FILMFREEWAY: An Interview About Scam Festivals, Fees, Marketing & the Platform's Future
No matter where you are in the film festival landscape - from eager first timer to seasoned award winning pro, or on the other side of the equation, organising your first screening for the local community or a mammoth A-lister like Sundance or TIFF setting the cinematic agenda for this film festival season to come, then one platform alone looms large above all others, FilmFreeway (https://filmfreeway.com/). Evolving from a scrappy four-person upstart in 2014, FilmFreeway inarguably dominates festival submissions across the globe, yet over the years has been less than forthcoming in responding to interview requests, suggestions or complaints generated by filmmakers and festival directors alike. After chasing the company for several years, the appointment of new General Manager Matt Toigo (https://matt-toigo.com/), who joins us on the podcast today, has finally opened up the opportunity to get answers to many of the burning questions the film community has about FilmFreeway - from what they're doing to combat scam festivals to advice for maximising your success on the platform as a filmmaker or film festival.[Watch/Read the full interview (https://directorsnotes.com/2025/08/28/filmfreeway-matt-toigo/)]
Head to Directors Notes (https://directorsnotes.com) for more filmmaker interviews and to watch our daily selection of new short films. If you'd like your film featured on DN, submit it here (https://directorsnotes.com/submit/). If you're not already, you should definitely subscribe to the Directors Notes podcast (https://pod.link/192507317).Find us at:DN newsletter (https://directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe)YouTube (https://youtube.com/c/directorsnotes)Instagram (https://instagram.com/directorsnotes)
https://archive.org/download/dn398filmfreewaymatttoigo/DN398FilmFreewayMattToigo.mp3
15 Aug 2025
MOTHERBOARD: Victoria Mapplebeck on Filming 20 Years of Solo Parenting on iPhones
This week we're joined by BAFTA (https://directorsnotes.com/tag/bafta/) winning filmmaker Victoria Mapplebeck (https://victoriamapplebeck.com/) to discuss her feature documentary Motherboard (https://motherboardfilm.com/) which transforms 20 years of solo parenting her son Jim into a groundbreaking work of cinematic self-portraiture as it charts two decades of life—from the shock of an unplanned pregnancy to the joys and challenges of raising a child alone, navigating cancer treatment, and weathering the storms of adolescence. In our interview, we get into the ethics of filming family and the need for clear informed consent, using smartphones to democratise filmmaking when funding remains elusive and structuring the film to prioritise emotional truth over tidy linear narratives.[Watch/Read the full interview (https://directorsnotes.com/2025/08/12/victoria-mapplebeck-motherboard/)]
Head to Directors Notes (https://directorsnotes.com) for more filmmaker interviews and to watch our daily selection of new short films. If you'd like your film featured on DN, submit it here (https://directorsnotes.com/submit/). If you're not already, you should definitely subscribe to the Directors Notes podcast (https://pod.link/192507317).Find us at:DN newsletter (https://directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe)YouTube (https://youtube.com/c/directorsnotes)Instagram (https://instagram.com/directorsnotes)
https://archive.org/download/dn397motherboardvictoriamapplebeck/DN397MotherboardVictoriaMapplebeck.mp3
3 Aug 2025
GIRLS ON FILM: Anna Smith on the Power of Female Perspectives in Cinema & Film Criticism
We recently sat down with Anna Smith (http://annasmithjourno.com/) - broadcaster, film critic and co-founder of the Girls on Film podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/girls-on-film/id1439182513) and awards (https://hlaagency.co.uk/category/projects/girls-on-film-awards/). Known for her feminist film criticism and advocacy, Anna has spent her career carving out space for women’s voices. In our interview, we cover the breadth of her career and the shifting dynamics of modern film criticism.[Watch/Read the full interview (https://directorsnotes.com/2025/07/30/anna-smith-girls-on-film/)]
Head to Directors Notes (https://directorsnotes.com) for more filmmaker interviews and to watch our daily selection of new short films. If you'd like your film featured on DN, submit it here (https://directorsnotes.com/submit/). If you're not already, you should definitely subscribe to the Directors Notes podcast (https://pod.link/192507317).Find us at:DN newsletter (https://directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe)YouTube (https://youtube.com/c/directorsnotes)Instagram (https://instagram.com/directorsnotes)
https://archive.org/download/dn396girlsonfilmannasmith/DN396GirlsOnFilmAnnaSmith.mp3
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