An Online Film Festival That Pays Its Filmmakers

Film Feature Article by Chris Olson

As the submission deadlines have passed for the UK Film Review Festival 2020 we have an exciting announcement to make! Every filmmaker officially selected will earn a percentage of the profits from the sale of Festival Passes.

In an effort to help #SupportIndieFilm this year, we launched our very first Online Film Festival. It was something we had thought about, so when lockdowns started happening and the industry was grinding to a halt, we thought - maybe now’s the time.

At UK Film Review, we wanted to give back to those indie filmmakers who had helped us grow our platform, which is why our festival included unique opportunities for every filmmaker who submitted a film. Everyone got a review if they didn’t already have one, or a Filmmaker Interview if they so chose.

With just over a month to go, we will be spending time promoting the films which have been officially selected and asking everyone to start buying a Festival Pass so they can join in the fun and support filmmakers too.

Festival Passes are NOW ON SALE - https://www.ukfilmchannel.co.uk/passes

They are priced currently at £5 (this may go up nearer the date of the event - so get them while they are hot and cheap) and here’s how the spoils will be shared.

50% of the money made from Festival Passes will go into a pot for the filmmakers to share equally. The total will be divided by the number of films and dispersed fairly.

50% will go to the UKFR team and to cover festival costs.

What we hope to create is an inclusive, social event which benefits everyone and establishes a precedent whereby Film Festivals give back to the films which make their events possible. In a time whereby opportunities for filmmakers to make money is so limited, we hope to make them ambassadors for our online film festival because the more they promote it, the more money goes into that pot.

A festival pass will give access to every film in the festival, plus all of the special events and content. Like Q&As, a virtual pub, and more. It is understandable that many film fans are cynical when it comes to online film festivals, which is why we are doing our best to recreate the vibrancy and social elements of an in-person event.

Should the world calm the f down by 2021, we may bring our event to cinemas too as we do genuinely want to support them also.

A full programme for the UK Film Review Festival is in the works - once we finalise some of the special events, and more details will keep coming so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

And don’t forget - buy your Festival Pass here.

#ChrisOlson #UKFRF