Web Series Festivals That Deliver
Festival faves from the Vice Chairman of the International Academy of Web Television Awards
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So, you’ve made a webseries. That’s awesome! But now you’re deep in the trenches, trying to market your show. This can be one of the most challenging parts of the process. For the web, if you build it, they may or may not come.
What to do?
Well, you can’t do better than being recognized at the International Academy of Web Television Awards. Our awards show offers web series creators, cast and crew unparalleled recognition and visibility across more than 30 different awards that will be handed out at a red-carpet gala event. It’s the ultimate prize in the web series space. Happily, we will be hosting the 5th Annual IAWTV Awards this fall with details to be announced soon on how you can enter. Stay tuned! http://www.iawtv.org/
Another way to get your work noticed is to submit your show to a Web Series Festival. These handy events offer you increased awareness via screenings, awards, and professional seminars to help you keep your skills sharp. Plus, networking. Never forget about networking.
My personal list of Web Series Festivals on twitter contains more than 50 events from around the world and it’s growing fast! Not many creators have a marketing budget that can handle applying to all of them, so here’s a list of the cream of the crop (in alphabetical order) for you to consider:
HollyWeb Fest in Hollywood
https://www.hollywebfestival.com/
Early Spring Festival
HollyWeb Festival runs every April and, along with screenings, it features industry panels and an awards show complete with red carpet photo and interview opportunities. It’s been around since 2012 and has a reputation for being a great place to showcase your work, network and maybe earn one of their beautiful crystal awards. @HollyWebFest
ITVFest in Vermont
Mid-Fall Festival
Tucked away in a scenic corner of Vermont, ITVFest is a must-attend event. It’s a professionally minded get-away that attracts television executives who are looking to make some deals at its 5-day conference in mid-October. The festival features screenings, panels and fun parties, as well as a relaxed setting that encourages premiere networking opportunities. @itvfest
Just For Laughs ComedyPRO event in Montreal
Mid-Summer Festival
If you’re working on a comedy, the JFL Stand Up & Pitch event offers comedy web series creators the exciting opportunity to get their work seen by industry professionals and get important feedback. You might even make a deal. Plus, the conference itself has educational seminars and networking events that will help you sharpen your craft. @JFLComedyPro
NYTVF in NYC
Mid-Fall Festival
Launched in 2005 in the earliest days of independent television, the New York Television Festival can make your dreams come true. The competition is tough, but the rewards are well worth it for creators who make the cut. There are top-notch panels, industry parties, screenings, red carpets, and networking opportunities. The festival runs for a week in late October and is not to be missed. @nytvf
Raindance in London
Fall Festival
Raindance will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year at its festival that runs from late September through October 1. They have a solid track record in the film festival realm and have included web series under their umbrella for the last four years. They also feature seminars, workshops and parties. Plus, it’s in London, so there’s that. @LondonWebFest
T.O. WebFest in Toronto
Late-Spring Festival
This well-run, late May festival celebrates Canadian and International web series and will soon launch its fourth annual event. Highlights of this festival include panels, workshops, and screenings, plus excellent networking. This year, it will host its T.O. Webfest Awards Party at the top of the iconic CN Tower. @TOWebFest
Vancouver WebFest
http://www.vancouverwebfest.com/
Mid-Spring Festival
Billing itself as Canada’s Premiere International Digital Series Festival, the Vancouver WebFest promotes the web series format as a culturally significant new art form. It’s known for celebrating the best in online work and features workshops, screenings, pitch sessions, panels and an awards show. @VanWebFest
Just as the world of web series has exploded in the last decade, now the world of festivals devoted to web series is catching up. Although the above festivals deliver excellence and offer unique opportunities to attendees, the list does not represent every worthy possibility. Here are a few honorable mentions:
Banff World Media Festival
http://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2020/
Summer Festival
This comprehensive television and digital media festival delivers great networking opportunities and hosts the Rockie Awards that have digital content categories.
MIPTV in Cannes
Early-Spring Festival
Anything related to Cannes has to be good. The MIPTV conference features the Digital Short Form Series Pitch in two categories: Drama and Kids content (6–11 years old). If you’ve got something relevant, you should definitely aim for this one.
And, for good measure, you should also check out the following well-regarded festivals:
Stareable Fest
https://festival.stareable.com
Mid-Fall Festival
Austin Film Festival
https://austinfilmfestival.com/
Mid-Fall Festival
Berlin Web Fest
Mid-Winter Festival
Bilbao Seriesland Web Fest
Mid-Fall Festival
DC Web Fest
Early-Spring Festival
KWebFest / Seoul WebFest (Korea)
Mid-Summer Festival
NYC Web Fest
Late-Fall Festival
Marseille Web Fest
http://www.marseillewebfest.com/en/
Mid-Fall Festival
Melbourne Web Fest
http://www.melbournewebfest.com/
Early-Fall Festival
Miami Web Fest
Mid-Spring Festival
Pilot Light TV Fest (Manchester, England)
http://www.pilotlightfestival.co.uk/
Mid-Spring Festival
Rio Web Fest
Late-Fall Festival
Seattle Web Fest
http://www.seattlewebfest.com/
Early-Summer Festival
Sicily Web Fest
Early-Fall Festival
Last, but not least, you may want to consider the following unique event:
LifeArt Global Media Festival in Athens Greece:
http://www.lifeartfestival.com/
2017 Deadline: June 2
Finding the right places to get your web series seen, learn new things, meet cool people and maybe win an award or two is an important process and time well spent.
Happy submitting! (And, bonus for IAWTV members, they get discounts for many of the web series festivals in this list!)
P.S. Without a doubt, there are even more excellent festivals that have not been mentioned. If you know of one, we hope you’ll add your comments in the section below. Thank you!
Sandra Payne is a Writer/Director and Vice Chairman of the IAWTV who started out in Hollywood writing for “Barney & Friends.” She owns SPwrite Productions, a boutique production company that specializes in commercials and digital content and has made more than 100 episodes of award-winning web series content.
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