For first timers, the Cannes Film Festival is a daunting experience so aimed at filmmakers taking their short film to Cannes, we have put together a rough guide with tips, advice and some very useful information which we hope will help make your first Cannes experience a more pleasurable, opportunistic and easier one.

Going to Cannes for the first time, is like visiting any major city you think you know from what you've heard about it and seen in the media. Which means to say that on the surface it is much like you imagined it – there's the famous 'Croisette', the legions of people dressed like penguins going to see European Arthouse hopefuls, the very swish parties that you've got no chance of getting into. And yet it is really like nothing you can imagine. Sure – it looks like it should, the sun beating down on you is telling you that you are in the South of France by one of the most famous beaches in the world, but it's much like the first time you go on to a film or TV set, whatever size, and realise after the first hour that it's nowhere near as glamorous or wonderful as you thought it might be. But goddamn you want to be there.

Getting there and staying there

Chances are you've already left it too late to get the best deals on the flights and accommodation. Unless you have booked a year in advance then accommodation in Cannes is very difficult, and very expensive, to find. That is unless you happen to be going with the distribution company you work for. If you've swallowed the cost of the airfare, and thank goodness for the budget airlines (www.easyjet.com, www.ryanair.com, www.bmi.co.uk), then you really need to get the accommodation sorted. Flying direct to Nice is your best bet with frequent buses running direct to the festival. There is also a great train service that runs the length of the south coast.

There are lots of options, even at a late stage, though you're unlikely to get a suite at the Majestic even if you could afford it. Have a trawl on the budget travel sites (www.venere.com is a great one, see also www.cannes.fr and www.immosol.fr for apartment bookings) and you'll probably find something away from the centre, or even further down the coast. Camping is always an option as well, though probably best not to bring the expensive laptop editing system in that instance. You could always try going further afield as well.

There are a number of great towns outside of Cannes that for a fraction of the cost and for a more relaxed and quieter stay offer some great alternatives.  Although a short train ride away, the trains into Cannes run until after midnight and contrary to what people think travelling around in Cannes isn't that expensive. Taxis are far cheaper than in London and for 20 Euros you can afford to stay as far out as Antibes.

Antibes is a beautiful, but easily commutable for the few days you will be in Cannes, and also has an amazing food market if that rings your bell.

Within the same region, Juans Les Pins, is also a glorious coastal resort with many hotels only 2 mins walk to the beach. Juans Les Pins is on the train line from Nice to Cannes and is only a 10 minute train journey to Cannes itself with trains running every 15 minutes or so (fewer during off-peak times – check boards at he train station once you get there).

Shooting People (www.shootingpeople.org), the regular e-mail newsletter for the independent film community always has postings leading up to the festival where people try and fill up space in apartments they've rented or equivalent, so make sure you're subscribed to that and keep an eye out.

The Festival

When you're actually in Cannes you have the opportunity of doing so much with your limited time, so it's easy to let it all pass you by. It's worth getting a game plan together of what you want to do, if there are any seminars or talks or screenings in particular you want then give yourself enough time to get there and get tickets if necessary. For the big screenings you will have to queue, and will need to be accredited to the festival. To be accredited you have a number of options. As a film professional you can pay to be accredited but it is quite expensive. If you have a short film that you've made then by far the best option is to submit this to the Short Film Corner which for between €75 and €100 gets you two market passes. This gives you the right to queue up for entrance to screenings, and for tickets to the big films. It's difficult to know when is the best time to queue for certain tickets, but it's worth sweet talking some of the security and film festival staff to see if they have a better idea of when things are up for grabs. Get used to queuing by the way, everyone has to do it. Even the press, and they really hate it. You'll notice them because they're the ones who really think no-one else should be allowed to see the films at the same time as them, and a lot of the time they can't, but some screenings combine press screenings with accreditation screenings and you can satisfy yourself that you're seeing things at exactly the same time as the hacks decide if it's got what's needed.

