One of the things all festivals struggle with is implementation. When operating on time and budget constraints with staff and volunteers who may be at wildly different levels of technical savvy, it can be hard to know what is appropriate for your festival, much less how to get it done. It occurred to me that other festivals may find our festival advice useful, so here it is to pick and choose from as you see fit. Notice the tie ins with offline establishments and traditional media – you can’t leave the old behind or fail to incorporate it with the new and find success. You must use every tool available to you, in conjunction with each other.

• If you have a big sponsor, incorporate on and offline tie ins.

In the case of NHFF, they landed Frances Ford Coppola Winery’s Director’s Cut wine as a major festival sponsor. One of many things we suggested to them was to do as many festival tie ins and “extras” as possible. There was already a contest with the state liquor stores to start them off, but they were unable to leverage that as strongly as we’d hoped due to time constraints. The festival is doing our suggestion of restaurant pairings, however – local eating establishments creating menus paired with the wine made available to festival badge holders. We’re really looking forward to that one! A social media optimized press release is key to bridge the gap here. Free tools like Pitch Engine can help turn an old school press release into a social one with legs.

• Don’t be afraid to use what may be considered by some as “avant garde” tech.

We recommend the use of QR codes, Augmented Reality maps incorporated into Google Places and Google Maps and Foursquare Badges. To the tech savvy this is not “avant garde”. To the average person, it is. How do you then use this cool stuff in a way that everyone is happy and you are maximizing impact, without freaking out the normal, non tech oriented film lover?

For the QR codes, we recommended festivals put them on every festival badge, showing details about the festival, and as stickers in the window at various venues and businesses who are participating. This will give the venues a chance to highlight films, specials, schedules and more in a convenient, easy to access manner that folks can tap into with a simple mobile app or two. Combined with Foursquare and Augmented Reality, the festival has a chance to bring the world to its door. Not only that, you have a chance to highlight local filmmakers or locations used in local films.

Request a number of fun surprise badges for the festival from Foursquare well in advance. If Foursquare approves them in time, the festival won’t have to do anything extra to have those available. Follow up on the badge progress as much as possible from now until the start date, though you have no control over Foursquares heavy badge design workload these days! We choose to recommend Foursquare over Gowalla for two reasons: 1. more people use Foursquare right now 2. Foursquare is simply more reliable than Gowalla on average so far for actual check ins. After all, you have to use tools that actually work consistently.

AR is a bit trickier – we’re hoping festivals hook up with local folks already dabbling in Google Maps and Google Earth and other technologies to make that happen for them, but this facet may have to wait for another year, after they are more comfortable with the simpler technology they may have tried this year. Sometimes it’s all about the learning curve. If the festival can make it happen this year, look out! You’ll be able to walk through the festival online and “see” each venue and street as if you were there with all of the attendees and filmmakers.

• Content highlights on third party channels.

One suggestion we give festivals is to tap into tools like local online TV or webisode streaming sites to showcase content from past festivals, specifically short films. We also suggested they highlight local films after the local night at the festival ends to make their local audience a participating part of the festival, able to rate films and comment on them.

• Social Scheduling and Sharing

We offer festivals the idea that instead of buying an expensive festival scheduling service, the festival simply add a social scheduling feature to the site that allowed folks to add films to their own social calendars like Google Calendar and iCal, and offer a way to share their intention to see the film via sites like Twitter and others. Combined with online ticketing, this will generate much more interest in individual films that might otherwise have been overlooked.

• Engagement

Last year we noticed sporadic and undirected online festival engagement. This year we suggest formulating guidelines for participation from festival staff and volunteers (in the case of New Hampsire Film Festival we provided these guidelines for them). We also suggest knowing when to engage and how to monitor – festivals are struggling with that a bit right now, and getting “scooped” on some of their own announcements by others. Don’t let that happen! Listen online as well as you talk.

• Web Site: Social

Incorporating social elements into the festival web design is key: easy follow buttons, in line engagement tracking, hashtag streaming, a better multi author blog, content rating and sharing, video streaming and more.

