Festival/Conference basics

1. What time is your interview scheduled and who will you be talking with when you call/skype? 

I will be talking to the Chris Head, the Executive Director of the Environmental Film Festival located in Washington D.C.

2. Who started it and who runs it?

The founding member is Flo Stone while Chris Head is the acting Executive Director.

3. What is the mission of the festival/conference? (copy and paste the first paragraph)

Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital is the world’s premiere showcase of environmentally themed films. Through our annual festival, year-round events, and online resources, we seek to advance public understanding of the environment through the power of film.

4. How does this compare with their actual programming choices from the past two years? Be specific in
describing what they program (mode, categories within mode, niche, Political? Global? Local? Gender?
Sexuality? Race? Any themes that you see? etc...) 

EFF stays true to their mission while also covering a wide range of films that are invariably linked to our Environment. Each film needs to involve topics such as, Climate Connections, Energy And Resources, Environmental Advocacy, Freshwater and Oceans, Global Perspectives, Laing American Program, Local, Sustainable Living, and Wildlife. The types of films can come in many forms, from an animated short like The Animated Life of  A.R. Wallace to a Sci-Fi classic in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner.

5. Where is the event? 

EFF located in on nations capital, Washington D.C.

6. When is the event? (Give dates from last year if not current)

EFF begins March 15th and ends March 26th.  

7. How do you submit? Snail mail, online, withoutabox, through their site, etc…

You can submit to EFF online through Film Freeway

8. When are the deadlines to enter? Early? Reg? Late? 

The deadline is November 15, 2015. 

9. How much does it cost to enter?

Free Submission

10. Who’s eligible, what are the guidelines to enter?

EFF accepts films in any genre, with themes related to the natural and built environment. Special considerations are made for films related to the 2016 Festival theme, Parks and Protected Areas. Please note that films without an environmental theme will not be reviewed. You also need a Film Freeway account. 

11. Is there a Student category? 

Yes

12. What formats do they except for jurying? DVD, Vimeo, Flash drives? 

They do not clarify the formats they accept for jurying.

13. What formats do they except for exhibition/screening? 

They do not clarify the formats for exhibition/screening

14. How many films screened at the festival last year?

EFF screened 173 films last year at 55 venues across the D.C. metro area

15. How long is a typical shorts block or paper presentation block at their event? 

They do not specify how long paper presentations blocks are however most of the shorts that screened are about 8 minutes long.

16. How many films or papers do they program per block? 

They do not list how many films or papers they program per block. 

17. How do people register to attend? Is there a cost to attend as a guest?

Over 80 percent of the screenings are free to the public. 

18. Look at sponsorship page and see what businesses. Grants and private entities give money to the event.
Figure out how many of each kind and note any leads that might be useful to us. 

EFF accepts a wide array of sponsors such as Mom’s Organic Market, Art Works, Amtrak, Bank of America, Wallace Genetic Foundation, Comcast, Nora, Shared Earth Foundation, Southwest, American Radio Network, Art Works and more.

19. What are their sponsorship levels and incentives for each level?

Lead Sponsor (Limit 1) $100,000. Major Sponsor (Limit 4) $50,000. Feature Sponsor $25,000. Contributing Sponsor $10,000. Supporting Sponsor $5,000.

20. Did they have a kickstarter or indiegogo? What incentives did they have for each level of donor?

They do not have a kickstarter or indiegogo. However they do offer a non-profit/ educational partnership discount up to 50%.   

21. What kind of non­traditional film/video events have they had before? Things like Installations, 'Visual
Soundwalls,' VJing etc. 

There are over 100 guest speakers to help promote Environmental activism like Robert Redford. d 

22. Are there ways in which they have expanded the typical film screening event? How have they branched out
from sitting in a dark room in front of a screen? 

They offer Family and Children’s Shorts Programs, lectures, panel discussions, and events with 100 plus guest speakers.