Tips for Entering Film Festivals

I’m right in the middle of entering my short film Hangry into various film festivals and so I’ve been thinking about festival strategies and what has worked for me over the years. I’ve read several articles and attended several panel discussions that offer up tips on film festivals: which ones to enter, what to avoid, how to get noticed, etc. Here’s a rundown of things that have worked for me. I’d be interested to know what has worked for you and what other advice you can give to fellow filmmakers.