FestForge

What makes a comedy film work for a festival, and how does a programmer decide what belongs in the room?

Benedict Morrison, Artistic Director of the LOCO London Comedy Film Festival, joins Brendan Cleaves and Johnny Vivash to talk about choosing comedy films, supporting emerging filmmakers and running a not-for-profit festival. They discuss what LOCO looks for in submissions, why comedy can tackle difficult subjects, and the value of seeing funny films with an audience.

LOCO is a London festival dedicated to comedy filmmaking. This conversation offers a candid look at the decisions behind its programme and what filmmakers should consider before submitting.

CHAPTERS

00:00 The birth of LOCO
04:42 Balancing academia and comedy
05:56 Running a not-for-profit festival
08:12 Building a comedy filmmaking community
09:10 Beyond film screenings
10:43 BAFTA qualification and what it means
27:34 What happens when a film is submitted
30:56 Comedy’s darker side
32:58 Shorts, sketches and storytelling
35:28 How LOCO assesses submissions
36:56 Choosing and shaping the programme
44:04 Comedy that challenges expectations
55:05 The future of comedy in a digital age
01:03:07 Benedict’s advice for filmmakers

LOCO LONDON COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL

Website: https://locofilmfestival.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locolondon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/locofilmfestival/
X: https://twitter.com/LOCOFilmFest
Festival submissions: https://filmfreeway.com/LOCOFilmFestival

FESTFORGE PODCAST

Listen and watch: https://festforge.art/podcast-links
Website: https://festforge.art/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FestForge

HOSTS

Brendan Cleaves
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendancleaves/
Website: https://www.brendancleaves.com/

Johnny Vivash
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnyvivash/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3131573/

Film Festivals by the Numbers: Stephen Follows on Fees, Selection and Rejection

What does a festival submission fee actually pay for? How is a film chosen, and what should a filmmaker take from a rejection?

Film industry researcher Stephen Follows joins Brendan Cleaves and Johnny Vivash to look past the assumptions surrounding the festival circuit. They discuss how festivals are changing, the pressures behind submission fees, what happens during selection, and why programming is about more than judging films in isolation.

The conversation also asks what filmmakers should reasonably expect from festivals: clearer information, better communication and greater transparency. Stephen brings a researcher's perspective to questions of curation, inclusion and success, while reminding us that a festival decision is one response to a film, not the final word on its worth.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Navigating the film festival landscape
10:03 How film festivals are changing
20:07 Submission fees and festival funding
32:41 What filmmakers expect when they submit
34:34 Why transparency matters
36:38 How the selection process works
39:20 The role of curation
41:27 Why a festival needs its own voice
43:26 Diversity and inclusion
45:36 Rejection and success
48:36 The future of film festivals

LISTEN AND FOLLOW FESTFORGE
All podcast links: https://www.festforge.art/podcast-links
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/festforge/id6795884061
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033XPu9dbrx6Zc0gJEyqkQ
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FestForge
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/festforge.art/
Website: https://www.festforge.art/

GUEST
Stephen Follows: https://stephenfollows.com/

HOSTS
Brendan Cleaves: https://www.instagram.com/brendancleaves/
Brendan’s website: https://www.brendancleaves.com/
Johnny Vivash: https://www.instagram.com/johnnyvivash/
Johnny’s IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3131573/

What gets a feature into FrightFest, and what makes a programmer take a chance on a new filmmaker? Ian Rattray, FrightFest co-founder and co-director, joins Brendan Cleaves and Johnny Vivash to talk about building the festival, programming its First Blood strand and choosing films for an audience that knows its horror.

Ian discusses how submissions are assessed, why originality and ambition matter, and why rushing an unfinished cut to meet a deadline can work against you. He also talks about balancing returning filmmakers with new voices, changing audience tastes and what he would tell someone submitting to FrightFest for the first time.

Listen to the FestForge Podcast: https://festforge.art/podcast-links

CHAPTERS

00:00 Technical difficulties

03:36 Introduction

04:49 Ian's journey into film

07:01 The birth of FrightFest

09:08 What defines a FrightFest film?

10:09 Why First Blood exists

10:18 The politics behind First Blood

13:09 How Ian's taste has changed

15:00 Selecting films for First Blood

22:49 Loyalty and new voices

24:25 Big names and studios

25:21 Horror films at festivals

26:03 The art of programming

27:33 Difficult programming decisions

28:06 Audience engagement and revenue

30:16 Censorship and film selection

32:29 Trends versus originality

36:24 Has filmmaking improved?

