Distribution : Ask Me Anything (AMA) 6/19 to 6/20- How Film Festivals Run Behind The Scenes by Kurt Patino

Hi, Kurt Patino. Congratulations on all your success! "Double Threat" is on my watchlist. CJ Walley and Shane Stanley are great guys.

Thanks for having this AMA. What are some things that go on behind the scenes at BIFF during the selection process?

Hey Kurt Patino - thanks a ton for spending your day with us and congratulations on all your successes. Question: What genre (s) of film do best at BIFF? Thanks in advance!

This is certainly a great one Kurt Patino! Question: How will you comment or describe, the present chemistry, cohesiveness and of course the all familiar, objectives amongst collaborators and investors, particularly with so much anticipations of era and futuristic endeavors?

So great to see you hear dear friend Kurt Patino ! He definitely knows the Festival Circuit and is a great talent manager :)

Thanks for sharing your experties, Kurt Patino !

Thank you for sharing your time with us, Kurt Patino! Are there any perks, events, or resources that you wish filmmakers gave more attention to at festivals? Such as helpful elements that may be getting missed or overlooked too often but could help people make the most out of the opportunity of attending or participating.

Kurt Patino Hi Kurt, thanks for doing the AMA and sharing your knowledge with us. If I was planning to go to BIFF with my feature film and wanted to to make connections with the movers and shakers in the industry, what are the best ways to navigate the festival, so that I don't get lost in the plethora of events and lose focus on my objectives?

Thank you so much for doing this AMA, Kurt Patino! In general, is it a good idea to have a sales agent in place before screening a feature film at a festival or should a filmmaker wait until they have some momentum from a festival screening to approach a sales agent?

Thanks for your kind words and question, Maurice. Some of the things that go on behind the scenes at BIFF during the selection process include calling for entries and creating categories that cover pretty much every genre; organizing a screening committee to watch every film and read every script; evaluating the films/scripts and then putting together a schedule; notifying the filmmakers/screenwriters of their acceptance and letting them know because we screen at AMC Theaters, that every film must be in DCP format. We accept films & scripts from Nov. 1st - April 30th on Film Freeway. BIFF's amazing judges watch every film and give us detailed notes on why they scored each film a certain way. The executive team then sifts through the scores and with extreme difficulty, because there are so many excellent films/scripts, but we're only a 4 day festival, put together a screening schedule. I've heard stories of screenwriters/filmmakers who've not been accepted multiple times at BIFF, but then finally get accepted and win an Award, so don't give up. There's always a chance! We inform the filmmakers through FilmFreeway of their acceptance, so it's extremely important for every filmmaker to keep their contact email current on FilmFreeway, and they should also list their phone number, so there's a couple ways to contact them. We then inform them of the screening requirements for AMC 16 Theaters, which requires a DCP. We introduce them to BIFF's DCP partner, which this year is SimpleDCP to ask questions. We also keep in touch with the filmmakers throughout the year to help them promote their films on BIFF's social media. In the summer, we host a reception catered to screenwriters, so we can celebrate them and their hard work!

Hi Leonardo! Thanks for your compliment and your great question! Every genre of film will screen at BIFF, and every genre of film will be considered to be nominated for an Award. The genres we received the most submissions for this year were Drama, U.S. High School Students, Comedy and Films By Women. Because we receive so many comedy submissions, and because drama could be a part of any genre, Comedy & Drama dominate BIFF's 1st 2 nights of screenings. Then the next 2 days are a mix of every other genre category. We'd love to see more submissions of Animation, Faith Based, LGBTQ and Science Fiction/Fantasy films.

Thanks so much Kurt Patino - I'm with you. I'd love to have one of my animated, Science Fiction or Fantasy works screen at BIFF. It would be pretty exciting! Thanks again Kurt. All the best to you and all you do!

