Festival Tips & Information

Below you will find info to let you know about the festival, what you will receive, and what needs to be done on your end.

Attending:

If you need other arrangements for rooms, Please contact us at 814-873-5069 or reservations@greatlakesfilmfest.com

Very Important: Please let us know of your itinerary as soon as possible.
 
Also we will supply two complete passes for two members of the film and any others may purchase passes at 10% off by contacting us directly. A complete pass allows you to enter every event as long as you show up to that event 15 minutes before its start time. We encourage you to watch each other’s films, particularly daytime screenings that don't always sell out.

If you are flying to the festival you can fly into the Erie International Airport and we will have people to take you to your hotel.

Once you arrive at the festival you will need to go to the Box Office at the Roadhouse Theatre to check in and pick up your materials.

The attending filmmakers need to be available to do a discussion session panel with the public and press during the day of their films first viewing. The exact times will be announced later. You will also need to do a question and answer session in the screening room immediately following your films viewing. If your film is being shown more than once you may also do Q&A’s after the second viewing.  

Suggestions:

Be sure to meet and exchange contact information with other filmmakers. These contacts will help drastically as you continue with the festival and distribution circuits.

If you can’t afford to stay for the whole event try to team up with others to save money.

Publicity:

Good advice would be for you to publicize your screening to as many people as possible (but do nothing illegal or anything that would make Erie residents and/or businesses upset, the festival is not and will not be responsible for your decisions).\

It's a good idea for features to double up with their accompanying shorts and have both teams pass out the same or similar fliers. For short film collections, you might want to team up with all the filmmakers in your program and do one joint flier or other promotional material. Remember that any piece you create should communicate as much information as possible in the most clear and concise fashion. Make sure your screening dates, times and locations are on the piece. Don't expect anyone to look any further than the card you hand them for information on how to see your film. Don't write things like "see the Festival program for further information" or "e-mail me." Proofread everything.

You may contact the press with the fax numbers listed below and/or also hang posters or pass out flyers around the town as soon as you arrive. The more people at your viewing, the better.

Other suggestions:

Some filmmakers like to throw parties after their film screens. These parties are great way to get the word out about your film, they are your own responsibility, if you have any questions please contact us. If you decide to throw a party or other event for your film, please call the Great Lakes Film Fest office @ 814-873-5069 as soon as possible to coordinate it with our schedule.

Advance Work:

Send fliers, e-mails, faxes, phone calls to targeted groups of distributors, press, agents, festival programmers, etc. as soon as you know your screening times. Don't be shy about calling acquisitions execs - it's their job to come to your screenings.

If you've got your own website, or a website for your film, make sure you do a link back to www.greatlakesfilmfest.com

Business Cards:

Should have local Erie contact information on them as well as permanent contact information. Make sure to put the name of your film on your business card, and maybe some of your artwork. Be sure to include e-mail or website.

Fliers should include complete contact information for you and/or whoever is representing your film, both in Erie and in your home office. Traditionally these pieces include a striking piece of artwork, some critics' quotes, key cast and crew credits (especially if there is someone well-known in your film) and a brief synopsis or catchy tag line. List all of your screening times and be sure to mention that the Great Lakes Film Festival is at the Roadhouse Theatre.

If you can afford it, you might want to consider fancy postcards or one-sheet promotional pieces.
Bring a lot of press materials. We will have tables set up at the Roadhouse Theatre specifically set aside for fliers, posters, and other material.  

Screenings:

A Festival volunteer or employee will make a brief intro and update of any new announcements. He'll introduce the director of the short film and feature film, show the short, then feature and do a Q & A. Please leave all comments till after the film.

For the question-and-answer sessions, the directors may want to invite their teams up with them, or just introduce them; it’s up to you. Also, decide ahead of time if and what to tell people when they ask what your budget is. This seems to be the most frequently asked question.

If you've got any special concerns or needs about seating or introductions or the Q-and-A, please let us know before your screening.

While we have made every effort to have an excellent screening facility, this is our first year and filmmakers should not expect THX theatre experience. Please understand that like some other festivals, ours is not a permanent theatre: it is a converted hotel banquet room and we have done the best with what we currently have. The one room seats about 300 people and the other almost 200 people.  

Once at the festival:

Check your film in at the Box Office of the Roadhouse Theatre. Films will be kept in a locked room at the Roadhouse until the day of their screening, and then moved to the screening room.

You are ultimately responsible for making sure your film is in the screening room at the time of your screening - it never hurts to keep an eye on it, and discuss any special needs with the projectionists early on the day of your screening.

Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for print damage.  

Press Release Contacts

                                                                     © Great Lakes Film Association