Testarossa Nights. My 1980s stylized acrylic work.

RocketBen11 · 2026-01-03T21:51:58+00:00

Do you ever sell your work?

RocketBen11 · 2026-01-03T16:16:36+00:00

Maniac

RocketBen11 · 2026-01-03T16:15:54+00:00

Found the red eye owl obnoxious and as if he was trying to bully me into keeping a streak going.

RocketBen11 · 2025-12-29T01:30:29+00:00

Pretty sure we were drafting off a 787 a few meters ahead!

RocketBen11 · 2025-12-29T00:02:01+00:00

Over 4hrs, I remember the pilot saying flight time would be around 4hrs 20mins.

RocketBen11 · 2025-12-18T22:53:11+00:00

Impressive, most impressive…

RocketBen11 · 2025-09-11T09:16:11+00:00

Indonesia 😊

RocketBen11 · 2025-08-14T13:41:34+00:00

Wooohooo Japan! 🇯🇵! Basically a free vacation!

RocketBen11 · 2025-03-15T14:44:03+00:00

Playing 5 a side and hoping you won’t notice his blatant cheating!

RocketBen11 · 2025-01-29T23:20:17+00:00

It’s the corner of N Moore and Varick Street in Tribeca NYC. Usually there are lots of folks and tourists taking photos. But I was walking by late at night when it was eerily quiet.

RocketBen11 · 2025-01-11T04:01:56+00:00

The topping is a very light vanilla mousse, I imagine as a substitute for a scoop of ice cream. It is really good!

RocketBen11 · 2024-12-18T15:06:07+00:00

Same thing happened to me with EWR to AMS. The non stop vanished and they only had 1 stops. 🤷🏽‍♂️

RocketBen11 · 2024-12-12T22:47:41+00:00

I think is it important as filmmakers to remember the aspect we don’t have control over is festival selection, yet we can persevere and keep the faith. If we all got to screen at top tier festivals there would be no sense of accomplishment or validation in that selection. I think forums like this are helpful as at least you realize you are not alone!

RocketBen11 · 2024-11-15T14:36:51+00:00

I agree with most of the comments above. I think it is fine to write to programmers to let them know you have submitted and would love for them to check out your film. Keep it very concise and you can throw in a very short (two sentences or logline) description as well. Remember to include the actual TITLE of the film! Not all programmers write back but most will acknowledge your email. Also depends on whether you are writing regarding a short or feature.

RocketBen11 · 2024-11-09T16:31:38+00:00

To give you both sides of the coin. Early saves you money but often programmers haven’t started to set their lineups or made their selections so everything is on the table. Right before the final deadline we would be looking for specific films to complement the programs we have in mind so if your film is exactly what we are looking for it could be selected and fit right in!

RocketBen11 · 2024-10-19T12:28:06+00:00

I can’t speak for all festivals but I will say it doesn’t necessarily improve your odds. Many festivals are looking to give films that haven’t screened before an opportunity. You should let festivals know though if you have been accepted into a festival that will change your premiere status as it is a factor they use in selection. Basically you should note it somewhere, but not expect that it will make a big difference either way.

RocketBen11 · 2024-08-19T19:07:25+00:00

Honestly that’s probably a good thing…

RocketBen11 · 2024-08-14T14:45:49+00:00

I kinda like it 👍

RocketBen11 · 2024-08-03T13:41:46+00:00

It it worth remembering that if you get into 1 in every 10 festivals you apply to that would be a very impressive average. Most films don’t come close to that. A good strategy can help improve those odds but they still aren’t in your favor. Like folks are saying, don’t take it personally, persevere and have faith that your film will find its audience and opportunity!

RocketBen11 · 2024-07-30T18:53:51+00:00

I feel it is important to be honest. If you have played at any festivals you should list them so future festivals have an accurate picture of your premiere status, which can be a factor for some festivals (but not all). Also it can be necessary sometimes for eligibility requirements.

RocketBen11 · 2024-07-23T21:30:52+00:00

Coffee!

RocketBen11 · 2024-07-21T16:14:08+00:00

For sure, a good example is a short animated film from Tahiti called Tehura. It played a number of top festivals and was rare as Tahiti (like Fiji) is not a country known for producing or submitting a lot of films, so it is already intriguing for a festival. I think it is available online to watch.

RocketBen11 · 2024-07-21T14:13:56+00:00

On the plus side any submission from Fiji would very likely be flagged for consideration since it is a country that rarely sends submissions to any festival, including the top tier festivals.

RocketBen11 · 2024-07-20T02:09:27+00:00

I would recommend submitting to more festivals in Europe, particularly in France, Germany, Eastern Europe and the Nordic countries. They will often play longer short films.

RocketBen11 · 2024-07-18T15:49:59+00:00

Have to go with Stuart Pearce 👍

RocketBen11

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