Nice to meet you, Eon! When you say "collaborators" in the context of a film festival, there are many passionate individuals whose focus depends on how they'd like to make an impact, and that includes as you mentioned, investors, the BIFF Board of Directors, the City of Burbank, Advisors, Volunteers and even Interns. Based on my experience as President of a Film Festival, the vision should be set out by the President and the execution planned with the help of the Board of Directors. The job is easier when the chemistry between collaborators is cohesive and supportive rather than disagreeable, and I find when collaborators choose to "own" a project by doing the work to make it a reality with my guidance, those projects create something special as happened last year with BIFF honoring Tim Burton. The primary mission of BIFF is to make the filmmakers' experience educational and that always comes into play as we plan for the future. Bringing on technology-savvy staff who understand how to enhance BIFF's mission and keep BIFF relevant by anticipating the changing industry, helps BIFF keep collaborators informed of the upcoming future eras and endeavors which should always be a primary focus.

Thanks so much, Alexia!

Thanks, William!

You're welcome, Kurt Patino. I had no idea all of that went on behind the scenes at a festival. And it's pretty cool that BIFF has a category for U.S. high school students!

Hi Ashley! Great question! I can imagine how overwhelming being a part of a Film Festival, especially for the first time can be. The perks of a Film Festival are definitely experiencing as much of it as you can through attending as many screenings as possible in addition to your own; attending the after-parties; asking questions at the Panels and Q&As after films. There is so much gold to mine which will assist one's own development as a screenwriter & filmmaker. That's #1. BIFF supplies 2 free FABs (Filmmaker Artist Badges) for each Official Selection Film & Script in the Festival. Additional badges for cast & crew with films in the festival are only $125, and the badges grant access to all screenings; all panels; and all after-parties, except the Awards Gala, since those tickets are sold separately. VIP All-Access Badges are only $150 and that includes a ticket to the Awards Gala. I know times are tough, but to me, being at a film festival is such an extraordinary educational and networking endeavor, so if one truly wants to learn and make connections at a Festival, go all in and buy a badge and make sure you take as much advantage of having a badge as you can!

Thanks Kurt Patino! So much efforts and intellect goes behind film festivals, It’s always intriguing! Certainly significant for BIFF honoring a name as “Tim Burton” and describes perspectives, which many updates and talks has been ongoing for some time. A great AMA!

Hi Geoff! Thank you for having me! Great question, and I kind of touched base on it a bit answering Ashley's question. If I was planning to go to BIFF with my feature film and wanted to to make connections with the movers and shakers in the industry, the best ways are to go all-in and experience as much of the festival as you can. You never know who you'll run into, because certain screenings, or panels or after-parties will have movers and shakers there supporting their clients or films. What's great about BIFF is that AMC is close to where the panels & after-parties will be, and we're pretty self-contained in Downtown Burbank. Studying the days & times of the screening schedules & panels will also help you get a jumpstart on what specifically you'd like to focus on for a particular day. BIFF's website covers a lot of information: burbankfilmfest.org. Asking the Festival questions, so they can help you navigate is also a great way to not get lost in the frenzy. Ultimately as well, going to events also gives you the opportunity to promote your own film!

Hi Sam! Thanks for your question. It's a good one. It depends on the strategy, and I've heard various answers on this question. Both approaches have their merits. Having a sales agent before the festival can offer strategic advantages and early market entry, while waiting until after the festival can leverage the momentum and accolades your film might receive. Ultimately, the decision should be based on your film’s unique qualities, your festival strategy, and your long-term goals for distribution and sales. It’s also worth consulting with industry peers, mentors, or a legal advisor to make an informed decision tailored to your specific situation.

Swear I had a comment in here before. Wonder where it went. Kurt Patino You know Jeff Rector? He used to run BurbankFF. He and I are great friends. He came to my FF in Clearwater FL.

Hi Kurt, It strikes me that in most film festivals, only films and music videos are accepted but no screenplays.

Thank you so much for all your questions! This concludes my answer everything. Hope to see you at Burbank International Film Festival September 25 - September 29. Tickets go on sale July 1st at burbankfilmfest.org

You're welcome, Kurt Patino. Thanks again for having this AMA. Hope BIFF has a big turnout!

Kurt Patino thank you so much, Kurt. That’s really helpful. I shall take note of what you’ve said and use it at the next festival I attend.