I Was Just Featured on the Making Movies is Hard Podcast. Here Are the Festival Strategy Truths Indie Filmmakers Need

Today I was featured on the Making Movies is Hard podcast, and we broke down festival strategy from the inside, what works, what doesn’t, and why.

We talked about the part nobody warns you about. You can make a strong film and still get rejected because your submission is positioned like an afterthought. Missing loglines. No director statement. A generic cover letter that screams copy and paste. It’s like walking into a high-stakes room with something valuable in your hands, but giving people no reason to understand why it belongs there. 

I also shared what programmers actually respond to: a human behind the submission, a clear why-this-festival, and materials that make it easy to advocate for your film when the slate gets tight. Plus, we got into two decisions filmmakers get wrong all the time, premiere strategy and what not to do once you accept a festival. 

If you’ve ever felt like festival submissions are a black box that drains your budget and your confidence, this episode will make you feel seen and give you a smarter way to move. 

Thanks so much to Alrik Bursell and Liz Manashil for inviting me on, and to Alrik for the great conversation. 

Listen here: https://bleav.com/shows/making-movies-is-hard/episodes/heather-brittain-from-filmmaker-to-programmer-to-festival-fixr/ - or find it on your favorite podcast streaming platform!