1 session: Saturday, January 25, 10am–4 pm

This class provides you with everything you need to know about submitting to, preparing for, and attending film festivals. It’s designed for filmmakers working in any genre/category (narrative, documentary, experimental, shorts, features, etc.) who are entering film festivals for the first time or who’ve gotten into festivals previously but wish to have better success with their next film. There is a lunch break.

Topics covered:

• Current festival landscape (which festivals are right for you)
• Festival strategy (festival cycle, value of premiere)
• Submitting (platforms, strategies, tools, etc.)
• Preparation (print traffic, press materials, social media, travel, etc.)
• Attending (how to maximize the experience, press, networking, etc., and how to not go broke doing it!)

Tuition: $100 regular/$75 member/$55 low-income

Michael Forstein is a director, producer, and creator of the Film Festival Database. A 2016 recipient of the McKnight Fellowship in Media Arts, his films have screened at festivals throughout the country including Sundance, SXSW, AFI, and Rooftop Films, and have been featured on Short of the Week and Vimeo Staff Picks. He produced the 2018 Camden International Film Festival and previously worked in operations for five years for the Tribeca Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Rooftop Films, and the Walker Art Center. He has taught master classes in filmmaking and festivals at the San Francisco Academy of Art, University of Texas-Arlington, University of Minnesota, St. Cloud State University, and FilmNorth.

Class Registration Guidelines & Cancellation Policy

• Space is assigned on a first-come basis. Registrations must include payment in full. Registrations are accepted after registration deadlines if space is available.
• If minimum enrollment has not been reached by 7 days prior to the start date of a class, FilmNorth may cancel it, in which case registrants will immediately be notified and receive a full refund within 2 business days. A check will be issued for registrations that were paid in cash. In lieu of a refund, students have the option of applying their tuition to another class scheduled in the same calendar year.
• For those wishing to cancel a registration prior to the class registration deadline, 100% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. For registration cancellations received after the registration deadline but prior to the first class session, 50% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. As of 5:00 pm the day prior to a class start date, no refunds or credits/exchanges will be given (Friday at 5:00 pm for Sunday classes). 
• Tuition is not prorated for missed class sessions.