To the point: People's voice
There are two types of advertising film festivals: big, glamorous ones that all creatives dream about, and smaller ones that many creatives don't really take seriously. Today, let me take up the cudgels for one such smaller festival.
This is the Spotlight Festival, which after all has existed in Baden-Württemberg for thirteen years. Admittedly, I'm a party to it, since I've been sitting on its jury for several years. A jury composed of creative people from advertising agencies and film productions, professors from film schools and a few journalists.
The Spotlight Festival has two special features. First, there are two prizes to be won in each category. One for the professional commercials and one for the films made by students of film schools. The students choose a product or service and, in a way, brief themselves. It is exciting to see how budding filmmakers deal with the medium of commercials. Some of the films produced are extremely creative and often stand comparison with their professional rivals. Films that are amazing not only in terms of the idea, but also in terms of directing, camera work, cas¬ting and technical implementation. In the jury, the two film categories are measured with the same cubits and have to face the same criteria. Seeing these student films is an interesting experience that I wouldn't want to miss. It would be hoped that more creatives would be curious about these films.
Another special feature of the Spotlight Festival is that there is also an audience award in each category. The films are presented at an event to a paying (!) audience, which can then vote live electronically. I can already see some people turning up their noses. How is the general public supposed to judge a film? It's mainly the clumsy, thigh-slapping films that would do well. Far from it!
To witness the spontaneous and unfiltered reactions of this year's 2000 or so audience members is something special. For some films there is practically no reaction, for others spontaneous and for a few then long-lasting applause. Similar to the cinema, with the difference that there is practically never a whistle, because people want to watch commercials.
I don't want to pit one festival against the other here, but it seems to me that direct audience reaction can provide valuable clues as to how a spot is working.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
The Spotlight Festival has two special features. First, there are two prizes to be won in each category. One for the professional commercials and one for the films made by students of film schools. The students choose a product or service and, in a way, brief themselves. It is exciting to see how budding filmmakers deal with the medium of commercials. Some of the films produced are extremely creative and often stand comparison with their professional rivals. Films that are amazing not only in terms of the idea, but also in terms of directing, camera work, cas¬ting and technical implementation. In the jury, the two film categories are measured with the same cubits and have to face the same criteria. Seeing these student films is an interesting experience that I wouldn't want to miss. It would be hoped that more creatives would be curious about these films.
Another special feature of the Spotlight Festival is that there is also an audience award in each category. The films are presented at an event to a paying (!) audience, which can then vote live electronically. I can already see some people turning up their noses. How is the general public supposed to judge a film? It's mainly the clumsy, thigh-slapping films that would do well. Far from it!
To witness the spontaneous and unfiltered reactions of this year's 2000 or so audience members is something special. For some films there is practically no reaction, for others spontaneous and for a few then long-lasting applause. Similar to the cinema, with the difference that there is practically never a whistle, because people want to watch commercials.
I don't want to pit one festival against the other here, but it seems to me that direct audience reaction can provide valuable clues as to how a spot is working.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
