FilmFreeway Success Hacks

What’s up filmmaking friends!

Since FilmFreeway launched in 2014, we've had a front-row seat, reviewing thousands of incredible projects. Over the years, we've noticed a clear pattern: the projects that consistently rise to the top aren't just great stories—they're the ones that understand how to use the platform to its fullest potential.

Want to make sure your project stands out from the competition? It all comes down to one golden rule:

Make a programmer's job easy.

If a festival programmer can effortlessly access your film and all its marketing materials, your project immediately gets a boost. Here is my guide to optimizing every section of your FilmFreeway profile to land your film on the top of the consideration list.

Contact Information
I get the desire to avoid spam, but your submission is not the place for a junk email address. Use an email you check daily and make sure your phone number is correct. If a festival accepts your film, you don't want to miss that notification! Also, list a person's name as the primary contact, not a production company name— we wanna know who we are talking to.

Synopsis
This is your film’s elevator pitch. Programmers often copy this text directly to their websites and printed guides. Keep it short and aim for 1-3 sentences. Sell the story to both the programmers and your future audience.

Still Photos & Poster
Visuals are everything. FilmFreeway allows up to nine photos, so use them strategically. We recommend:

• 4 Production Stills: These are high-quality images from the project itself.

• 4 Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) Stills: These show the magic of your process and are the most viewed on social media.

• 2 Promotional Stills/Key Art: One horizontal (16:9, 1920x1080) and one vertical (9:16, 1080x1920) for social media versatility.

• 1 Official Poster: Upload this in addition to your stills. A 2:3 aspect ratio (e.g., 5400x7200 pixels) is standard.

Trailer
After your poster, the trailer is the most important marketing tool you have. Its job is to make someone want to buy a ticket. Tell a story and avoid a simple montage of shots without context.

Short films need trailers too! If your film is over 5 minutes, a trailer is highly encouraged. Even 15-30 seconds is incredibly effective.

Genres
Don't treat genres like social media hashtags. Listing too many tells a programmer you don't have a clear vision for your film.

• Be decisive: Stick to one, or at most, two genres.

• Common Narrative Genres: Drama, Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, etc.

• Documentary Genres: Be specific with your subject matter (e.g., Historical, True Crime, Social/Cultural, Nature/Wildlife).

Runtime
This must be exact. List the total time from the very first frame to the final moment of black after the credits. If your listed runtime is shorter than the actual file, you risk having a programmer trim your credits to fit a tight screening block.

Credits
Use this section to highlight your team. If you directed, wrote, and produced the film, there's no need to list your name three times. Use that space to credit other key collaborators.

A note on "Prior Credits": Only list credits for key cast members in nationally recognized films. Listing background roles or obscure films can be a red flag for programmers, suggesting a misunderstanding of industry norms.

Social Media
Link your social media accounts! Programmers check this to see if you will help promote the screening. Linked accounts signal that you're an active partner ready to help get butts in seats. An absence of social links can suggest the festival will have to handle 100% of the promotion alone.

Director's Biography
Think story, not résumé. This is your space to connect with programmers on a personal level. So cut out your education, work history, past clients and previous awards. Tell us why you're a filmmaker. What drives you? This bio is often used in festival programs, so make it compelling and personal.

Director's Statement
While your bio is about you, the statement is about this project. What drew you to this specific story? What was your artistic vision or the challenge you wanted to tackle? This provides fantastic insight for Q&As, interviews, and program notes for the festival.

Files & Attachments
This is easily the most overlooked—and most valuable—section on FilmFreeway (so I highlighted in red so it stands out). You can upload a treasure trove of assets that make a programmer's life easier, including:

• Vertical trailers for the festival's social media.

• A full Electronic Press Kit (EPK).

• Storyboards or concept art.

• Transcripts and videos of cast/crew interviews.

Cover Letter
Often the most skipped section on Film Freeway, the Cover Letter is your last chance to tell programmers why your project would be a great fit for the film festival. Your project may have resonated well with similar audiences or you have a marketing plan for festivals you attend. Let the programmers know in the Cover Letter.

A Special Note for Screenwriters

Submitting a screenplay is about selling the story. Since readers can't see your film, the written materials carry even more weight. Here are two tips to make your script shine:

1. The Logline is Your Trailer
Before a reader even opens your PDF, they will read your synopsis. It must be awesome. This needs to introduce the protagonist, their goal, the conflict, and the stakes. A sharp, compelling synopsis is the single most effective tool for getting a reader excited to turn to page one. Spend as much time perfecting it as you would cutting a trailer.

2. Flawless Formatting & A Clean Title Page
Your script's formatting is its first impression. Any deviation from industry-standard formatting (or typos and grammar mistakes) signals "amateur" and can get your script dismissed before it's even read.

A complete, professional, and thoughtfully prepared FilmFreeway profile is your single most powerful tool in the submission process. Take the time to get it right, and you'll give your film the competitive edge it deserves.

Submission Discount Code

You made it this far, you deserve a prize. Best I can do is a discount code for a future submission. Use the code UIFFNewsletter and get 50% off your next project submission at https://filmfreeway.com/UtahFilmFestival 

That’s it for this week. Thanks for taking the time to open up the email and give it a read (or listen). I hope this email gave you some actionable steps to make sure YOUR project stands out and gets selected more often.

Chat more with you next time.