Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival
I heard this festival is good for networking, but I'm shy. What should I do?
" Find anyone with a Project Twenty1 Volunteer badge. They find an appropriate time to have Susie Filmmaker introduce you around to our very friendly, welcoming, and talented community. "
Do you offer discounted hotel rooms for people coming in from out of town?
" Yes! At least, our partners at the Sheraton University City do. Anybody who books through Project Twenty1's link will get a super-discounted rate of $129/night (normally $259/night) as long as you book before September 16th. The Sheraton is perfect because it's right next door to the International House Philadelphia, our main venue, and you won't find a more reasonable or comfortable stay anywhere in our fair city. In addition, our friends at Travel By Simon offer low rates on travel that frequently beat expedia, orbitz, priceline, etc. We highly recommend talking to them for all other accommodations. They do hotels too, so talk to them when the Sheraton sells out and tell them Project Twenty1 sent you! "
How do I get to the Festival and around Philadelphia?
" Check out the “Getting Around Philadelphia” section of our site. "
Can you throw my film or animation up on the screen at the Festival?
" No. We highly suggest signing up for our mailing list so you stay on top of submission deadlines.
In order to keep the festival fair & ethical, PFAF has strict submission practices:
Project Twenty1 opens its call for entries every spring. Then a panel of over 30 unbiased members of the community from all walks of life spend hundreds of hours rating the submissions and make Official Selections. Based on the current year's selections, the screeners then take films submitted into our Film Library from previous years into consideration. Official Selections are announced. Then the Artistic Director and a few helpers arrange the films and animations into strong screening showcases - sort of like an MP3 playlist. We then create the festival schedule, programs, and online ticketing system before announcing screening times. This whole process takes approximately six months.
We run the festival this way to ensure that there are checks and balances and that the festival is fair.
If you're interested in having your film screen at a more "casual" venue (a bar or restaurant screening vs. theatrical), we host Shorts & Shots open mic movie nights from time to time. We are currently fundraising to host the next one. If you'd like to make a charitable contribution to help us host more events, you may do so here. If you would like to sponsor a Shorts & Shots in order to help our community and promote your business, contact us at projecttwenty1 (at) gmail.com to become an Official Sponsor. "
But I thought we were friends! Can you PLEASE sneak my film into the Festival?
" Seriously, no. Please see the above explanation of how selections are made.
We're sorry we have to write this, but lately, the volume of e-mails, phone calls, text messages and in-person confrontations has become more than a small group of volunteers can handle. We started this festival because we were tired of the politics and favoritism at festivals we attended in the past. Heck, some festival founders started festivals just to give their own films awards! We take the selection process very seriously because we love and honor our community, so asking us to go against our values is extremely offensive.
If you want a guaranteed-screening, we've created the 21-Day Filmmaking Competition as a fantastic way to be a part of this Festival. 21-Day Films compete in their own categories, and there are lots of them!
Also, year round, "Shorts & Shots" is also a quick & easy way for anyone to have their work screened in front of a group of people. Please help us continue those events by making a donation.
As a final important word, please do NOT become a Member/donor/volunteer/intern or offer to buy us donuts, flowers, and puppies if you think it's going to help your chances of getting into the Festival If you're an independent and want to sponsor an entire screening, our board of directors can take that into consideration, but we need about six months notice and you WILL NOT be in competition. Our awards remain prestigious because they are not for sale. "
When is my film screening? Where can I see a complete schedule?
" The festival schedule is located HERE. You can also type your film name in the SEARCH THIS SITE bar to the right and click "SEARCH". "
I'd like to speak at the fest/host a workshop. How can I do that?
" Workshops for the 2011 Festival are closed
Educators/Workshop Instructors:
Thank you for your consideration - we're delighted to have new instructors on board that appreciate our mission. We schedule educational workshops for our festival about six months in advance - please contact between October 15, 2011 and March 2012 for the Fall 2012 Film & Animation Festival.
Our audience is filled with aspiring creatives that are seeking to turn their dreams into careers. For consideration, please submit a short proposal (just a paragraph or two explaining your lesson plan) that caters to this audience. Please include your first and last name, phone number, and any resume/qualifications to projecttwenty1 (at) gmail.com. Our instructors are reviewed and selected by a panel comprised of our advisory board and board of directors - it usually takes 4-6 weeks to hear back.
Product Demos/Sponsored Workshops
Project Twenty1 can host product demonstrations and sponsored workshops, but please note, due to the nature of these partnerships, we cannot promote your product for free/for in-kind trade. Please contact projecttwenty1 (at) gmail.com with your workshop/demo concept and contact information, and we will gladly work within your budget to promote your products or services. "
What does it mean if there is a film "not in competition"?
" 21-Day Competition films completed slightly after the deadline are not in competition (except for Audience & Marketing Awards, and EPIC, which is a community award). From time to time, we will have special engagements/showcases of work previously screened at our festival, work/educational programs from our judges, founders & interns. These screenings are also programmed months in advance as a "thank you" to the people that help make this festival happen, but are NOT in competition. "
When are your submission deadlines?
" Submissions for the 2011 Festival are closed.
