Dear Filmmaker,
It is our pleasure to inform you that your film has been chosen to be screened at the Tenth Annual Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, NJ and surrounding area, March 22-March 25, 2012. You can look for your film on GSFF At A Glance or Films A-Z to see when and where it plays. Each film receives two badges that act as all access passes to all screenings and events EXCEPT the Black Tie Awards Dinner.
Here are your laurels:
Please read the following information carefully:
- We will be requesting two (2) final DVDs of your film for screening purposes. The one you sent for judging has gone around to the judges and thus may be scratched or otherwise unreliable. Please do not make us use the judging copy!
- All Films must come to us with no bars and tone, no long leader and set to PLAY. All Filmmakers DVD disks must be properly formatted, authored, and FINALIZED. All Blu- Ray disks need to be Authored and FINALIZED as well.
- All menus should park themselves on ” PLAY”.
- For HDCAM (which is ONLY IN THE PARAMOUNT) the tapes MUST HAVE 2 CHANNEL STEREO TRACKS. There is NO SURROUND SOUND and NO DOLBY-E DECODING. HDCAM-SR tapes will NOT WORK!!!
- All venues will have Blu-Ray and DVD capability.
- If your film is scheduled for The Paramount Theater ONLY you have the option of DVD, Blu Ray or HDCAM.
- Please get all films to us no later than March 10, 2012
- Please address any technical questions to Debbie Boenig at fdjz@aol.com and she will be happy to help you.
- Please send DVDs marked SCREENING COPY on the outside marked with your WAB tracking number to:
GSFF
c/o Falcone
1 Page Avenue
Allenhurst, NJ 07711
DO NOT SEND TO OUR P.O. BOX! This is a problem every year – the P.O. Box is the Bermuda Triangle of the US Postal service.
Hospitality Information:
- Our filmmaker hospitality coordinator Bob Cleary (bobecleary@aol.com) will answer any questions you might have. Please refer any questions about lodging, etc. to him and he will be happy to help you. He is also your contact for securing your films two badges.
- Please book your rooms early as the inns do fill up fast! The inns that give a special discount to GSFF attendees are on our website. YOU MUST TELL THEM YOU ARE A GSFF FILMMAKER WHEN YOU CONTACT THEM to get the discount.
- Also please check our website as it will be updated regularly with very important information.
- GSFF makes every effort to drive attendance to our films. In 2011, we were at capacity at most of the screenings.
- Filmmakers who take an active role in promoting their screening via social networks, other web based media outlets and their local newspapers combined with our efforts fill their venues.
- Refer to the Festival program for information regarding dining and discounts.
Advice from Our Social Media Expert:
- Facebook- Please go to the Facebook icon on our website at www.gsff.org and “LIKE” the official Garden State Film Festival page. Be sure to “Share” with your friends.
- Twitter- “Follow” @GardenStateFilm for real time updates on events, pictures, conversations, news and mentions at the Garden State Film Festival. If you have a Twitter account be sure to @ mention us in your Tweets and we will follow you back.YouTube – Subscribe to our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/gardenstatefilmfest – Get the latest video updates from the Garden State Film Festival. And it’s a good place to promote your trailers.
- For more information on any of our social media sites, contact Margaret Fontana at margfontana@gmail.com
Promoting Your Film:
- Promotional materials may be sent to GSFF 711 Boston Blvd, Sea Girt, NJ 08750. We are happy to distribute them ONLY if they include the screening venue, time and date. Any materials received without this information will be discarded. They must be received by by March 10, 2012.
- Please take a minute to go to our website and join us our Facebook page. Feel free to hype your film to our followers.
- Please mail hard copies of any print articles to us for our records. We are partners in your success.
- Local press to pitch stories to are:
The Coaster Coaster@monmouth.com
The Tri City News news@trinews.com
The Atlanticville atlanticville.gmnews.com
GSFF Black Tie ( Optional) Awards Dinner:
- The Awards Dinner is a sell-out event. PLEASE BUY YOUR TICKETS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you plan to attend. We cannot comp or discount filmmakers. This event takes place at Crystal Point on the lovely Manasquan River. Many a project has been born, many an actor has been cast, and even films have been financed as a result of connections made at this annual event. Join us as we celebrate all our filmmakers and the best of the best of this year’s festival.
GSFF Website & Program:
- An email will ask you to fill out a short form for use on our website and in our program, and to attach a high resolution still. Please return this information to us as soon as possible using upper and lower case letters. We are an all volunteer staff and your help is critical. Remember, what you give us is what is published.
- Please consider advertising in our program. This insures your film a larger presence allows friends and family the opportunity for congratulatory ads and supports our efforts throughout the year.
Thank you again for sharing your fine work and we hope you will be able to join us for this fabulous event. We are looking forward to meeting each and every one of you!