It is possible to see anything up to 6 films a day if that's your wont, but it would be a shame to miss out on the other aspects of the festival, and when you do step out into the sun in between it's possible you might wither. It's at times like this that you're likely to come to terms with the fact that whilst this festival is justified in being the most exclusive and famous in the world, it's not without it's odd points. Watch out for the guys from the Troma Films who are always in attendance and often seen rolling outside the main cinemas covered in gory make up. It's what the festival needs to balance the pomposity that can come about particularly in the evenings when the main films competing for the Palme D'Or have their screenings.

This happens all the time but that all said, there are plenty of nice, genuine film-loving people and this is the place that despite the fuss and nonsense is genuinely a great place to see films, meet people from around the world, and if you're lucky share a urinal with William Shatner. 

Submitting your short

Submitting a short film is probably the easiest way for new filmmakers to participate in Cannes. It gives you an opportunity to not only present your film, but also to meet producers, agents, buyers, and other filmmakers from around the world. Even more importantly, registration grants you 2 Cannes Film Festival accreditation badges.

Deadline for registering your short this year is 15th April 2007. Submissions cost €75 to submit a short under 30 mins and €125 to submit a short over 30 mins. To register please visit www.shortfilmcorner.com – make sure you read the regulations first to ensure you are illegible for entry.

The Short Film Corner

To many the Cannes Film Festival appears to be the most glamorous of film events attracting Hollywood A'listers and directors. Whilst this is true there is a whole different side to the festival as well. Inside the Palais as well as a large number of theatres screening the films in and out of competition, there are a number of theatres also screening world and independent titles and hundreds of distributors from all over the world on stands promoting their films. On entering 'The Market', there is a corridor on the right dedicated to budding filmmakers who can submit their shorts. Last year over 850 shorts were submitted into 'The Short Film Corner' by worldwide filmmakers all using the opportunity to gain that golden ticket into the festival itself to showcase there filmmaking talent to producers, directors and possible distributors.

The Short Film Corner boasts a number of private screening areas to view any short submitted, a wall where you can place your business card and details of the film (many use this to pile on there flyers and postcards), a community area and the 24 Hr Film Challenge.

Located in the Palais des Festivals, the Short Film Corner is a huge area open to all the professionals registered with the Festival de Cannes and the Marchι du Film. It puts at your disposal:
• A welcome and meeting area
• A crew
• 20 interactive screens where your film can be viewed
• 3 mini projection rooms (3/6/9 seats - on-site reservation
• A conference area

Every day, the Short Film Corner holds conferences and plenary sessions on short film issues (diffusion, institutional financing, new technologies, film music, etc.).  At the end of the day, the now famous Short Film Corner Happy Hour lets you continue chatting and meet new people with a hospitality drink.

Thanks to the interactive screens, the films can be viewed at any time. Screenings can also be held in one of the theatres of the Palais des Festivals (ask at the desk fro more details).

Taking part in the Short Film Corner means you benefit from effective promotional tools such as:
• The details of your film are presented in the Short Film Corner Catalogue and on www.shortfilmcorner.com
• Mentions in the daily editions of Film Franηais and Cannes Market News
• Access to cinando.com, the largest film industry database 

24 Hr Film Challenge

Last year the 24 Hr Shorts Film Challenge was won by our very good friends at WYSIWYG – more info to follow.

Tickets to red carpet premieres at the Lumiere

If you have the opportunity, and more importantly the attire (DJ is essential for these screenings – the girls have it easier with a posh frock) then it's well worth going for one of those. We were able to get tickets for the Italian film The Family Friend and ended up within sniffing distance directly in front of Director Paulo Sorrentino and the cast. I say sniffing distance because I can now exclusively confirm that not only did lead actress Laura Chiatti look stunning she also smelt pretty amazing.

It doesn't matter how cool you think you are, there is something very exciting about walking up those famous red steps alongside Hollywood's elite and when the film finishes and you see the camera snake in to the auditorium to get the reactions of the main cast and crew. When I tell you that even the camera operators laden down with heavy gear also have to wear a full DJ that tells you how strict they are about their dress policy, though if you're Francis Ford Coppola then you can get away with a fairly garish pink shirt and electric blue bow tie combo over your portly frame. I think he did this just to deflect attention from the drubbing that Marie Antoinette was likely to get.

