Waste Not, Want Not

I am going to submit my beloved first short film, "1st Grade Picture," to a film festival or two.  What I didn't know is there are literally HUNDREDS of film festivals in this country!  Forget about all the others abroad!  And each of these dang festivals require NONREFUNDABLE submission fees!  Of course they do!

Based upon my research, there are truly only a handful of festivals I'd even consider.  And, yes, SUNDANCE is one of 'em!!  Why not?  But I'll also submit to "lesser" festivals, too.  

What really gets me, though, is all the expense involved AFTER you've lucked up and actually finished making a film.  Paying to burn DVD copies of the film (that is, if the festival accepts DVDs) can cost you.  If DVDs aren't usable, then you have to pay to submit a DCP file.  No, I had never heard of such a file until today, either.  And those are EXPENSIVE!  And, again, there are the submission fees, which can run all the way up to $60+!

Oh, well, all I know is that I'm gonna submit to three festivals or so and see what I see!  I can see myself sitting on a stage, being interviewed about my film.  Just the way I interview others during HollyShorts Film Festival.  Will I be submitting my film for that festival?  Hmm.  Not sure yet.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  It's not on my "hit list," but one never knows.  

And, oh, HollyShorts' submission fee at the moment is $55.  Mmm hmm.