Although these weeks have been very intense, we are keeping up our work pace and preparing the addition of new films now that the year is beginning.
In this process, it is very important to generate the screening and viewing copies properly.
For viewing copies, we have gradually been changing the way we work with Vimeo. The main goal is to have everything well prepared from the outset so that submission processes are faster and more streamlined.
Over the past few years, Vimeo has established itself as the most widely used tool for sending screeners to festivals, by far ahead of its competitors.
Its reach is so broad that submission platforms such as FilmFreeway or Festhome use it by default, and many festival forms also require it.
In addition, it could be said that it is the most “professional” format for emailing your film to a festival programmer, always with a private link and a password.
If we compare the current situation with that of just a few years ago, it can now be said that the Vimeo link is the current standard for festival viewing, in the same way that the DVD used to be.
Therefore, if you are preparing your materials right now, it is not a good idea to use other links on YouTube or Google Drive; do it directly on Vimeo. You may run into the issue of price: Vimeo’s free option is very limited, which is why many directors turn to YouTube at first.
The price of Vimeo Plus is around €6 per month if billed annually; it really is not that expensive, and if you are going to distribute your film, it is an expense you should take on, along with platform fees and submission fees.
Managing subtitles on Vimeo
One of Vimeo’s biggest advantages has been selectable subtitles; being able to add multiple SRT subtitle tracks to the same link is, in principle, a very good idea. You can use the same link for all festivals, and programmers only have to select their own language using the player’s CC button.
We have been working this way for several years, with selectable subtitles, but in recent months we have observed several trends at festivals that have led us to go back and work with copies with burned-in subtitles:
#1 Festivals are increasingly downloading copies from Vimeo, both for viewing and for screening. This is a problem, as the copy is downloaded without subtitles, so in the end the film may be disqualified for not having subtitles in the video.
#2 There are cases of films that mix several languages and must always be watched with subtitles; that is, the clean copy cannot be viewed, but Vimeo does not offer this option.
#3 The subtitle format cannot be changed, and I am seeing more and more directors who are not convinced by this format.
Therefore, it would be advisable to have a version with burned-in subtitles for each language you have available, and therefore a different link for each of them.
How to prepare screening links
To prepare Vimeo links, you have to enable a series of settings in the video configuration.
Vimeo’s interface was updated recently; now the most important settings for festivals are under “General”. Here they are:
You need to take the following options into account:
#1 First, you need to enable viewing for “Anyone with the password”. Except in exceptional cases, never change this password. This link must remain active for the entire time you are circulating your film.
#2 This link can be embedded “Anywhere”. This option is especially important for platforms. If you do not enable it, you force programmers to leave the platforms.
#3 The “Allow downloads” option must be enabled. As I said before, more and more festivals are asking to download the copy for viewing.
Details to keep in mind
Finally, you need to keep two small details in mind, but they could cause you many problems:
#1 If you change the video version, do not create a new URL; remember you must keep it unchanged. To do so, replace the old video with the new one; you can do this using the “Replace video” option at the end of “General”.
#2 This URL must be working at all times. Do not worry too much about piracy and trust festivals. Since we have been working with screening links, we have never had problems with fraudulent use of the links, something that did happen to us with DVD copies.
I hope this review of screening links helps you prepare your materials and your film’s distribution copies.
If you have any questions or would like to comment on anything, you can do so below.