Peter Broderick On Doc Distribution, Pt 2 – To Sundance or Not to Sundance

Peter Broderick, Distribution Strategist Peter Broderick, one of the world's leading experts on documentary distribution, continues his discussion with OWC Host, Cirina Catania. In this episode, he focuses on FESTIVALS. He explains how, when, where and why you might want to submit to festivals (or not), and gives us a primer on the new hybrid systems, including virtual screenings. Peter Broderick consults with independent filmmakers and companies needing to hone their strategies. He helps design and implement customized strategies to maximize revenues, audience, and impact. Read his articles and subscribe to his Distribution Bulletin at www.peterbroderick.com. Visit Supercharge Your Distribution for more information on his highly-rated workshops with his partner Keith Ochwat. In This Episode * 00:09 - Cirina introduces Peter Broderick, formerly with Paradigm Consulting. Peter is one of the world's leading distribution strategists, specializing in the documentary genre.* 03:38 - Peter talks about the film festivals that went virtual. One of them is CPH:DOX, which hosted a successful virtual film festival.* 08:18 - Peter explains how CPH:DOX was able to do screening for 150 films virtually with the company Shift72.* 14:27 - What are some of the advantages of a virtual film festival? How can filmmakers benefit from them?* 19:48 - Did rules and regulations change with the transition from in-person to virtual film festivals? What is a secret screening?* 25:15 - Peter explains why filmmakers may consider not qualifying for Academy Awards in order to help their career.* 30:28 - Cirina and Peter talk about the budget and expenses of submitting films to film festivals.* 32:52 - How to submit a film to Peter? What are the requirements?* 34:30 - Peter advises the ideal length of a film to submit to film festivals.* 37:25 - Visit Peter Broderick's website, peterbroderick.com, to sign-up for their cutting-edge, virtual crash course - Supercharge Your Distribution. Jump to Links and Resources Transcript As I promised you, This is part two with Peter Broderick, who is our distribution strategist. He's the former president of Paradigm Consulting and a longtime expert on distribution strategies customized to help independent documentary filmmakers maximize their revenues, audience impact and help their career get way off the ground and into the stratosphere. And he's got a long track record with that. Peter, welcome back. Thank you for putting up with us one more time. It's great to be back, Cirina.  I really enjoyed our last talk. And there was so much information there that as I promised our listeners, I get you back. Festivals have changed, and they are evolving now. So tell us how you feel about using the festival circuit in general for promoting your films? Well, let's go back to before there were virtual festivals permitted when we had physical film festivals. For documentary filmmakers, festivals are not essential. They can be helpful, for sure. But a number of films I've worked on that have never gone to a single film festival have been wildly successful. And I think sometimes filmmakers think that festivals are way more powerful than they actually are. With fiction, filmmakers' festivals are more important unless you...