Interview with Chris Boeckmann

1. How many entries did they get this year? For films make sure to ask them to distinguish between features and shorts.

They get a little over 1,000 submissions a year (41% shorts 59% features)

2. How many films do they aim to screen each year? How many papers/presentations do they accept?

They play about 36 features and 25 shorts.

(In place of presentations I asked how they come with discussion panels.)

Usually do it towards the end if they see trends among films or they’ve had critics panels discuss the art of critiquing non-fiction cinema.

3. What is their pre-screening process?

They receive online films and bring in people from the community to help judge.

4. How many pre-screeners do they have each year?

12 or 13

5. Who is typically chosen as a pre-screener?

They usually choose trusted members of the community that they get together with on Thurdays and watch and discuss a film.

6. How do they score entries? Do they use a scoring template/rubric? Are there scoring guidelines?

On a 0.0 to 10.0 scale. Their template is that 7.0 requires a second viewing, and 8.0 and up typically gets featured.

7. Do you have a jury after the pre-screening process has ended?

Usually it’s based on the the scores they give the films and if receives a mean of 7.0 they will have a second viewing and discuss.  They also have discussions around the office.

8. How far in advance do they send out their call for entries? How do entries typically roll in? Early?

Late? In waves?

May if he’s on top of things, June or July if he “procrastinates.” They usually roll in at steady numbers  for each of the deadlines. However, the highest quality films typically come at the end because it coincides with Sundance.

9. How many paid employees do they have each year? How many volunteers?

They have 6 full time paid employees and 20 to 30 part time employees or employees that receive some pay. They typically receive 1,000 applications to volunteer and take on around 900 volunteers.

10. Do you use specific programming, trafficking, budgeting software? Do you like it?

He does not like Without a Box (did not want that published anywhere that would get attention). Likes to use Fest Maker for submissions, and Do-Gooder (the volunteers use that for scheduling etc. he didn’t know as much about that. The accountant uses Quick Books.

11. What community outreach do you do outside of your festival season to keep your event on the

public's radar and/or to raise funds? (Workshops, mini-festivals, fundraiser dinners, etc.)

They have an annual screen (5^th year) at a Winery in Rocheport, MO. They also partner with the University a lot. A lot of community support, he says.

12. Do you give out swag bags to visiting filmmakers? Presenters? Guests? If so, what type of items

do you include in those bags?

“BBQ Sauce, Food Vouchers, and a Hoodie,” he joked. Typically they have “strange things” from the sponsors - which change from year to year (hence the BBQ Sauce). They always give out a filmmaker hoodie that people can wear when they go to other festivals to catch up with other people who were at the event and also to promote the festival.

13. Do presenter/filmmaker pay registration to attend?

None aside from the cost to enter.

14. Are you able to provide presenters/filmmakers with funds to cover travel or lodging?

Yes, although they had issues with having to shuttle people in because one of the hotels they use was undergoing renovations.

15. What "perks" do your filmmakers/scholars enjoy at your festival/conference? What else do you

encourage them to do while they're in town? (Free dinners, tours, exclusive activities…in Wilm,

we'd try to take them to the beach, Screen Gems tour, etc.)

They try to make everything free –food vouchers. The festival occurs in their downtown so they try to keep the filmmakers in close proximity to the downtown so they can enjoy that culture. Everything is within walking distance.

16. Do you have special donor perks during the event? Or how do you thank them?

They typically rely on ticket sales and Sponsors. Donors do not play as big of a part.

17. What do they wish they had done differently or better when they were first starting out? What do

you wish you knew then that you know now?

The people who started the event made a lot of great decisions. He didn’t want to speak on their behalf since he was fifteen at the beginning of the festival. They enforce a rule that a filmmakers film will NOT be played if they do not attend the screening, which he felt was very smart. They keep all of the filmmakers in the downtown area so they can walk about freely, experience the city, and get to know each other.

18. If it’s a festival or conference that no longer is in existence…why did it end?

N/A

19. Any other ideas or advice that we haven’t thought to ask about?

He says that they do not give out Awards, promoting film viewing rather than competition. They also try to have music before each screening to try to make the film feel like an event – although, he warns to make sure you pick music that people will respond well too. 



My take: I liked that he said no to awards. We kind of do that because our awards and presentation of awards is fun and superlative like. We manage to inspire competition but we make sure to make everyone feel very wanted and valued. I also liked how involved the community is. 900 volunteers and many of the screeners are people that from the community whom they watch films with when they aren't jurying. It kind of creates fresh eyes that are looking at films rather than people thinking about how a film will help the festival.