Our tentative schedule for 2012 is as follows (this is subject to change over the next few months - check back in January for final schedule):
April 1: PFAF opens Call-for-Entries & Signups for 21-Day Filmmaking Competition
April 21: PFAF Submission & 21-Day Filmmaking Competition Signup Early Deadline
May 21: PFAF Submission & 21-Day Filmmaking Competition Signup Regular Deadline
June 21: PFAF Submission & 21-Day Filmmaking Competition Signup Late Deadline
July 21: Last-Chance Signups: 21-Day Filmmaking Competition
July 28: 21-Day Filmmaking Competition Launch Event (Center City, Philadelphia, location TBD.)
August 18: 21-Day Filmmaking Competition Drop Event (Center City, Philadelphia, location TBD.)
Fall 2012: Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival (exact days TBD).
"
What’s the difference between Project Twenty1 Membership and being an All-Access Passholder?
" The All-Access Pass specifically relates to our Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival (PFAF), which in 2011 is held September 29 – October 2. The pass gets you into all screenings, workshops, and parties taking place those 4 days. There are two levels of membership for Project Twenty1, and they relate to events that occur year-round. Standard Members receive $10 off if they choose to purchase a PFAF All-Access Pass (in addition to their many other year-round benefits – see Store for details). Premium Members receive 1 free All-Access pass along with their plethora of other Premium Member benefits, so they automatically get into everything throughout the festival. If you think you’ll want to attend other events, get premium seating, and/or receive other discount passes to partner events and programs throughout the year, consider becoming a member. "
Why was my film rejected from the festival? I'm a friend/Member/supporter!
" PFAF is VERY competitive and our selections are made by an independent panel of over 30 screeners. Please do NOT become a Member/donor/volunteer/intern or offer to buy us donuts, flowers, and puppies if you think it's going to help your chances of competing in PFAF. "
Can I get a refund or waiver of my submission fees?
" We do not offer submission fees (or waivers) for PFAF. We're a volunteer-run organization, so the cost of submission fees goes towards the cost of processing submissions - not our pockets! Don't believe us? Research the amount of fees festivals pay to get a listing & process films on Withoutabox (it will make your jaws drop). And that's only one small portion of what it takes to process films! Want to find out more? Watch our podcasts on YouTube. "
What is the difference between a ticket and an All-Access Pass?
" A single ticket will get you into a single screening out of the 15 screenings happening at the festival (10 screenings of PFAF-submitted films, 5 screenings of 21-Day Filmmaking Competition films). Each screening has individual tickets available. A single ticket to any given screening is $10. Tickets are not available for workshops (you must have an All-Access Pass). An All-Access pass gets you into EVERY screening, and also grants exclusive access to our industry workshops, and priority access to the Opening and Closing Night parties and Red Carpet Award Ceremony. This means passholders (and Project Twenty1 members) will be seated prior to non-passholders for these otherwise free events, and if the theater is booked, it is first-come, first-serve afterwards. "
" Contact us at projecttwenty1 (at) gmail.com and tell us exactly what you need. We’ll make it happen! "
Can I have (insert number) extra tickets/passes for my crew/cast/celebrities?
" Unfortunately, no. As a humble (struggling) non-profit, we take a financial hit on our end every time we comp a ticket or pass (though we’d love to!). Perhaps one day when we have huge corporate partners, we will be able to comp more passes, but as it is, every filmmaker screening at the festival already has 2 free All-Access passes comped to them. Any more than that, and our theater would be at capacity before we even sold any tickets, and currently, ticket sales only cover 7% of the cost of running our programming. "
What’s the deal with the Red Carpet Awards Ceremony? Do I need a tux? Can I get in without a pass?
" The Awards Ceremony is the culmination of our festival, where we announce the nominees and winners of PFAF. There is a red carpet just outside the theater, and it’s awesome. Media, Passholders and Premium Members have priority seating for the Awards Ceremony, followed by Standard Members. After that, it’s free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. We were at capacity in 2010, and expect we might just sell out this year. As for attire, we like making this a huge media event. So help us class it up and be a little dressy (because are Red Carpet pictures actually cool if you’re only wearing jeans and a t-shirt?)! We at Project Twenty1 tend to wear suits and dresses and the like. Still, it’s entirely up to you. As long as you aren’t breaking any nudity laws, you won’t get kicked out. "
" Unfortunately, no. As a humble (struggling) non-profit, we take a financial hit on our end every time we comp a ticket or pass, and we are not yet large enough to be able to comp hotel rooms or airfare for our filmmakers (though we’d love to!). Perhaps one day when we have huge corporate partners, we will be able to comp more passes, but as it is, every filmmaker screening at the festival already has 2 free All-Access passes comped to them. Any more than that, and our theater would be at capacity before we even sold any tickets, and currently, ticket sales only cover 7% of the cost of running our programming. "
I really want to go to a specific workshop. Where can I buy a workshop ticket?
" Workshops do not have individual tickets. To attend any or all of our workshops, you must have an All-Access Pass Workshops are included exclusively with the All-Access pass. As with conventions, workshop tickets are not available a-la-carte. But try the All-Access Pass! We bet you’ll find other things you like about our festival and our community. "
Where can I buy tickets to individual screenings?
" You may purchase tickets online in store here until September 28 at 6 pm. After that date, they are available at the International House Philadelphia, 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19401 at the Project Twenty1 Booths between the hours of noon & 8 pm. "
