Janet Blatter asks why festivals don’t give filmmakers criteria? She maintains that it’s not impossible to come up with selection guidelines, and it’s also relevant since people devote their lives to making their films.

So at the moment it looks like it’s a crapshoot — animation festivals are a contest, not a competition. I asked independent animator Signe Baumane why she bothers.

Signe Baumane: Festivals are an essential part of the job we do (if that is a job we do...).

Because if they are not, then why do I keep stuffing envelopes with DVDs that cost me $3 each and entry forms that take me 20 minutes of my precious time to fill out, bring the packages to the post office and walk out of there $70 lighter every day? That would be sheer madness if this all wasn’t given some meaning by me.

Festivals are our feedback. Festivals are our communication window. Festivals are our crazy hope to success and recognition. Festivals are our first outlet to our work. Festivals are our tool. Festivals are our community.

That said, I have to take it all back.

Festivals aren’t as important as they are made out to be. A rejection from a festival should never crush you. The feedback of rejection only means that this particular festival doesn’t like your film, and you should try another one. And another one and another one. If you submit to 70 festivals and get accepted into 20, you are doing well! If you submit to 120 and get accepted to one, well... maybe you should look into the possibility that there is a very small audience for your film. Which may not be such a bad thing, that depends on what your goals are.

My films have not been popular with big animation festivals like Ottawa, Annecy nor Hiroshima. I can’t despair about that. It didn’t prevent me from making films. I don’t make films for festivals. I am trying to make films that other people can relate to.

If a festival has 6,000 submissions each year, then how on earth can they give my film a chance? And how can I leave the important part of my job — getting my film out to people — in the hands of such a festival?

I do believe that each of those 6,000 films has an important message, maybe not always successful in delivering it, maybe not always standing on its own, but as a collection of images and ideas they all give human thought a different direction from the mainstream. Like an individual ant doesn’t always see the Big Picture, but we see from above what the Ant Hill is.

So, when with 10 packages, I make my way to the post office for the fifth time in the week, I try not to think about my individual ant feeling — fear of what I am going to eat tomorrow since my last $20 is going to the clerk. I am trying to focus on the Big Picture, on how my little film is contributing to something bigger, whatever it is.

Signe Baumane advises filmmakers, “to build a relationship with a festival that has accepted your film. If they liked your film, they are your fans!”

SK: OK, so given that screening your films at festivals is really important to you, and knowing that there’s no clear criterion of judgment, how do you make the best of it?

SB: Here are a few things that I do: I call or email a festival that comes to my attention (and here we are not talking about mega festivals like Annecy or Sundance — you submit to those no matter what and no matter what fee) and tell them about my film. I try to make it sound alluring and fun. If the connection happens via email, I send them a link to my site where they can see my artwork (but not the film).

Also don’t forget to tell them that you’re broke after investing all your money into the film, and animation is such a time and money-consuming bitch… After all that talk I ask for a fee discount. In 95% cases they give me a break on the fee. If they decline, then move on and contact the next festival. There are so many festivals, that the only way to weed them out is by asking if they would waive a fee. If they don’t, they are out!

I have to say that connecting before they even get your film works magic. If I just send a film and a check, most likely the festival won’t take it. If I contact them and ask for a discount, they are more interested in my film… I am not sure how and why it works this way.

Build a relationship with a festival that has accepted your film. If they liked your film, they are your fans! Be very supportive of their needs — give them everything they ask for at the very moment you receive their request. The next time they may not like your next film as much but they will remember you were fun to work with and they’ll go for it!

In Part 3 of this series I offer a basic guide to applying to film festivals, and oh yes, that list of rules, recommendations and resources. See you then!

Sharon Katz is an independent animator who lives and works in Ottawa. Her recently released animated short film, Slide, is now traveling more than she is.