• Mobile Apps

Make an iPhone and Droid App for your festival, for either ticketing and scheduling or for specials and festival info.

These are just some of the more significant bits of advice, but by no means all. This is just a collection of the things we thought film festivals might find useful that they may not think about. If it all seems overwhelming to you, we’d love to talk to you about helping you with this new frontier of festival with transmedia.

The most common amounts asked for: $1 and $5 (more commonly delivered as the guilt trip of “the price of a cappuccino”). I am one person. If I gave each time I was asked by everyone, I’d be out $7,553 in the last 10 days alone. Now figure in the fact that only ~16 people out of all those who’ve asked have ever interacted with me on any other level in social media beyond the ask. Those ~16 people are a combination of real life friends and folks whose work I’ve seen before.

Looking at the streams of the entire sample group, only 30 or so out of several hundred begging for money talk about any topics other than, well, begging for money. In other words, listening to these people who all share a dream doesn’t often add any value to the amount of attention I’m spending on listening. A select few share useful advice or engage and talk to people, etc, but mostly it’s just “gimme gimme gimme”.

Filmmakers should strive to remember that their audience’s time and attention is valuable. I realize that to you, the aspiring filmmaker, your dream is just as valuable, but how likely is the average person to fork over money to you if you treat your social stream like a target for an Amway pitch or a corner for panhandling? Some filmmakers say “But I’m trading ‘producer credits’ or swag or raffling a few signed copies or a non speaking part in the film for money”. I’ll give you that the perceived value of a give away coupled with an ask makes what you are doing seem less ‘Amway’ on the surface, but most of your listeners would rather trade you their attention, and eventually money, for real valuable engagement. For learning something about making a film. For trading techniques or ways to save money, for words of encouragement, and more. Give aways should never be your focus, any more than a steady stream of begging for money should be. It makes what you are asking and offering valueless to tie it in to pseudo producer credits and such.

You need a to see yourself as part of a larger picture, escaping the blinders of your goal for even a moment each time you sign in to your networks to see how you can be and do more than your ask. You are not interacting in a vacuum or a silo. You are one of many who need help financing a dream. Your ask contributes to a great, vast pool of asks made by many. What are you doing between asking for money that gives camaraderie, help, value or interest outside of the film or fundraising for it? How are you making your interactions worthy of the attention (and eventually money) you are asking people to give you?

Note: This post is written from the point of view of the non-film industry audience member. The folks who have no desire to be “in a movie” or to get their name in your credits – they just want to watch a good film and enjoy  themselves. These are the people you want to buy tickets, DVDs, digital copies of the film, rentals on VOD, etc. Not everyone wants to feel invested in your project – some people just want to enjoy the end product. You should be building relationships as much as or more than you fundraise to make that segment of your potential fan base happy. If you want the filmmaker point of view, this post by Ted Hope outlines it nicely.

Media Info:

Contact: Leslie Poston and Amy Greenlaw from Film POP!

Website: http://filmpop.tv or http://nhfilmfestival.com/

FILM POP AND NH FILM FESTIVAL, PORTSMOUTH, NH – Film POP! is pleased to announce that it will be working with the Festival this year as a Media Partner, and will lead and execute the online promotional efforts and strategy of the 10th Annual New Hampshire Film Festival in 2010.

“We are very fortunate to have Leslie and Amy of Film POP! onboard for NHFF 2010,” said NHFF Executive Director Nicole Gregg. “Film POP!’s expertise, experience and creativity in new media will help the New Hampshire Film Festival continue to bring greater exposure to high-quality independent film.”

This year marks the Tenth Anniversary of the New Hampshire Film Festival. Portsmouth’s film community members have been dubbed the future “Sundance East” by local news outlet Experience Magazine. This highlights the caliber of films and attending filmmakers each year, as well as the thriving local film community. Past Jury members include Ann Cusack, and Board members include renowned filmmaker, writer and director Chase Bailey and producer Mark Constance. The festival has been attended by actors such as Cusack and Brett Cullen and has also been home to such phenomenal films as Shooting Beauty, Food, Inc., The Sensation of Sight, and Burning Plain.

