What are the Best Platforms for Film Festivals?

Hosting a film festival is certainly a lot of hard work and requires essential planning. With the help of various film festival platforms, these events can be an amazing extension of the existing community and services they already provide. If you’re thinking about hosting your own film festival? You’re probably wondering what the best platforms for film festivals will be for your needs. Fortunately, there are a number of options. Depending on whether you intend to host an online film festival, an in-person festival, or a hybrid event.

Before you choose a film festival platform, you’re going to have to figure out what type of event you intend to host.

The following options are most common:

Online film festivals 

These are host entirely online and have ongoing events. Which spectators and festival-goers can engage in through a limited-access or open/all-access pass.

Which allows them to interact and to enjoy the exhibit. Just as you would take place in a standard in-person event but entirely online.

In-person film festivals 

These are host in person, generally at a community center or similar location. Providing ample area for the viewing of films and other activities to take place throughout the duration of the festival.

While an in-person festival can be exciting, there will certainly be more planning required. And the platform the festival uses will likely be different.

Hybrid film festivals 

These events use a mix of digital or online film festival activities paired with the in-person screenings and other activities. Hybrid events are becoming increasingly popular and tend to draw a unique crowd.

Again, with these events you will need to explore platforms for film festivals that can accommodate this mixed media. That includes planning for both online and off-line activities.

Online Film Festival Platforms

Online film festival platforms are going to include a variety of options. These platforms integrate film screening and streaming services alongside a mix of other unique services including interactive libraries and events.

The best platforms for film festivals that are to take place online will include any of the following:

• Film Festival Flix – this is one of several film festival platforms that can be used to share films and engage with others in the industry. 
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• AgileLink VOD – another platform that can be used to provide a unique experience for filmmakers, AgileLink VOD incorporates curated films and live experience for festival-goers to enjoy from home.
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• CineSend Screener Rooms – for those looking to host virtual film festivals that will allow the audience an opportunity to engage from home, CineSend Screener Rooms is similar technology to that used by some of the largest film festivals online including Marche du film in Cannes.

Live/In-Person Film Festival Platforms

Of course attending a live, in-person film festival is what most of us want, but it’s not always an option. As we’ve seen in recent years, things like national health problems, weather, and other issues can happen which prevent in-person festivals from occurring.

For this reason, we absolutely love the hybrid and fully virtual film festival platforms that are available. But we’ll always adore a live festival for its networking, community, and interactive abilities.

Below are some of our favorite in-person film festival platforms:

• Eventive – one of the best platforms for film festivals that we’ve found, Eventive is idea for in-person film festival management activities such as ticketing integration and pass management but it also provides unique audience data aggregation,  member relations for ongoing marketing campaigns, and it can be used for online film festivals, too.
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• Eventival – a popular software that is used for the organization and collaboration of large and small film festivals as well as other in-person events, Eventival can be used to simplify things like attendee registration and film reviews or to schedule screenings. 
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• Festivee – a platform that does it all, for free, can’t be beat! Festival provides a truly unique class of products for those organizing a film festival. And includes tools for screening, promotion, and engagement – at no cost to you!

Hybrid Film Festival Platforms

With a rise in online festivals, we’ve seen more and more hybrid film festivals in the past decade than ever before. It’s likely that the majority of film festivals will continue to provide a hybrid or online-only festival experience in the future.

Therefore, we think it’s important to seek some of the best platforms for film festivals that provide this hybrid experience.

Here’s what we found for you:

• Film Festival Plus – providing online film festivals with a mix of both hybrid and fully virtual options, Film Festival Plus features a unique platform for film festivals with streaming up to 4K.
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• Sparq – one of the best platforms for film festivals that we’ve found to provide a hybrid experience for customers, Sparq features superior back office style functions that can be used to enhance everything from organization and CRM to judging. 
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• Elevent – a unique suite of film festival software products that can be used to streamline ticketing, organize access, and create a unique film festival event that is hybrid or online-only. 

The Takeaway

All in all, the best platforms for film festivals are those which stand to provide festival organizers with the CRM that is most useful to organizing a robust customer experience. Whether they’re attending the festival virtually, in person, or a mix of both.

The best platforms for film festivals feature engagement rich opportunities. A plethora of streamlined solutions that provide turn-key film festival organization. And amazing marketing management – all-in-one.