7 Clues to SPOT the SCAM Film Festival | FilmFreeWay example

Don't be cheated by scammers on FilmFreeWay, know how to recognize fake festivals.
Here is a dedicated website to spot SCAM festivals! www.submittingtofilmfestivals...
You spent all your money on creating a short that you dream of and, hopefully, will lift up your career, but suddenly... SCAMs everywhere around! You can't even realize how MANY SCAM film festivals are out there, especially after COVID times. Some dishonest people decided that this could be easy profit by doing nothing except giving filmmakers fake hope. And, of course, It is not even illegal! Technically, you did everything that "normal" fests do - did selection, made a screening (even if it's only for participants or friends, and published "awards." Maybe give some diplomas from a Word template or whatever.
Today, I want to share with you 7 clues or red flags on how you can easily detect suspicious festials and be more cautious. Please save your money for real festivals and promote your work. Good luck!
#filmmaking #directing #directingactors #director #independentfilmmaker #filmeducation #producing #awardwinning #filmfestival #filmfestivals #filmfestivalcircuit
0:00 - Intro
1:07 - Many paid categories
1:54 - Monthly Festivals
2:13 - Communication
2:41 - Date and Venue
3:02 - Accepting everything
3:32 - High Fee
4:09 - Award
4:30 - Extra Clue

[@IdeaStudioBKK]

Great tips, Sergiy, I have made a number of these mistakes myself over the years. We live and learn... Lets get that beer soon.

[@sergiypudich]

Yeah, Learning by doing :) Definitely beer !

[@maxourik-nlightstudio4766]

Thanks for tips! Short and informative

[@sergiypudich]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cynthiamorris3935]

Thank you for the information! I wish I had seen this sooner! Lesson learned!

[@sergiypudich]

Glad it was helpful! I also wish I would learn this from someone earlier rather than by my wallet :)

[@jtem9313]

I volunteer on a little festival and I've got to say that we MUST accept older films. We have no choice. The top-tier and even second-tier festivals all require "Premier Status," or at least regional premier status. If we play their film it has premiered so it's disqualified from larger festivals. The result is we're not getting the famous names & big budget films until their second and probably third season on the circuit. Because they can't submit to us, not without disqualifying themselves from other festivals.

[@sergiypudich]

Yeah this is true for a feature films and for the first year circuit. Second year already all premiered done. For short movies only few top festivals required premiered status.

[@shkoff]

Submitting short film for the festival and Sergiy's advice helped me out, thanks for the info!

[@sergiypudich]

always welcome )

[@sunnyk3366]

Hi, thank you for sharing. Have you heard about the London Movie Festival? I submitted a film because their entry fee was quite affordable, and I received an immediate response saying I've been selected. However, upon checking their website, it seems rather roughly put together. Looking forward to your reply.

[@sergiypudich]

I didn’t heard about it, but if they did quick reply about selection is a definitely red flag about legimacy of the festival. Moreover, the name “”city” movie festival” sounds like an attempt to create fake expectations about the festival.

[@sergiypudich]

Usually one city has 1-3 big festivals that are good. Ok, London is huge city, so may be more. Here I googled top 7 fests in London. I think all others fests should be carefully checked on scam and legitimacy: www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/film/film-festival

[@MarharytaTarakhtii]

Super useful and succinct information 👍💪🏻👏

[@sergiypudich]

Glad it was helpful!

[@leonardobarone4098]

Great video, what do you think about film festivals where a filmmaker have to pay from 100$ to 300$ in order to partecipate at the award cerimony? I'm talking about festivals who have real event, not online.

[@sergiypudich]

Send them to hell. This is out of logic of filmmaking! You can't spend money and time in order to create a CONTENT for film festivals, then apply and then on top of it - to pay participation fee. Before good festivals were paying screening fees to selected films….

[@hatdoggie9104]

how about lift off film festival? i feel like there's something fishy about their film festival

[@sergiypudich]

As for me it’s obvious scams: they have same “festival” for different countries and trying to push to filmmakers “discounts” to apply for all of them.

[@hatdoggie9104]

@@sergiypudich thank you. Finally got that cleared up for me.

[@EmpowermenthouseCreativeMedia]

I've been skeptical of the "invitation" with huge discount codes...some from festival and some from filmfreeway. Filmfreeway refused to police themselves (like Craigslist and Facebook) so their credibility is slipping. I.portant info. Thanks for your service to the creative community

[@rogerwilliams8598]

What about London international screenwriting festival? Semi final for one script and Finalist for another. I don’t believe I am that good. Is it legit? Btw. Thanks for this vid.

[@sergiypudich]

Can you share the link? I can find only London International screenwriting competition (that is sucks, if its what you are asking, because they have different “packages” for entries, like any restaurant/business)