Film POP! has many exciting things planned for the New Hampshire Film Festival this year, including geolocation tie-ins, local business promotion, transmedia cross over, and Google Earth integration. Film POP! has several other tricks up their sleeves to surprise attendees of the festival as well. From events, films, meet and greet opportunities, festival tie ins, product placement and so much more, the Tenth Anniversary of the New Hampshire Film Festival will be celebrated in style, on and off line.

Film POP! is the brainchild of Amy Greenlaw and Leslie Poston. Between them they bring decades of experience in film, video, television, music and marketing to the table. You can reach Leslie via Twitter at http://twitter.com/leslie or email at leslie@filmpop.tv. You can reach Amy via Twitter at http://twitter.com/girlgamy or email at amy@filmpop.tv. You can also follow the New Hampshire Film Festival news on Twitter via http://twitter.com/nhff or through Film POP! on Twitter at http://twitter.com/filmpop. Film POP! will be joining Vital Design on the New Hampshire Film Festival marketing team, long time print and traditional media outlet and web design firm for the festival.

There are very few rules to the festival, like making sure your film is shot on one of the above mentioned items, non-professional. It also must be under 10 minutes. After watching some of the films, I was amazed at the creativity, newness, and the simplicity. Many of the films would be accepted into the bigger festivals I am sure. As a matter of fact I would recommend that some festival programmers take a gander at the amazing work on this site and also on Vimeo.
The Disposable Film Festival originates in San Francisco and hosts screenings in Paris, London, Brussels, New York, most recently Beijing, and other cities worldwide. DFF also give talks and host other events during the year, like their bike-in movie screenings (ride your bike into a screening as opposed to a drive-in).

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and make a film, celebrate art and your creativity!

It’s incredibly difficult to tailor a talk or panel to a room evenly divided between the more advanced users and the social media “noobs”. I like to think I do a good job, but I know I leave as frustrated as my audience when I’ve spent an hour or two trying to address both sides of the coin. Our workshop we offer via Film POP!, educational things I do like PodCamp NH and classes and seminars via Uptown Uncorked do address the issue,  but only a few people at a time.

Learning how to take the temperature of the room at the start and how to read the crowd as you go helps a bit as well, but even then you have half of the room who thinks you’re going too fast dispensing information (and this while your discussing the basic trifecta of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and not even scratching the surface of the much cooler more advanced stuff), and the other half who craves more detail, more help – more meat.

My call to action in this post for event planners: make a conscious effort to offer two tracks for your attendees if possible: 101 and Senior Thesis, so to speak. Then take it a step further and really screen the folks in each. Don’t be afraid to gently suggest to someone that they may want to attend the other workshop or session based on their knowledge level or skill set. I know social media is all about helping each other out, but at some point that comes with a cost for the more advanced folks in the room as every discussion devolves to answer simple questions.

My call to action for speakers and teachers in this space: let’s make our own tracks when the event planners don’t do it for us. If you want to teach advanced tools, and you have a room of advanced level folks ready to learn that includes  a few 101 level students, set the time up to reduce questions (offer to take them at the end, for example) and allow yourself to teach to the advanced level. If a 101 level student wants to insert a question that will veer the discussion off course, gently remind them that questions will be at the end – don’t allow them to derail the discussion for others. Then at the end, offer to help them with their questions between sessions or over drinks at the after party. If, on the others hand, your room is full of beginning social media stars, teach to that level, and make the same offer of a more in depth discussion to the handful of advanced users who may be in the room.

If you are speaking or educating in this space and are careful with your time, aware of your audience and perceptive, you can make a room of mixed knowledge attendees happy. It just takes care and practice.

I’m on the panel, and I can’t wait to talk about the nitty gritty of marketing, distribution, fundraising and festivals with a group of like minded people. Will I meet you?

