The film festival marketing checklist that gets programmers to watch your film
Remember, programmers watch everything. The marketing materials are what get a film moved from watched to recommended
We know what it’s like…you submit to a festival, pay the fee, wait months to find out that your film didn’t make the cut. Your initial thought? The film wasn’t good enough. Here’s the thing though, that’s probably not the reason why your work got denied.
What sets apart the films that get recommended from the ones that don’t isn’t always the work itself, but everything that surrounds it. Before a programmer clicks play, they’ve already seen your logline, film synopsis, and key art, to name some factors. By the time the film starts on a programmer’s screen, you’ve either captured their full attention or you haven’t.
This guide is about what goes into nailing that first impression, and what most filmmakers get wrong.
Social Proof
Before we dive into the tangibles, let’s discuss something most filmmakers overlook entirely: social proof.
Festivals are in the business of filling seats and programming films they strongly believe will draw an audience. Programmers aren’t just evaluating your film in isolation, they’re evaluating the demand around it. Keeping your film off public platforms isn’t just about premiere status, it signals exclusivity and programmers notice.
When you submit through Hiike Independent’s The Circuit, we make it easy for your social proof to populate at the very top of your submission automatically, before a programmer even takes a look at your logline.
The Logline
Your logline is your pitch, not a plot summary. Good loglines make a programmer want to dive in and find out what happens, a little teaser, if you will.
A useful formula: a [main protagonist] must [character goal] before [stakes], but [obstacle(s)]. Around 25-35 words, active voice. Take the film Whiplash for example. Read the below two logline options and determine which makes you want to dig right into it.
Option 1: “A young drummer at a music school is pushed to his limits by a difficult instructor.”
Option 2: “A prodigious young drummer enrolls at a competitive music conservatory where his will to be the best puts him on a collision course with the most difficult instructor he’s ever encountered.”
If your initial answer is Option 2, you’re right. The second creates a desirable image right before you’ve even seen a frame. Write five versions and test them on someone who hasn't seen the film. The one that gives them the itch to keep asking questions is your logline.
The EPK
Your film’s EPK is just as important as your logline. Most filmmakers know they need an EPK and few know what each piece actually does.
Synopsis (both long and short)
Your short synopsis should be 100-150 words. This is what is placed in program guides and on your festival’s page to define the film. It should cover the buildup and emotional core without giving away the plot. Write it for an audience member that’ll be curious to learn more. Your long synopsis is what programmers and the jury review. If this doesn’t explain how the film ends, a programmer has a valid reason to pass.
Director’s Statement (200-350 words)
This explains why you made this film, what it cost you personally, and most importantly, why it matters at this moment in time. Every film has a reason it exists, whether it be social context, production, backstory, filmmaker identity, cultural timing. However, most filmmakers never say what it is. The director’s statement is the closest thing to a conversation you’ll have with someone deciding whether to program your work.
Bios
A director bio is required and should be 150-200 words, written in third person. Producer bios are also expected. Lead cast bios can be useful if they have past recognizable credits.
Film Stills
You should have a minimum of five high-resolution stills from the film, 300 dpi, and JPG or TIFF format. Festivals use these for their program guides, press needs, and social content. Make sure these are not frame grabs and that you have a unit photographer for this use case.
Poster and Key Art
Your key art needs to communicate genre and tone at thumbnail size, it’ll spend most of its life on a festival website, in a program, or social post along 15-20 other film thumbnails. Test it by shrinking it on your phone and if you can’t read the title, it likely needs work.
Screener & Trailer Links
Password-protect everything and keep it on a dedicated video hosting platform. With our platform KNOWN, you’ll get the added benefit of detailed analytics so you actually know who’s watching and for how long, with added features like where people are fast-forwarding, pausing, how long they’re pausing for, and if they’ve lost interest in the work or not. Never use a public YouTube link as that can jeopardize your premiere status which matters to film festivals. Many programmers watch the trailer before diving into the full film. Make the first :15 capture their attention.
The Cover Letter
Your cover letter explains why your film belongs at a specific festival, and should be 100-150 words. It should answer the question: what does this festival stand for, and why does your film speak to it? If you could paste this letter into any other submission and it would still make sense, rewrite it. Programmers read thousands of film submissions, a well-written cover letter that’s clearly composed for that festival is one of the best ways to signal that you’re a filmmaker who’s ready to take the circuit.
Final Checklist
- Logline
- Short synopsis
- Long synopsis
- Director’s statement
- Director’s bio
- Producer and cast bios
- Film stills
- Poster
- Password-protected screener
- Password-protected trailer
- Technical specs
- Full credits
- Cover letter
The film doesn't change after you submit. Everything here does.
