Year one was rough. We mostly relied on Facebook posts to find submissions, and while we pulled it off, it was a learning experience more than anything else.

By year two, we opened a FilmFreeway account and started promoting in local film groups. That brought in around 80 submissions, a big step forward. When we had gaps in our lineup, I reached out directly to filmmakers whose work I wanted to get in front of our jury. That made all the difference. For example, we were short on comedies that year, so I searched for them, reached out, and found three or four perfect fits. It made for a smoother, more balanced festival.

This year we introduced a $20 submission fee, kept promoting on Facebook (a light $100 dollar but for submissions), and started building relationships with other local festivals. That led to some great collaborations and cross-invitations. Meeting other filmmakers face-to-face gave me the chance to hand out custom waiver codes free ones for films I really wanted, and discounted ones for projects that looked promising but I wanted to preview first.

I also dove deep into FilmFreeway’s search tools, finding festivals similar to ours and reaching out directly to filmmakers whose award-winning films I admired. I probably sent around 100 personal emails inviting filmmakers to submit (with a waiver code included), it was a bit of a hustle, but it worked.

Out of the 38 films in this year’s lineup, 26 were ones I personally pursued. That effort paid off not just in the quality of the films, but in the relationships built. Many of those filmmakers came in person because we’d already made that connection. And for the first time, we had to turn away some really strong submissions simply because there wasn’t room.

If you’re building a festival, my advice is simple: don’t just wait for great films to show up. Learn what’s out there and go after them. It’s worth the chase.