The Lumiere is the main cinema where all the films IN and OUT of competition are shown each night to the jury .. unless you're lucky enough to have a press pass and are willing to queue at 8am in the morning to get into an early morning screening then the only way to get to see a film inside the Lumiere is if you have a ticket. Daytime tickets are not that difficult to obtain but there is still a certain protocol you must follow to get them. Inside the market on the first floor to the left there is an office that distributes tickets for afternoon and evening screenings. It opens at 10am each morning and will display what tickets and how many will be available for films that day. For an afternoon screening you won't be waiting that long and there is likely to be a fair number available but for the evening red carpet gala expect to queue for at least 2 hours .. there will be far fewer tickets available but if you get there early enough then you may be lucky.

Screenings

If you're lucky enough to get into the larger festival screening then great .. but do explore and go along to one of the many other screenings scattered around the town .. they have some great films showing and you're more likely to get into them .. they also screen many of the films that are in or out of competition so if you miss them at the Palais then you'll probably find them screening elsewhere later in the week anyway.

Try and find out what your pass can and can't get you in to first so you don't waste your time queuing for screenings that you wont get into anyway.

The UK Pavilion

To the left of the Market and Lumiere are the International Pavilions, marques set up for each country to represent its own film market. The UK Pavilion as well as a great meet up place, has very good yet busy internet facilities, a schedule of daily events including happy hour (free drinks), Q & A sessions with British directors, short screenings and seminars. Find out what's on when you get there so you don't miss out on some of the better events.

The NPA gathering is worth trying for if you have the opportunity, and is usually held near the UK Pavilion in association with Kodak. It was here that I very briefly met the young man I most admired and also most disliked. As social butterflies go, he was second to none. He flitted in to the do, walked up to me and my friend and held a brief conversation with us in which he not only gave me his business card but also convinced me to see his short film, and upon realising that we were quite clearly the filmic equivalent of pond life and unlikely to get him funding for his next piece flitted off again, arm outstretched in greeting of someone else slightly higher up the food chain. And he completed all of this within 30 seconds. I daresay he has recently taken control of some mid-size American studio – and good luck to him.

Internet Facilities

If you're brave enough to take your laptop with you then your hotel will most likely provide a connection in your room but there are plenty of FREE internet facilities in and around the festival itself.  The most popular place to get online is within the Pavilions, most offer internet access. The UK Pavilion is always very busy so try one of the other ones instead – The Irish Pavilion tends to be less busy. Half way down the market and on your left, there is an aisle with about 15 or so portals that offer internet access. However these are only limited to 20 mins use, although there is nothing stopping you going back as often as you like. If you are lucky enough to get a press pass then there is the WIFI cafι on the press floor and also a fully functioning IT/Press Room on the 1st floor of the Palais with access to the balcony overlooking the red carpet – a great place to celebrity watch each evening.

Parties

Scottish Film hold a great party each year up in the hills .. if you pop along to the Scottish stand at the UK Pavilion they  may be able to give you a ticket – although these do run out very quickly .. the last one I went to was a Highlands Ceilidh at a castle style villa ..

BBC Films host a very nice soiree and if you're lucky enough to get a ticket then do go along .. even if you only get the one don't be daunted by going alone that's the best time to make contacts and remember most others will be there on there own too ..

Tips and advice

• Take a portable DVD player. You will meet directors and producers when you least expect it so it will be very handy to show them your work instantly.

• The Petit Majestic (behind the Grand Carlton) - For some unknown reason, this seems to be a big hang out joint .. most probably because the drinks are so cheap and it's a great way to hob nob with less pretentious like-minded filmmakers.

• Take copies of scripts with you .. there are producers there that will be interested in reading it and practice a pitch for your script before you go.

• Have a wonder around the town or take a trip out to (Count of Monte Christo Island) .. Cannes is a wonderful place so make sure you enjoy it.

• Most importantly, enjoy what you do .. because the festival is so huge there is this urge that you must see every film and do everything that you can but this is impossible and by trying you'll tire yourself out so much you'll just end up falling asleep in the screenings .. take it all in, and don't feel like you have to do everything .. remember there is always next year.

If you would like further information please email us Editor@6degreesfilm.com and we will do our very best to answer any queries or put you in touch with the right people.

Images © Shizana Arshad, Gus Alvarez & Neill Phillips