Filmocracy Podcast

A weekly podcast covering the Film Festival circuit, inside and out. These industry veterans share insider secrets on playing the festival circuit, from every angle. For filmmakers, festival makers and film buyers, Filmocracy, Film Festival Mastery and iGEMS come together to track the trends in the evolving festival landscape. Hosts: Festival veteran Jon Fitzgerald Award winning filmmaker Justin Giddings, and Streaming guru Paul Jun

Halloween Movie Picks 10/26/2022

Halloween Movie Picks Tis the season to be spooky. Hosts Paul Jun and Jon Fitzgerald each countdown their top 5 scary movies. You may have seen some of them, but you will likely discover a few gems, and learn some fun facts about these personal picks. And for more Halloween-themed movie collections, visit: Happy Halloween! /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/24813210

Fall Film Festival Season is in Full Swing 09/15/2022

Fall Film Festival Season is in Full Swing The fall festival circuit is in full swing, and we cover the highlights, from Venice to Telluride through Toronto. Recently in the news, Sundance has a new Director, as Indiewire founder Eugene Hernandez takes the helm. And we mourn the loss of one of the mavericks of the French New Wave, with Jean Luc Godard passing this week at the age of 91. These stories and more today with Paul Jun and Jon Fitzgerald on the Filmocracy Podcast. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/24387114

The Fall Festival Season 08/11/2022

The Fall Festival Season The most important film festival season kicks off later this month. From the oldest fest (Venice) to the industry darlings (Telluride and Toronto), smaller niche players, and hundreds of regional events, our hosts share the history and the current landscape of the fall film festival circuit. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/24027243

Sundance Entries, Labs & 5 of the Coolest Fests 07/28/2022

Sundance Entries, Labs & 5 of the Coolest Fests The leading US Festival, Sundance kicks off their Call for Entries next week, and just announced the next round of Lab participants. We thought it would be fun to take a deeper dive into these programs. And MovieMaker just presented their Annual 25 Coolest Film Festivals, so we pick 5 of our favorites to consider. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/23882397

Let's talk TV 07/14/2022

Let's talk TV With the Emmys just announced it’s a good time to talk TV. We spend much of our time at Filmocracy in the film world but now more than ever, we’re seeing crossover. TV Series have come a long way, and it's not just streaming platforms who care. Indie filmmakers, festivals, and event planners are all getting into the act. Shows are celebrated at major fests, with many events devoting new sections to TV Series. Filmmakers are actively developing scripted and non-scripted shows, with dozens of industry players setting up shop to support the efforts. This and more on today's Filmocracy Podcast. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/23749376

Freedom of Choice 07/06/2022

Freedom of Choice As the US celebrates 4th of July Weekend, we can't help but face the sad truth about the Roe vs Wade controversy. Freedom of Choice has been called into question. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind. In this episode, we discuss: How major film and tv companies are supporting their employees' right to choose, reimbursing travel as needed. Movie collections on the subject of Roe vs Wade Indie and Hollywood fare, connected to Independence Day, along with a new iGEMS Collection with 4th of July picks /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/23641175

Summer Releases Can Work for Independents 06/23/2022

Summer Releases Can Work for Independents Yes, this week, summer officially arrives, right on the heels of the Top Gun blockbuster blazing a trail. Summer can be good for independent cinema too. There is a history of counterprogramming against the big popcorn event pictures. Today, we share a few thoughts... Summer indies coming to theaters, and platforms Classic summer box office gems Film Fests during the summer season Filmocracy hosts a number of virtual fests Enjoy our chat and the summer season ahead! /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/23514836

How Streaming Is Affecting Distribution 05/25/2022

How Streaming Is Affecting Distribution With Cannes 2022 still underway, we continue the conversation about how Festivals can influence the Distribution Process, with an emphasis on digital platforms. In Cannes, two-time Oscar winner and former Un Certain Regard Jury President Guillermo del Toro kicked off a filmmaker symposium, exploring the future of cinema. One question on the entire panel’s mind, has the streaming boom eroded the cultural significance of cinema? How can virtual film festivals, membership programs and VOD models generate revenues for filmmakers? How has the proliferation of streaming platforms affected the film economy? How does this apply to indie filmmakers who seek streaming opportunities? We discuss these topics and more this week on the Filmocracy Podcast. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/23221376

Should Film Festivals Become Distributors 05/18/2022

Should Film Festivals Become Distributors With the Cannes Film Festival celebrating its 75th Anniversary, industry professionals and cinephiles flock back to the Croisette this week. This will be the first time since 2019 that the Festival and Marche expect to be back to normal. But what is the new normal? How many discoveries will be made? And will the market be as effective, with the growing virtual options? Are film profits suffering due to the gap between acquisition and release? A question many insiders are asking: Should festivals play a more active role in the distribution process? Filmocracy CEO Paul Jun and iGEMS CEO Jon Fitzgerald explore these topics and more. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/23158274