42:28 Submissions and selection

50:22 The filmmaker's perspective

51:19 Ian's festival survival guide

53:11 Closing thoughts

FRIGHTFEST

Website: https://www.frightfest.co.uk/

Submit a film: https://frightfest.co.uk/submissions/

Team FrightFest: https://www.frightfest.co.uk/teamfrightfest/

FESTFORGE

Website: https://www.festforge.art/

Podcast and listening links: https://festforge.art/podcast-links

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FestForge

HOSTS

Brendan Cleaves: https://www.instagram.com/brendancleaves/

Johnny Vivash: https://www.instagram.com/johnnyvivash/

How does FrightFest choose the horror shorts that make it onto the big screen?

James Taylor, FrightFest's Shorts Programmer, joins Brendan Cleaves and Johnny Vivash to talk about the selection process, how programmers build a varied line-up, and what filmmakers can do to give their work the best chance.

They get into story versus budget, premiere status, audience experience, festival feedback, rejection, the path from shorts to features, and why the right screening can open real doors for a film.

Chapters

00:00 Technical Difficulties and Introductions

02:04 Becoming Part of FrightFest

03:11 The Selection Process

04:00 Horror Genre and Film Submissions

04:50 Curation and Programming

05:49 Short Film Selection and Audience Experience

06:54 Film Length and Audience Engagement

07:59 Filmmaker Advice and Submission Considerations

28:50 Film Submission Criteria

30:27 The Impact of AI in Filmmaking

36:14 The Community Experience at FrightFest

43:42 The Power of Film Festivals

46:57 The Role of Short Films in Festival Programming

55:26 Film Submission and Festival Selection

56:43 The Journey of a Film

58:53 Premiere Status and Festival Strategy

01:08:06 Rejection and Feedback

01:18:06 The Impact of Venue and Screening

ABOUT FRIGHTFEST

Website: https://www.frightfest.co.uk/

Films and events: https://www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents/

Team FrightFest: https://frightfest.co.uk/teamfrightfest/

Contact: https://frightfest.co.uk/contactus/

HOSTS

Brendan Cleaves

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendancleaves/

Website: https://www.brendancleaves.com/

Johnny Vivash

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnyvivash/

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3131573/

FESTFORGE

Website: https://www.festforge.art/

Podcast: https://www.festforge.art/podcast

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube: https://festforge.art/podcast-links

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FestForge

Subscribe for honest conversations about short films, festival submissions and the realities of the festival circuit.

How do you get a short film into a BIFA-qualifying festival?

Kino London Short Film Festival’s Festival Director, Dustin Curtis Murphy, and Senior Programmer, Gillian Harker, join Brendan Cleaves and Johnny Vivash to discuss what makes a submission stand out, Kino’s budget-based categories, transparency, accreditation, programmer feedback and common festival-submission mistakes.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Meet Dustin Curtis Murphy and Gillian Harker

02:46 Kino London and the filmmaking journey

07:10 Kino’s budget-based category system

11:31 Does budget disclosure change filmmaking?

18:52 Transparency around film budgets

22:28 Guaranteed feedback for filmmakers

26:52 The challenge of giving useful feedback

31:18 Kino’s pre-selection process

40:17 Transparency and filmmaker trust

48:51 The BIFA-qualifying process

50:06 Film festival accreditation

53:10 The challenges of accreditation

54:15 How accreditation affects programming

57:28 Kino’s talent-focused approach

01:03:26 Industry sessions and workshops

01:16:41 Toxicity in the film industry

01:19:27 Carving your own path

01:26:26 The illusion of authority

01:31:04 Common festival-submission mistakes

01:33:43 Challenging the status quo

Listen to the FestForge Podcast:

https://festforge.art/podcast-links

KINO LONDON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Website: https://www.kinoshortfilm.com/klsff

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinolondon/

GUESTS

Dustin Curtis Murphy:

http://www.instagram.com/dcmfilmmaker

Gillian Harker:

https://www.instagram.com/gillian.harker/

HOSTS

Brendan Cleaves:

https://www.instagram.com/brendancleaves/

Johnny Vivash:

https://www.instagram.com/johnnyvivash/

FESTFORGE

https://www.festforge.art/

https://www.youtube.com/@FestForge

Subscribe for candid conversations about short films, festival submissions and the reality of the festival circuit.

The conversation delves into discussion about the festival strategy, the impact of festival selections, the premiere strategy, and the festival experience, highlighting the importance of festival relationships and the value of festival laurels. The conversation covers the filmmaker's experience with festival opportunities, the Oscars, and the impact of winning awards. It also delves into the challenges of networking at festivals, the differences between European and American festivals, and the significance of casting in filmmaking. The conversation delves into the passion for filmmaking, the engagement with material, and the career benefits. It also explores the journey of a film, the festival circuit, financial rewards, and distribution platforms. Additionally, it discusses the craft of filmmaking, life experiences, handling rejection, and festival survival.

