Dear friends from the http://www.filmfestivals.com/  community 

My name is Bruno Chatelin and I am the editor of the sites fest21.com and filmfestivals.com
(I can be reached if you need assistance at bruno@filmfestivals.com)

I wanted to give you some information about the progress we are making here AND give you some publishing tips.

The site growth is impressive and very promising.
We have passed the 500 000 pages/month mark a year ago (viewed fom a qualified audience)
Of course the figures are still lower than those of filmfestivals.com which we founded in 1995 but they are growing at a phenomenal rate: the visits have doubled between August and November (150 000).

Fest21.com: the community platform “facebook for film & fest pro”
The latest addition of our sites, still in a beta version, it has already been adopted by more than 1000 major festivals and filmmakers.
We are currently adding new functionalities to the classic video bloggings found on youtube or myspace to share video, text, photo, news, links, maps, book or film reviews…
You will soon be able to upload pictures by batch, new layout planned for roll out in the next weeks

The benefits you can get from your blog
Download the 10 best reasons to create your blog on http://www.filmfestivals.com/

- Better ranking for your (other) website with Google search engine, we have no frames like myspace or variety, serach engine will register your content much faster.
- Be seen and discovered by the festivals professionals
- Festival blogs will benefit from the traffic generated by all major festivals such as Cannes, Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, Venice, Rome etc that have blogs with us. Giving useful flavor of the festival ambience, style, creative programming …
- An effective way to distribute targeted press release, offering immediate visibility on search engine
- Connect with fellow filmmakers and festivals to check for experience from thecircuit. Some members of our community are fest circuit veterans with huge experience, ask them to share that.
- When applying for festival credentials remember that fest21.com can help!
- We publish on homepage of fest21 the more important contributions and also reproduce on filmfestivals.com
- You must also include a link to your blog on your own website, using the blog as the “live & interactive” version of your site.

Create content:
Download the Following tips

Post a photo from your computer inside your blog entry.doc

Post a photo that is available on the web inside your blog entry.doc

Post a video from the web inside your blog entry.doc

How to share your content on social network.doc

fest21 com PUBLISHING TIPS.doc

telechargez en français le document Word.

A blog-without-a-post does not get you anywhere on the internet: add a few posts (even brief ones) if you want a better treatment from google.
First Include an image as your avatar that says who you are
Include an image on the top of your blog homepage
You may want to use your blog as a diary of the fest circuit life and share experience and comments
When copying a word document use the word symbol to paste.
When uploading a festival or film poster, be sure to select “festival poster” or “film poster” gallery (very popular pages)
Add tags to your content for increased internet awareness
Remember to add the url of your other website (google prefers sites that are linked in & out)
Add some pictures and video (google likes multi media and ranks videos easier)

Create content for Festivals blogs:
Please fill in your personal details here
CLIC ON My Fest21 top left

Create/fine-tune your profile
Fill in with city/country/adress...

Describe your event under Description:
Enter the date of next Festival, an image maybe (coy /paste the top of your festival's website)

Create a visual icon/avatar/image
Upload your logo under picture

Create your name identity
Have domain same as User Name ie http://domain.fest21.com example http://cannes.fest21.com

...then click on user info and complete updating your profile

CREATE YOUR FIRST BLOG ENTRY AS TEXT:
http://www.fest21.com/en/node/add/blog
Please keep in mind that the last post you enter will appear on the top of the list.

so we recommend you began with

• Last Year's awards list (copy as word click on the word symbol)
• Add a few pictures The Festival Poster, select festival poster channel to be featured in the Fest Hall of Fame Gallery...
• Enter a text describing your festival mission statement, perhaps with your festival director's word and picture
• Publish the call for entry select the call for entry to be featured in the very popualr Call for Entry Channel
• Add some videos if you have them on your computer (any format will do)
  The festival Trailer of course, some more trailers from past winners, shorts, trailers from upcoming competition....

Create content for Film blogs:

A few suggestions from the editor
When selecting the name/domain of your blog you may consider two options to promote yourself to our festivals community: your name or your work.
Create a weblink and enter the link to your film website.
Input your bio as text entry: study, filmography, IMDB details, awards...
Upload a selection of film stills, behind the scene, action scenes, pictures of your cast.
Upload the trailer or the short, add the synopsis in the body field.
Upload the film poster (and select flm poster channel) in order to be featured in the Film Hall of Fame.
Get someone to film you giving the pitch of the film.
Upoad a short sample of the soundtrack: we recommend to liit this to 30 seconds,<3M.

Publish a -Synopsis for "my film"- post including a short version, and a longer version.
Publish a Festival circuit for "my film" blog post, be sure to update this one.

When invited and attending a festival be sure to post an article describing the audience's reactions...

If you want to upload the full version of the film with a secure access for screeners purpose just ask.
If you need promotion on the festival circuit just ask.

Download more tips in english or french Word documents.
The 10 best reasons to create your blog on fest21.com

Visit The Bulletin Board
ANNOUNCEMENTS / FESTIVALS CALLING FOR ENTRIES:

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