Movie Theaters are Making a Comeback 05/03/2022

Movie Theaters are Making a Comeback CinemaCon took place last week, with thousands of movie theater representatives on hand to express optimism, as we ease out of covid. There was genuine excitement around the spike in box office returns, the upcoming tentpole movies, and the Top Gun sequel Maverick. The Tom Cruise title will make its way to Cannes later this month before hitting theaters nationwide. Newfound powers fight mysterious dangers from the multiverse in Everything Everywhere All At Once, the underdog hit that premiered at South by Southwest this past spring. Things are definitely looking up. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/22986098

Talking Docs 04/22/2022

Talking Docs April is Earth Awareness Month, and we celebrate Earth Day on the 22nd. It's a good time to celebrate the growth of the documentary genre. And David Attenborough's Planet Earth. These non-fiction features have had quite an impact, educating and inspiring action. Netflix shares in the credit for increasing awareness of such projects, though they have started a downwards slide. Losing billions in market share this week, and over 200,000 subscribers, Netflix has great challenges ahead. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/22871339

How Screenwriters Play Film Festivals: 03/17/2022

How Screenwriters Play Film Festivals: Movies all start with the script, and many filmmaking careers start with film festival play. Today’s podcast focuses on how the role of the screenwriter intersects with the film festival community. Subjects include: How screenwriters can network to maximize participation in film festivals. The range of Script Competitions, and how to find the right fit. When winning Awards & Competitions can break down barriers of entry. The importance of writing what you know. How to write and shape a project to maintain control of your project. Getting involved in creative writing and reading collaborations. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/22486454

Celebrating Women in Film 03/11/2022

Celebrating Women in Film In celebration of Women's History Month, the podcast explores the amazing impact have had on the film industry. Categories include: Female driven Film Festivals Filmocracy Fellowship launches with "female centric" fests Past Female Oscar winners and upcoming nominees Facts and Figures on female roles in the entertainment industry Celebrating Women Film Collection with 22 films on iGEMS.tv /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/22421342

Winter Film Fests Adapt to New Paradigms 02/05/2022

Winter Film Fests Adapt to New Paradigms After making plans to have in person screenings in 2022, thanks to COVID, Sundance moved back to a virtual program. All panels, film presentations and networking took place online. Yes, there were plenty of acquisitions, along with reports of dwindling Theatrical box office returns the past few years for previous Sundance titles. What can this mean? Slamdance adjusted their dates, moved back online AND added a monthly membership model. Another subscription fee? Films at the Berlinale will only play in person, with no movies available online. Yet, their sister European Film Market will only play films online, with no in person screenings. Huh? And SXSW will play films in theaters, then present online streaming options. You need a full pass, to see even 1 movie? All of these winter players tinker with their models. We explore this and more, as we make some of our own adjustments to the podcast. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/22030505

Cannes 2021 Report - Part II 07/17/2021

Cannes 2021 Report - Part II We head back to Cannes to recap the event and talk about indie filmmakers who rise above the noise to generate attention there. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/19986062

Cannes 2021 Report - Part I 07/11/2021

Cannes 2021 Report - Part I Our hosts are joined by indie filmmaker Nathan Buck, who is in Cannes to promote his latest feature film, Before el Fina. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/19985888

Festival Guest Series: Craig Prater - Heartland Film 07/09/2021

Festival Guest Series: Craig Prater - Heartland Film Join us for a lively discussion on the current festival landscape, as we talk with Festival veteran Craig Prater, the President of Heartland Film. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/19753946

Festival Edition: Creating Unique Digital Experiences 05/20/2021

Festival Edition: Creating Unique Digital Experiences As film festivals continue to compete for audiences and filmmakers, many have turned to virtual experiences to differentiate. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/19173428

Are International Film Markets Going Hybrid? 05/04/2021

Are International Film Markets Going Hybrid? With the pandemic affecting film festivals and markets in 2020, the evolution continues in 2021. Berlin was a digital enterprise, and Cannes Marche will be divided into two parts. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/18967778

T&T : Having the Right Tools & Team For Your Festival Run 04/21/2021

T&T : Having the Right Tools & Team For Your Festival Run In order to have the been chance to succeed on the Festival circuit, filmmakers need to have the right Tools and assemble the best Team. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/18814403

Keys to Success at Virtual Film Festivals 04/13/2021

Keys to Success at Virtual Film Festivals As film festivals look forward to bringing live events back into their programs, how will the evolving virtual strategy shape the future of fests? What at the keys for filmmakers to keep in mind as they navigate the balance of 2021 and look towards 2022? /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/18716408

Getting on a Festival's Radar 04/07/2021

Getting on a Festival's Radar This week, our hosts share insights on how to get on radar of film festival programmers. With many film fests receiving thousands of entries, what can filmmakers do to be sure they are given proper consideration? /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/18630038

The Evolving Festival Membership Model 03/24/2021

The Evolving Festival Membership Model This week, our hosts cover the hot topic of film festival membership. These community programs have been part of the festival landscape for some time; but the model is changing. Since the move to virtual cinema events, festivals have recognized the opportunity to enhance their year round programming. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/18461774

The State of the Circuit 03/17/2021

The State of the Circuit The team shares the overview of this new podcast covering the Film Festival Circuit, inside and out. /episode/index/show/filmfestivalmastery/id/18462890

Filmocracy Podcast

TOPICS