FILMMAKER Consulting
With 30+ years inside the film festival and distribution ecosystem, I’ve helped filmmakers navigate the festival circuit strategically — and use it to build real momentum for their careers. I bring a rare perspective as a filmmaker, festival founder/director, programmer, and distribution strategist.
Whether you’re launching a short, feature, or documentary, I can help you:
Whether you’re launching a short, feature, or documentary, I can help you:
- identify the right festivals for your film (and avoid expensive dead ends)
- build a clear submission plan, timeline, and budget
- improve positioning and materials (logline, synopsis, trailer, EPK)
- protect premiere strategy and maximize opportunities
- connect festival strategy to distribution and long-term career growth
Get a free Consultation
Learn more about how we can help you achieve your goals.
Services include:
2. Marketing Feedback - Review of film, materials and, trailer, providing feedback and guidance
3. Radar Coaching - Insights on how to get on a festival's radar, with our personal outreach to programmers
4. Festival Participation - Guidance on advance material prep and how to develop the right strategy for maximizing participation in each festival
- Film Sales & Alternative Distribution
Some films sell during a festival run, but many filmmakers don't know what deal points to look for. And if the film doesn't sell, there are many opportunities to create a custom distribution path. From aggregation to community and educational screenings, to the streaming universe, we have guided filmmakers through sales and distribution pipelines. - Film Festival Consulting - Filmmakers
Having run many festivals over the years, AND playing his own films in hundreds of festivals, our Founder knows this world inside and out. He has guided thousands of filmmakers in his 30 year career, and even has a course on the subject (Film Festival Mastery) with partner Justin Giddings. You can take the course, and/or hire Jon for private coaching. His strategies and relationships with festival programmers are second to none. Services include:
2. Marketing Feedback - Review of film, materials and, trailer, providing feedback and guidance
3. Radar Coaching - Insights on how to get on a festival's radar, with our personal outreach to programmers
4. Festival Participation - Guidance on advance material prep and how to develop the right strategy for maximizing participation in each festival
- Script Development & Coaching
Creative artists often have many ideas for stories to tell. It can often be challenging to decide which project(s) to focus on, based on a number of factors. Then, it comes down to developing the idea into a movie or series, one with entertainment value that will attract your target audience. We can help you create the ideal structure to maximize your project's potential. And give you notes throughout your writing process. Writing is re-writing. - Impact Campaigns
From Discussion Guides and Tool Kits to Community and Educational Screenings, we offer a full range of packages to support your needs. - Scheduling & Budgeting
Whether you are developing a narrative or documentary feature, or a series, you may be seeking financial support. To know how much to raise, you need to have a schedule, and a budget. We can help you strategize, and develop the schedules and budgets to support your project. You need Plan A, plan B, sometimes a plan C.
- In addition, Mr. Fitzgerald leads discussions, presentations and workshops on the subject Filmmaking for Change: Make Films That Transform the World, a book he authored.
"I have never seen anyone handle a wider variety of demands with more grace and skill than Jon Fitzgerald. He has earned the respect and support of everyone involved with the independent film and festival communities."
Steven Soderbergh - Filmmaker
Steven Soderbergh - Filmmaker
For more background information on our Founder, Jon Fitzgerald, visit his Portfolio here.