Why IMFF in San Diego?
International Mobile Film Festival Celebrates You
When you make your movie with a smartphone camera, you cut your expenses in half, at least. Traditionally, you hire a camera person with an expensive camera and a human with great experience running that camera.
Other time savers are the size of crew and the time it takes to move from one location to the next. The time it takes to take down equipment for a shot and set up for another, whether you have to drive to another location or move into another room or area.
Other benefits are the people you have to feed: your crew and cast. Always feed your people! It’s not just being nice. Producers realize the time it takes to have everyone leave the set for a meal and getting back to continue working. Keeping your crew nourished throughout the day is important to keep the energy going, you will need it!
When we launched our film festival based in San Diego, California there were no set standards other than traditional film festivals.
There were many “online” websites named “film festivals” founder Susy Botello found in 2004-2005, but that was not at all what she felt would encourage filmmakers to accept mobile phone cameras as viable to send a message to filmmakers that using cell phone cameras to make films was a respectable and viable way to make films.
The mission we embarked on for mobile filmmakers
Our founder set the mission of the IMFF from a need she witnessed in her experience working with film and video professionals. There were always people reaching out to her looking for a way in. Begging, at times. She thought no one should have to beg their way into an industry like this. This goes beyond a job this is an experience that people are passionate about.
Step by step, Susy began to create and launch a film festival that provided a few simple things to filmmakers. 1) respect. 2) an amazing experience. 3) unique benefits for filmmakers to be a part of it.
Film festivals try to balance the expectation of the filmmaker and its audience with programming. Creating a live venue and a dedication to bringing a good experience to filmmakers, even those who cannot attend, is something we strive to provide 24/7.
Now that you made your film and submitted it, an amazing experience is our first goal. What would a filmmaker like to experience if they were going to use a phone instead of a traditional camera? What does the audience expect? Both expect inspiration, of course. They expect to learn, to be wowed, and to connect to new people. IMFF has been lucky from the start to include filmmakers attending from all over the world and different countries. Connecting in person is a great benefit!
How does the filmmaker benefit in film festivals?
Film festivals usually take a break, an R&R (rest and recuperate) between their annual editions. They also need to organize for the next annual event.
Filmmakers don’t expect much benefit beyond the edition they participate in. They’re sharing photos and laurels and marketing their awards for their film, trying to distribute them to get more views, and they move on to the next film.
Taking these three things into account, here is what we do for mobile filmmakers, who are at times professionals making movies with smartphone cameras.
We are the pioneer film festival in this niche industry and have set standards beyond expectations, raising the bar of mobile filmmaking.
Photo: IMFF 2022 Left to right back row: Cooper Friedman, Madison Friedman (front), Quinn Friedman, Niles Larson, Caroline Spence, James Smith, Kelly Calabrese, Dave Calabrese, Randy Zuniga, Julia Zuniga, Alison Kohlhardt; Center front row: Clint Clark (left), Preston Meneses (right).
Did you know that IMFF has a separate competition, with its own judging panel, for only narrative feature length films?
We launched our feature film competition in 2016, and it took a while for filmmakers shooting with mobile phones to realize making feature films was a real thing beyond Sean Baker’s Tangerine.
We set a standard that mobile films were to receive the same accolades as traditional independent films. Since our inaugural festival we celebrate filmmakers and their films with respect. We promote and showcase them beyond the festival itself.
We celebrate filmmakers for their achievements in the film industry. Mobile filmmaking is a part of the film industry. Making good films is tough work. It’s meticulous work. It’s many times a team effort that involves more than pointing a camera and shooting a story in the best way you can.
Some things we’ve been doing since we launched in 2009
We’ve been writing articles and interviewing filmmakers since the first inaugural festival in 2012. It was written with insight and a narrative with respect.
Susy Botello decided to start her podcast in 2017. Another need she felt was lacking in this niche industry, that would assist mobile filmmakers with their marketing and portfolio. The podcast is not part of our festival. But obviously, as festival founder and director, Susy sometimes pulls from it for content.
Many filmmakers have been guests in the podcast and engage in great conversations with Susy about mobile filmmaking with the goal of inspiring her listeners. There are currently, at the time of this write up, 130 episodes—if you need a bit of inspiration.
We usually include a companion article in a publication with photos and links with almost every episode.
We also engage the filmmakers prior to, and after the festival online and in person, if possible. During the pandemic, we invited several filmmakers to an online virtual panel event where filmmakers sat with us and we held discussions about storytelling and smartphone filmmaking for the beginner.
We continue to mention filmmakers’ stories throughout our social media and in articles we write. Recently Susy wrote an article about smartphone feature film distribution. The article included feature films from attending filmmakers to the 2022 edition of the festival last April. She not only shared their names and films but links to their films on Amazon Prime, where available.
Susy also mentions them offline, and in person. In the podcast she hosts, our social media profiles, and when she guests on other podcasts or publications.
In July, Susy attended San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego. She shared mobile filmmaking with people at the con and would mention mobile filmmakers’ names like, “You’ve heard of, insert mobile filmmaker’s name, Right?”
Naturally, the people she spoke with had not heard of that filmmaker because it’s not a Hollywood celebrated filmmaker. That opened the door to share your story and film. She often spoke with professionals and media people.
We’ve invited local filmmakers in San Diego who participate in the festival to television news programs as well.
Our film festival thrives to connect people from everywhere. Susy’s personal motto is that she likes to surround herself with people who inspire each other.
Between festival events, while we organize the following one we are constantly looking for ways to raise the experience levels of the community.
Did you know that we sometimes bring back filmmakers by offering them opportunities to collaborate and present workshops during IMFF?
And don’t get us started on our unique Red Carpet Extravaganza! The experience that is unique to our festival in San Diego comes from the fame San Diego has with San Diego Comic-Con International and other comics conventions. Cosplay!
IMFF has always made a “show” of walking the red carpet. The red carpet signifies respect for the filmmakers. Participating filmmakers take part in a very exhilarating part of our programming.
Are you ready to submit to our film festival in San Diego?
We’ve expanded the opportunities to connect and grow the mobile filmmaking community with a smartphone photo contest that tells a story with one frame. A new short screenplay contest is also new this year, and we hope to inspire mobile filmmakers to make better films through better storytelling. These are separate competitions. Each competition has its own judging panel.
Submit your films, engage with our mobile filmmaking community, inspire a new generation of smartphone filmmakers and come out to play with us! We’re here for you because of you!