Hey there!
I need to know more about film festivals...I mean how real are they? For example do pple who actually win these stuff - and I mean especially those that enter for screenplays- get their works to the big screen at all? If you think so could you please furnish me with examples?

Also, how do agents work?
Your ideas plz...thanx

Hey,
I'm not sure about in America, however over here in NZ all the film festivals I know of are for real. I think it just depends on what festival it is. If you have a look online you should easily be able to find out if they are or not - and if you see any that your not sure about it doesn't hurt to try and get into contact with people who have previously entered in them.

Film festivals are great - you view other films and such and get little awards. However, chances of your film making it to big screen if you aren't in the following film festivals, Cannes or Sundance, are slim. It's kind of like a basketball tournament, if you're the best, you're going to win an award, but you aren't going to the NBA. And I wouldn't get an agent unless you have a couple feature length films or tons of short films showing how well your vision is.

i think she was asking about agents for screenwriters. Screenwriter agents are different than all the other agents.

For the other jobs, you don't need an agent until someone offers you money or a job. For screenwriting, an agent is probably the first thing you need, since they're the ones that submit your script to the people that need to be reading them.

Getting a screenwriting agent is kinda difficult though, since there are so many screenplays out there and everyone wants a shot. If you go to the Writer's Guild of America website, they have information on agents, how to get them, where they are, and all sorts of stuff on it.