Takeaways

• Importance of festival relationships and laurels Festival opportunities open doors for filmmakers
• Networking at festivals can be challenging
• European and American festivals have different dynamics
• Casting is crucial for the success of a film Passion drives actors and filmmakers
• Engaging with material is crucial for career benefits

Chapters

• 00:00 Navigating Film Funding
• 03:09 The Festival Strategy
• 09:32 The Impact of Festival Selections
• 18:07 The Premiere Strategy
• 23:44 The Festival Experience
• 29:58 Festival Opportunities and the Oscars
• 32:27 Festival Experience and Networking
• 39:32 European vs. American Festivals
• 53:14 Casting and Filmmaking Challenges
• 01:00:41 The Passion for Acting and Filmmaking
• 01:01:30 Engaging with Material and Career Benefits
• 01:03:18 The Journey of a Film and Festival Circuit
• 01:05:27 Financial Rewards and Distribution Platforms
• 01:11:24 Craft of Filmmaking and Life Experiences
• 01:21:12 Handling Rejection and Festival Survival

Looking for the right festival strategy for your film?

FestForge creates bespoke festival strategies and provides professional film hosting, helping you target the right festivals, avoid wasted submission fees and get more from your festival run.

Build your custom strategy today at http://festforge.art.

http://www.festforge.art

FestForge links

https://www.instagram.com/festforge.art/

https://www.instagram.com/brendancleaves/

https://www.instagram.com/johnnyvivash/

Ben's links

https://www.instagram.com/ben_s_hyland/

https://www.benshyland.com

The first episode of the Festival Podcast features an interview with Marko Men, the head programmer of the Grossman Fantastic Film Online Festival. The conversation covers the festival's history, unique aspects, film selection process, guest experiences, and survival guide for filmmakers. It also delves into the positioning of the festival in the context of the film festival circuit and its community-building activities. The conversation covers insights from Marco Metzen, the film 'The Ones Who Grieve', the affliction of the Black Veil, the Tesla Tower and electricity, revisited zombie and new wave zombie, period setting and cinematography, the filmmaking journey, handling rejection, festival advice, and the Grossman Fantastic Film and Wine Festival experience.

Takeaways

• Grossman Festival's unique combination of film and wine sets it apart
• Community and networking play a significant role at Grossman Festival Insights into the filmmaking journey
• Importance of perseverance and festival experience

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Grossman Festival
• 00:46 History of Grossman Festival
• 01:17 Influence of Karl Brosman and Fritz Lang
• 03:06 Positioning of Grossman Festival
• 04:02 Unique Aspects of Grossman Festival
• 05:29 Community and Networking at Grossman Festival
• 06:53 Guests and Personal Experiences
• 08:02 Securing Guests for the Festival
• 09:45 Film Selection Process
• 11:42 Film Programming and Scheduling
• 24:16 Film Premieres and Selection Criteria
• 25:13 Events and Activities at Grossman Festival
• 27:33 Survival Guide for Filmmakers at Grossman
• 28:32 Introduction to the Festival
• 29:26 Insights from Marco Metzen
• 31:48 Quarks and His Film
• 32:32 The Ones Who Grieve
• 33:25 The Black Veil Affliction
• 34:18 The Tesla Tower and Electricity
• 35:08 Revisited Zombie and New Wave Zombie
• 35:28 Period Setting and Cinematography
• 37:19 Pandemonium and Filmmaking Journey
• 47:28 Handling Rejection and Festival Advice
• 53:14 Grossman Fantastic Film and Wine Festival Experience

http://www.festforge.art

The Fest Forge Podcast is introduced by Brendan Cleaves and Johnny Vivash, who aim to provide insights and knowledge about the film festival experience. They discuss the purpose of the podcast, insider knowledge of festivals, the festival experience, the filmmaking journey, the Fest Forge platform, and the filmmaker's festival journey.

Takeaways

• Insights into the film festival experience
• Understanding the importance of the festival journey for filmmakers

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Fest Forward Podcast
• 00:33 The Purpose of the Podcast
• 01:18 Insider Knowledge of Festivals
• 02:26 The Festival Experience
• 03:38 The Filmmaking Journey
• 04:43 Fest Forge Platform
• 06:06 Filmmaker's Festival Journey

http://www.festforge.art

https://www.instagram.com/festforge.art