A short history of “Film Festival Secrets,” with an introduction to my concept for a 2nd edition release with corresponding podcast and online community. To be crowdfunded by filmmakers and festivals on Seed&Spark.

1. FILM FESTIVAL SECRETS
2ND EDITION
A crowdfunding campaign overview &
participation guide
Chris Holland

2. In 2008, I published Film Festival Secrets:
A Handbook for Independent Filmmakers.

3. This practical guide to festival strategy
and marketing for independent films has
been read by thousands of filmmakers.

4. Still, it’s been seven years and the book
is starting to show its age.

5. (That mention of MySpace in the
marketing chapter really needs to go.)

6. It’s time for a second edition.

7. Most of the time when an author writes
a book, he (or she) does so in relative
isolation.

8. The research usually involves interviews
by phone or email.

9. Then there are the hours of writing and the
long wait to find out if you created
something your audience finds useful.

10. I think we can do better.

11. For the second edition of Film Festival Secrets,
I’ll conduct my research as a series of open
conversations online for filmmakers to attend.

12. Participating filmmakers will be able to
listen in and ask questions . . .

13. . . . and afterwards I’ll release the
recordings as a series of podcast
episodes.

14. To pay for my time and the means to record
and release these conversations, I will
crowdfund the project through Seed&Spark.

15. (If you don’t know Seed&Spark, go check it out now
at seedandspark.com. It’s an amazing fundraising
and audience-building site just for filmmakers.)

16. I’ll use the advice gleaned from these
conversations to update the book . . .

17. . . . and let questions from filmmakers
guide my writing so they get the
information they want most.

18. Contributors to the campaign will also
get early chapter releases from the new
edition . . .

19. . . . access to a private community of
fellow filmmakers and festival
organizers . . .

20. . . . and the opportunity to promote their
own work and events as sponsors of
individual episodes.

21. The end result will be a
great book, sure . . .

22. . . . but also a new community of
filmmakers who are better informed about
the possibilities of the festival circuit.

23. By making an early commitment to spread
the word, you can lead the charge in the
creation of this new resource for filmmakers.

24. Here’s how you can contribute:

25. Send messages to your email list &
social audience during the campaign.
(And hey, if your audience is on
MySpace, that’s fine by me.)

26. Make a “day one” contribution to
provide momentum.

27. Provide a free/discounted product or
service of interest to filmmakers or festivals
as a reward for contributors.
(Limited quantities are OK.)

28. Guest post on my blog, or publish a
guest post from me on your site.

29. Of course, I’m also looking for guests
for the podcast. Let’s chat.

30. The Seed&Spark campaign is scheduled to
begin May 21st (pending approval).
Email: chris@filmfestivalsecrets.com
filmfestivalsecrets.com/fund