Tier 1 vs. Mid-Tier Festivals: When to Pivot Strategy?

Hey everyone,

I'm Emma Gallagher, a Props Master who's been working on a passion project on the side, a short film that I'm really proud of. We've been trying to figure out our festival strategy for its premiere, and it's proving to be a real head-scratcher.

My initial thought, and what seems to be a common piece of advice, was to aim high and hold out for a Tier 1 festival premiere. We’ve been submitting to the big ones, hoping to get that major splash. But we're now a few cycles in, and while we've gotten some nice rejections, nothing has landed yet.

This makes me wonder: at what point does continuing to hold out for that elusive Tier 1 premiere become counterproductive? Is there a point where the benefits of gaining momentum and visibility at multiple, perhaps more accessible, mid-tier festivals outweigh the perceived prestige of a top-tier debut? We're trying to figure out if we should shift gears now or keep pushing for the big one.

Any insights or experiences you've had with this dilemma would be hugely appreciated!