Here’s where to sign up: Filmmakers Get Social Registration

There are four main characters whose stories all take place on the same end of summer night. Maggie, (a striking performance by Claire Sloma), who skips out on the all-girls sleepover she was invited to attend in favor of chasing some older boys at a party. Taking her place at the sleepover is Claudia, (a strong performance by Amanda Bauer), the new girl in town, hoping to meet new friends by attending, but discovers something about her sleepover host instead.

Rob (Marlon Morton) spends the night in search of a blonde girl he had spotted at the grocery store earlier that day, thus becoming determined to meet her. College junior Scott (a subtle and sometimes humorous portrayal by Brett Jacobsen) is trying to find the twins (Nikita and Jade Ramsey) that he had a crush on since High School in an effort to dull the pain of getting dumped by a girlfriend.

Mitchell has exquisitely captured the essence of a late summer evening in which last ditch efforts to have something great happen before it slips away into everyday life. The lack of adults and time defining surroundings allows for full submersion into the characters’ emotions and experiences. The photography and editing is just right, inspiring nostalgia of our own teenage experiences. It is a refreshing view of teen life, with a wonderful cast of characters/actors. A not surprising win at SXSW 2010 for best ensemble cast was deserved and then some.

I am hoping this film finds a larger audience with distribution; online and theatrically.

The Myth of the American Sleepover – Official Trailer from Strike Anywhere on Vimeo.

What is Social Media for Storytellers? Simply put, it’s about more than just the tools. It’s about crafting, then honing, a real connection with your audience, then putting that audience in your pocket and bringing them with you on your journey. Every creative person hopes to make money at their craft, but social media for storytellers doesn’t make your audience feel like your cash cow. If it’s done right it makes them your evangelists, your cheerleaders, your biggest fans.

It’s not just about building an audience either. It’s about building a bridge, connecting people in a way that matters – that lasts. This connection will be the foundation to your success, whether you need distribution, financing, or collaborators. It’s also about telling a story in a way that is compelling. With a million voices shouting, it’s about how to be heard, and, more importantly, how to be worth hearing.

Note: This review contains spoilers.

•••

Bryan Poyser’s funny and complicated “Lovers of Hate” could be a study of how a very dysfunctional sibling relationship can make all other relationships seem “normal”. The Writer/Director came up with “Lovers of Hate” after staying one night at a home near Park City, by himself – the very one that appeared in the film. During the Q&A he said he was all alone in the house and thought he could hide and no one would have known he was even there.  But the real mastery is in the story he created and the wonderful performances by his actors.

“Lovers of Hate” centers around two brothers and the one woman they both love. Rudy, played masterfully by Christopher Doubek (The Happy Poet, Earthling), is a walking train wreck. The film opens with Rudy trying to shower in a DIY car wash because he is living in his car after his wife threw him out. Rudy’s very successful younger brother, Paul (Alex Karpovsky) writes children’s novels in the vein of Harry Potter, an idea he got from his older brother who used to tell him these stories when they were kids. Heather Kafka is brilliant as Rudy’s estranged wife, Diana. Things get more uncomfortable when Paul figures out that Rudy and Diana are no longer together after an awkward dinner while in town promoting his latest book. Following the dinner, Paul goes to a mansion in Park City owned by a friend, to write his next novel, but his brother Rudy beats him there and hides in the house. While hiding he discovers his wife Diana has come for a weekend of sex and more sex.

Still remaining hidden in this 4 story house, Rudy plays pranks to sabotage the couple’s weekend. But what’s amazing and uncomfortable is when Rudy is hiding and has to listen and sometimes watch his brother have sex with the woman he still loves. Half of this film is Doubek acting without speaking, which I found to be astounding. Kafka’s portrayal of Diana is multilayered and evokes a mixed bag of emotions. Out of the three main characters I felt the most sorry for her and being caught in the middle of this broken relationship.

In the illustrated e-book on the Lovers of Hate website (very cool, check it out), Poyser states “The people that you’re closest to are usually the ones that you end up hurting the most.” Something I think everyone can identify with and each of this film’s characters have flaws that we have all experienced in one way or another in our lifetime.