In previous posts I have talked about screening copies and viewing copies for festival distribution, but I had not dedicated any to promotional materials. Some students asked me about them recently and it is worth doing a brief review, especially of the materials that are essential and that we must have ready before we start working.
Film festivals and submission platforms require a minimum set of materials, without which I cannot confirm the submission of a short film or feature film.
Therefore, before starting distribution, I must have everything perfectly prepared:
- Technical and cast/crew sheet, which must include:
- Name of the director and the heads of each department.
- Running time, genre (fiction, documentary, animation or experimental), year of production, shooting location, language, original format and country.
- Synopsis and the director’s biofilmography in Spanish and at least in English for international distribution. The texts should be as short as possible; many festival forms have very limited space and we have to adapt to them. Some platforms also request a long synopsis, but I do not think it is essential material.
- Photographs: these are stills, scene photographs from the film. We can have at least 3 photographs, although most festivals use only one for the catalogue. They must be print quality, around 300 dpi and in .jpg format. We must be very aware that these photographs will be the film’s image in festival catalogues and on social media.
- Director’s photograph: as with the scene photographs, we must take care of it, as it is often published in the catalogues and websites of many festivals. In the case of several directors, I always advise taking a single photograph with everyone. Most forms do not have fields for multiple photos and only allow you to upload one.
- Copy of the director’s ID card: sticking with the director, simply a scanned copy of a valid ID card, as some festivals require it. It is useful for confirming nationality and place of birth, which is very important for festivals and regional sections.
- Trailer: until very recently it was not so important, but many festivals now request it, and personally I include it among the basic materials for distribution. It is used for the website and festivals often promote themselves with these trailers, which in turn help promote the film.
- Along these lines is the poster. You can distribute a short film (but not a feature film) without a poster, but I consider it a basic; it is very important for the film’s image and many festivals ask for it.
- Website: at the moment it is essential to have a good website that, in addition to serving as marketing and promotion for the film, can have all these promotional materials available for download (even if we use a Dropbox or Google Drive link) and for viewing the trailer.
Nowadays there is no longer a physical medium for festival distribution, as there used to be with DVDs, so the website has become the only presentation image and access point for materials; we must take care of it.
These would be the essential materials to start the festival submission process, but of course I can have many more, such as a complete press kit, the director’s statement of intent, a long synopsis, etc. This will depend on each director and producer.
It is also advisable to have the rating licence and the certificate of nationality issued by the ICAA ready, especially if we want to take part in the Goya Awards. Although it is not essential to have it at the beginning, once we are selected at a festival accredited by the Academy I must request it; we have to be prepared.