Distribution : Ask Me Anything (AMA) 1/16 to 1/17 by Barbara Twist

Great to meet you, Barbara Twist. Thanks for taking the time to do this AMA.

I've heard that [some] distributors want films that are 90 minutes or less and if a film is over 90 minutes, they want the film to be cut down. Do you know if that's true?

Hey Barbara! Thanks so much for doing an AMA - for the creatives that are going to festivals/markets without a project but want to make connections and are new to it and feeling imposter syndrom, what do you think is the best way to go into the situation feeling confident and able to make those strong connections?

Great to have you here with us, Barbara. I'll leap into it. What are you seeing in the script market now? I have some information on that but you likely know more and I seek to pick your brain. My second question is what is it like to sell scripts at AFM? I have heard that some scripts get attention there while I know AFM is largely for completed films. Thank you for your time and may you have a wonderful day.

Hi Maurice! I have not personally run into that request by distributors, but I can see certain distributors, like ones that focus on getting your film onto streamers, being more interested in shorter films. My personal approach is that your film should be as short as it needs to be :) I've rarely watched a film where I felt it was too short, but I have watched many films that were too long. The more eyes you can get on the film during the post process, the more opportunities you have to clarify story issues and find that sweet spot of length. I love feedback screenings!

Hi Emily! Great question. Going to a festival without a project as a creative is already an incredible first step. Watching movies or seeing panels is going to be a great way to get the conversation going with others. Try striking up a chat in line, or attending any happy hour/coffee breaks that the festival is offering. Remember that you are surrounded by film lovers who are all there for the same reason: to watch movies! Start with the love for film, and I bet that will lead to some solid conversation.

Hi L. Tom! These are great questions, but they are out of my area of expertise as I''m not currently reading many scripts. I would recommend reading winning loglines from script competitions and lab programs to see what is exciting folks. I would also recommend checking out the Austin Film Festival - they run a really great screenwriting conference and get into many of these questions. They also have a podcast that they produce. Lastly, I would track what is currently selling/being announced (IMDb and Deadline are great resources) - consider film scripts, but also podcasts, game adaptations, and book series adaptations. Again, all of these will tell you what is trending right now but over time, you could get a sense of what historically holds.

As for AFM, I have not attended before. I'd recommend seeking out a producer who has brought a script to their market and see if they can share their insight with you.

I hope that helps a bit!

Thank you, Barbara, it helps. I had tossed around the idea of attending the Austin Film Festival this year. Finances willing, I will. The nudge you provided reference the podcast from Austin and being more active tracking on iMDBPro and Deadline were very helpful.

I have someone in mind to ask reference AFM, but the more input the better, so thank you for your answer.

It really is a pleasure to "Meet" you and thank you for answering our questions.

Hi Barbara! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this AMA for the Stage 32 community. My question is about recognizable talent in your festival submission. How important is it to have we’ll known names in your movie? I know that helps where distribution is concerned but do festival acceptance committees put the same stock in those metrics or do you find that the quality of the film and strength of the filmmakers vision is enough on their own merits when festivals make decisions? Thanks, again!!

Hi Barbara, thanks so much for doing this AMA! I'd love to know more about the film festival selection process. What criteria do film festivals use to program their screenings? What advice would you have for filmmakers who are looking to get their feature accepted into top festivals?

Thanks for the answer, Barbara. "My personal approach is that your film should be as short as it needs to be." I agree. My feature scripts are about 90 pages. Sometimes I think, "Maybe I should make this script longer," but I only need about 90 pages to tell the story, so adding more just to be adding it would hurt the script (and add to the budget).

Hi Barbara, thank you for doing this AMA! Would you share what your path to joining the PGA was like?

Hi Sam! I would say that for most festivals, the recognizability of your talent is significantly less important than the quality of the film and strength of the filmmaker's vision. Having known talent in your film could give you an extra edge if a programmer is having to make final decisions in a tight race, but you've got to have a good film to even make it into that final round. Where having known talent could be helpful is when you're making a short as a proof of concept for a feature, and that person is on board for the feature; or as an Executive Producer on a short to help expand awareness in a market dynamic.

Hi Sam! Festival criteria can vary from programmer to programmer, but typical things they are looking for in early rounds of screening: quality of storytelling, technical quality, is it compelling, is there a clear vision, does this film draw me in and hold my attention. In later rounds, as programmers narrow down to their final selection, they may also consider things like: would my audience like this, who is the audience, who are the filmmakers, does this fit with the other films I'm programming, what are the themes. Someone wise said to me: there's a film for every festival, but not every festival is for your film. There are so many elements that go into programming, but if you are focused on making the best version of your story, that is the best foundation you can give yourself.

Hi Niki! I joined the PGA through my work as a Post Production Supervisor and Coordinator. I started as a Post PA in 2019 and then worked several films as a Post Coordinator and a few as a Post Supervisor. I applied to join the PGA in the Fall of 2021 and had to show my credits as well as get two recommendations from previous bosses. I was accepted in Spring 2022 and then joined the AP Delegates Council to help support the membership.

Hi Barbara! With your schedule being so busy, how do you find the time to create your own projects, I know you've worked on short films. Would love to know how you balance it all.

This is so generous of you, Barbara Twist. I just want to say thank you. And I just shared your blog on Twitter.

Barbara Twist Hello! I sent you a network request. The IIPG is organizing the first annual IIPG awards for late this year, and is going over criteria for accredited festivals, as well as nomination criteria, etc. We would love to speak with you! Add me and let's talk!

And I thought Twist was just a name Dickens made up. Say hi to Oliver.

My name is Josiah and my question is how do I get in the business? I have a degree, I have some experience within theater, film and television, but I want to gain more experience. I try networking, applying for film jobs, while also perfecting my craft and still nothing. What should I do?

@Josiah Bhola Hillaire - The IIPG has an upcoming seminar on Transitioning Into The Film Industry, presented by one of our directors, Leigh Ariana Trifari. To get notified when it is available, register a website account at independentproducersguild.org and you will get the Guild newsletters. You could also take out a general membership and get a deep discount on Guild seminars as a Guild member.

Hi Barbara and Thank you. Jed.