To start a film festival, pick a clear focus (a genre, a theme or a community), start with one weekend and one or two screens, open submissions about six months out, and sell festival passes plus single-screening tickets so both superfans and curious locals can come. Most small film festivals run on a modest budget, lots of volunteer help and a venue that already has a projector and good sound.
This guide covers the whole path, from the idea to the closing night, with a budget outline and a timeline.
Step 1: Choose a focus
Film festivals that last have a clear reason to exist. "A weekend of short documentaries about the outdoors." "Horror shorts by first-time filmmakers." "Films made by women in our region." "Student films, plus a screenwriting workshop."
A focus helps you:
- Get the right submissions, instead of hundreds of films that don't fit.
- Find your audience, because they know exactly what they're coming for.
- Find sponsors, who like a clear audience to reach.
Step 2: Pick the size and the dates
Start small: one weekend, one or two screens, 4 to 8 programs (blocks of shorts or a feature each). You can grow every year once you have an audience.
Pick dates that avoid big events in your area and the major festivals your filmmakers might be traveling to. Plan for 9 to 12 months of lead time for a first festival: submissions alone usually run 3 to 4 months.
Step 3: Find the venue and test the projection
The venue is the most important technical decision you'll make.
- Independent cinemas and theaters already have projection, sound and seats. Many rent screens for festivals, sometimes for a share of ticket sales.
- Community halls, libraries, colleges, galleries and breweries can work with a rented projector, screen and sound system.
- Outdoor screenings are magical, but need a big screen, a powerful projector, a rain plan and a start time after dark.
Always do a tech test in the venue with real festival files: brightness, sound levels, subtitles, aspect ratio. Decide early which file formats you accept, and ask filmmakers for a backup file.
Step 4: Open submissions
Most festivals collect films through an online submission platform, which handles the forms, screener links and entry fees in one place.
Decide:
- Categories: shorts, features, documentaries, animation, student, local.
- Entry fees: many small festivals charge a modest fee, with an early deadline that costs less and a late one that costs more. Some waive fees for students or local filmmakers.
- Deadlines: early, regular and late, ending 2 to 3 months before the festival, so you have time to watch everything.
- Rules: running time limits, premiere requirements (small festivals usually don't need any), and what you need from selected films (files, stills, a trailer, subtitles).
Line up screeners, a small team who watch and score every film. Use a simple scoring sheet so decisions are fair and quick.
Step 5: Build the budget
Here's an example budget for a small, two-day festival on one screen. These are example numbers to show the shape. Get real quotes for your area.
| Item | Example cost |
|---|---|
| Venue (two days, one screen) | $2,500 |
| Projection and sound tech | $1,000 |
| Submission platform and screeners' costs | $300 |
| Awards and trophies | $400 |
| Filmmaker hospitality (a meal, a party) | $1,200 |
| Marketing (posters, ads, printing) | $1,000 |
| Insurance | $400 |
| Volunteer food and shirts | $300 |
| Contingency (about 5%) | $400 |
| Total | $7,500 |
Where the money comes from: ticket and pass sales, submission fees, sponsors (local businesses, film schools, arts councils), grants, and a closing-night party or after-party ticket.
Do your break-even math on ticket sales alone, then treat sponsors and grants as your cushion.
Step 6: Program the schedule
- Group films into programs of 60 to 100 minutes: "Documentary Shorts", "Late Night Horror", "Local Filmmakers".
- Leave 20 to 30 minutes between screenings for the audience to change over, plus a Q&A after programs with filmmakers present.
- Put your strongest program on the best slot, usually Saturday evening.
- Opening and closing nights feel like events. Give them a party, a guest, or both.
- Add something besides screenings: a panel, a workshop, a filmmaker mixer. It gives pass holders a reason to stay all day.
Step 7: Sell passes and screening tickets
Film festival audiences come in two kinds: the ones who want everything, and the ones who want one film their friend is in. Sell for both.
- Full festival pass: every screening, the best value.
- Day pass: everything on one day.
- Single screening tickets: for each program.
- Early bird pricing on passes, to bring in money early. (How to price it.)
- Filmmaker passes: most festivals give selected filmmakers a free pass. Issue them as comps so they're counted.
Seats are limited by the room, so cap each screening at the venue's capacity, and let pass holders reserve their seats for the screenings they want.
Step 8: Promote it
- Filmmakers are your best promoters. Give every selected filmmaker a laurel graphic, a ready-made post and their screening link. They'll bring friends, cast and crew.
- Announce in waves: call for entries, official selection, full schedule, opening night guest.
- Trailers and stills make great social posts.
- Local press and community radio love a local film festival.
- Subtitles and languages: if your community is bilingual, consider subtitled screenings and a festival page in both languages.
Step 9: The festival weekend
- Tech check every program before doors, not just the first one.
- Scan tickets and passes at the door and start on time. A late start pushes the whole day.
- Introduce each program in a minute: thank the sponsors, mention the Q&A, remind people to vote if there's an audience award.
- Look after filmmakers: a welcome table, their pass, a place to meet each other.
- Count audience award ballots before the closing night.
Step 10: After the festival
Thank filmmakers, sponsors, volunteers and the venue within a week. Send an audience survey. Post the winners. Announce next year's call for entries while people still remember how good it was.
How to do this in Eventasaurus
- Choose Film Festival when you create your festival. The wording changes to fit: Films for your lineup and Screenings for your schedule.
- Add each film with a poster, synopsis and links, then add screenings with Add Screening, each with its time, venue and capacity. Group films by event type (Documentary, Shorts, Horror) so audiences can filter the schedule.
- Passes and screening tickets together. On Passes, create a Full Festival pass and Day Passes, with Use tiered pricing for early bird. Each screening can have its own tickets too.
- Reservations that respect the room. Pass holders tap Reserve with pass on a screening; reservations respect capacity and time conflicts.
- Filmmaker passes as comps. On Passes, click Issue comps and paste one filmmaker per line as "Name, email".
- Online screenings are possible too: tick the online option on a screening and paste your streaming link. Only ticket holders receive it.
- Check-in scans tickets and passes at the door, even with no signal.
Your buyers pay the ticket price, with nothing added. You pay 1% per order ($1 minimum), plus Stripe's card processing. Want a look first? There's a film festival among our demos.
See the demo festivals or start free.
FAQ
How much does it cost to run a film festival?
A small one-screen, one-weekend festival can often run for somewhere around $5,000 to $15,000, depending mostly on the venue, projection and hospitality. Ticket sales, submission fees, sponsors and grants usually cover it.
How do I start a film festival with no experience?
Start small: one weekend, one screen, a clear focus and a venue that already has projection. Partner with a local cinema or film school, recruit screeners and volunteers early, and keep the first year simple.
How long does it take to plan a film festival?
9 to 12 months for a first festival. Submissions alone usually take 3 to 4 months, and you need 2 to 3 months after that to watch, select and schedule.
What software do I need to run a film festival?
Usually two tools: a submission platform for collecting films, and a ticketing platform for passes, screening tickets, the schedule and check-in. Eventasaurus covers the second: passes, screenings, reservations, a public schedule and door scanning in one place.
Should I sell passes or single tickets?
Both. Passes bring in your most committed audience and money early, and single tickets let curious locals and filmmakers' friends come to one program.