I just returned
from Sundance and can't help but think of the opportunity that this film festival presents for social issue films. There is
no doubt that it offers a potential launching pad for a social issue film, or
any film for that matter, if it is used well. I was fortunate to see (and
hear about) some amazing films dealing with a range of social issues - including
the U.S. educational system, the U.S.-Mexico border fence, natural gas drilling, Guantanamo
Bay, Russia's transition to capitalism, civil rights, the environment....and
the list goes on. Of course, we at The Fledgling Fund are thinking
'What next?' How will these filmmakers leverage Sundance
to engage audiences in action?
We know that these projects will take
different paths. Some will continue on the festival circuit, while others will
secure or already have secured a broadcast and others will launch an
alternative distribution strategy. Some will leverage strong existing
partnerships with organizations focused on the issues in their films, while others
may need to start building those relationships now. In short, in today's
market there are numerous and diverse strategies that can be used to push a
film out in the world. There is no doubt that the current environment
presents many more challenges for filmmakers than in years past due to the
proliferation of films and the lack of clarity around distribution, but it also
presents enormous opportunities to test innovative new platforms to reach
new audiences.
I am hoping
that filmmakers, both those at Sundance and those planning to launch their
films in other ways, understand that Sundance is just one step in a long
process of connecting the film and the story with audiences who care, can be
moved and can be engaged! Sundance provides a tremendous platform to raise
awareness about a film and to connect with those who might be interested in
helping to distribute and work with the film in either a traditional or
non-traditional way. However, it is not the ONLY opportunity. In fact, for
some films, depending on the topic, timing issues and other factors, there may
be other festivals or distribution channels that offer a better platform to
launch the film and its engagement campaign. The key is to be clear about the project's
overall social change goal and then to develop a clear strategy built on an
understanding of not only the distribution avenues and social media tools
available, but also on an understanding of the audiences the film is trying to
reach, the state of the movement, and what that movement needs to realize the
change it desires.
I hope that any film premiering at Sundance, or at another
festival, will be able to build upon the energy and momentum that a festival
offers and use it to strengthen its audience engagement campaign, in order to reach
key audiences, serve the movement, and achieve social impact.
