, themes, and categories
• Consider student-friendly or experimental sections

The goal is not to submit everywhere, but to submit thoughtfully.

FilmFreeway

You will use FilmFreeway to manage festival submissions.

• Create or update your FilmFreeway profile
• Add your video essay as a project
• Upload required materials (video, images, description)
• Track deadlines and submission status

FilmFreeway acts as both a submission platform and a public-facing archive of your work.

Writing the Description & Tagline

Festival descriptions are short, precise, and intentional. They do not summarize everything. They frame the work.

• Write a concise project description (1 short paragraph)
• Create a one-line tagline that captures the core tension or idea
• Select keywords or tags that describe form, theme, and tone

You may use AI tools to help:

• Refine wording
• Test different tones
• Generate alternate versions

AI can help polish language, but the ideas must remain yours.

Press Kit (One Page)

You will build a simple one-page press kit for your video essay.

The press kit should include:

• Title of the work
• Short description
• Tagline
• Selected still images
• Credits
• Links (video, trailer, website)

We will discuss how to:

• Select strong still frames from your video
• Design a clean, readable layout
• Convert the press kit into a simple HTML page using AI tools

Online Presentation

Your video essay should exist online as a complete project.

• Create a simple HTML page for your essay
• Embed the full video (YouTube or Vimeo)
• Embed the 30-second trailer
• Include title, description, and credits

This page can function as:

• A festival submission link
• A portfolio piece
• A shareable public artifact

Trailer & Social Media Strategy

Short works circulate through short formats. Your trailer is often the first encounter with your project.

• Create a 30-second trailer that captures tone and tension
• Do not summarize the entire essay
• Use rhythm, sound, and selective imagery

We will discuss:

• Writing a short social media post to accompany the trailer
• Choosing platforms intentionally
• Using tags and descriptions strategically

Upscaling for Submission

Some festivals prefer or require higher-resolution files.

• We will discuss upscaling finished work to 4K
• Use the shared class Topaz Video AI account
• Understand when upscaling is useful—and when it is unnecessary

Required Submission

Each student is expected to submit their video essay to at least one festival.

By next week, post the following in the designated Slack channel:

• 30-second trailer
• Tagline
• Short description
• Tags / keywords
• Link to your project website or page

This submission marks the transition from classroom project to public work.