Thursday, August 21st, 2008
by Kevin K. Shah
Over the course of the next year, we will be submitting White Knuckles to the following film festivals for consideration:
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
by Kevin K. Shah
Larry Strauss has truly given the performance of a lifetime in this film, and I hope that the process of submitting to film festivals helps this film to get out there. I hope that he can reap the rewards of having given such a noteworthy performance, and by rewards — I mean simply the internal rewards one feels as an artist getting his film seen. The same goes for Martie Ashworth and Sue Gaetzman, who are also incredibly talented and deserving of similar audience appreciation. I have good hopes.
However, I can’t help but wonder how ultimately this process will go. I’ve heard a lot of negative things about Film Festivals lately - particularly about some of the larger “independent” festivals. I hear things like, “it’s very political” or “you have to know someone” or “do you have stars?” These kinds of questions are very disheartening, and brings to question what the purpose of the film festivals are in the first place. Is it to get films that are harder to mass distribute seen? Is it to further the art of cinema through challenging filmmakers and audiences through original content?
I would prefer questions like, “is the film provacative?” or “Is the film original, fiercely independent, etc.?” To these kinds of questions, I would be more than happy to respond - and I would hope festivals are more often than not interested in these kinds of things rather than If the film is commercially viable (in the old model of distribution)
SUNDANCE 2009
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I know there are a lot of emerging festivals out there that might be better suited for the kinds of films I hope to continue making, just as there are a lot of new emerging distribution models. But for White Knuckles, which we believe is not only studio-quality, but also commercially viable - we’re going to go the semi-traditional route at this time and submit to top-tier festivals for the first year, and then second-tier for the next, etc. There are festivals like the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles that are “real” festivals in that they care about the filmmakers, and they strive to bring together a community behind original independent films - but for now, they will have to wait.
Why? Because the hope is the White Knuckles can reach the widest audience possible, and I’m at this time intending to continue to protect the “World Premiere” status of the film for a festival where it might be considered for mass distribution. Of course, there in fact is a plan B - namely to distribute the film ourselves, but for that - stay tuned.
Tonight, I’ve officially submitted (through Withoutabox.com) White Knuckles to the Sundance Film Festival. Though this is the very first festival I’m submitting this film to, it certainly won’t be the last. And there is no special significance that Sundance is the first festival that White Knuckles will be going to - other than the fact that this kicks off the Festival submission process for this first feature film by Sabi Pictures.
Zak and I and our company have been relatively quiet on this gem of a picture that we hope to have on screens near you / in everyone’s hands soon. But now, it is officially time to begin the publicity train, and get this picture out there. In the coming months, we will submit to at least a dozen top tier festivals and try to get some more reviews on the film. We’ll also continue to build publicity materials, including releasing behind the scenes videos on the process of Sabi Pictures.
Wish us good luck with the Sundance submission, just in case luck is part of the equation. Regardless, the process has begun.
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