Below, you’ll find the prep list and need-to-know essentials to get you ready for the Fall 2021 FilmQuest. This page will be updated as needs be, so do check-in and feel free to ask questions that may help us update this page if needed. This page will also cover ALL the need to know essentials, so do be sure to read through it if you’re planning to participate so we’re all on the same page moving forward.
Virtual Festival Links
This Virtual Fest page, which is being listed privately, will only be accessible to filmmakers from this season, press, your cast, crews, family & friends as you desire to share it, and also past FilmQuest alumni. We’ll also be granting access to those who submitted to the 2021 festival as a special thank you. The page will be updated frequently with information and links as needs be to get access to the virtual screenings, mixers, and workshops, so come to it often as this is your portal to accessing the festival.
Virtual Fest Access Page (private): Coming Oct. 27th
Virtual Fest Password: TBD
Virtual Festival Meetup
We’ll be using GATHER to get everyone together for the fest virtually. It’ll be available and open during the festival dates, and will be the main portal for those who will not be able to attend the festival in-person. So come in, turn on your webcam, play some games, and enjoy the fest together.
Gather – for virtual meetups/mingle (may need to register): Coming Oct. 27th
Gather Password: TBD
Fest Schedule & Program Guide
Program Guide & Info: 2021 Program Guide
Fest Schedule: 2021 Schedule
Vaccinations & Testing (for in-person attendees)
1.) If you are FULLY vaccinated, we need your proof of vaccination card to avoid being tested. A photo with you holding your card is acceptable for proof if you don’t want to travel with it. Got this and you’re good to go and fest away! Over 90% of those who attended the festival in May were vaccinated, and it allowed us to host a safe, healthy, and very successful festival. So please come vaccinated to participate!
2.) For those NOT FULLY VACCINATED, you need to pre-register with the Utah Department of Health so you can be tested quickly and be in their system to make the process quicker: https://redcap.link/utah.gov-FilmQuest
3.) If you are not fully vaccinated, then you will have to be tested on-site with a rapid test by the Utah Department of Health. If you test positive – you will be required to do a rapid lab test to confirm the result. You can also be tested at an approved health facility before arriving at the venue. We’ll need proof of a negative test before we can let you into the fest.
If you are tested and come back with a positive test, then you will not be permitted into the festival. Seems fairly obvious, but that’s the risk and we think understandable. But it must be stated so we’re all on the same page.
4). We will be conducting our Covid testing with the Utah Department of Health at TBD dates. This will not be necessary if everyone arriving is vaccinated (so get vaccinated, yo!) They have determined that a safe, negative rapid test of yourself and your party upon your arrival will be enough to satisfy safety measures during the festival if you’re staying for about 3-4 days. If you miss this testing day, we will need you to check-in and get tested with a local UDOH testing facility.
5.) Touchless temperature checks will be conducted on all guests, regardless of vaccination status, before they sit down for each screening and/or event.
6.) Masks will be required for all guests while in the venue as we deem necessary.
7.) There is a rapid testing site a few minutes from the SLC airport. While it may be inconvenient, this may be where you need to go to get tested if you miss our testing (try to get tested before you arrive at the fest, but the day of your arrival if possible please). If this applies to you, let us know and we’ll help you out.
8.) The Utah screenings (the only ones open to the public) – all in-state guests who buy a ticket to those screenings must be 100% vaccinated or they will not be permitted to enter. If they are not vaccinated, they are absolutely required to be tested with a rapid test the day of the screening. No exceptions!
9.) All guests will be required to sign a liability waiver upon check-in in regards to Covid-19, etc. so that they can state that their vaccination, testing, responsibility, etc. is true and accounted for.
10.) Finally, we will try to social distance as much as we’re able – however, with the amount of filmmakers who normally attend FilmQuest and with social distancing guidelines and restrictions lifting across the country it is likely we’ll have a fairly full venue for most of the festival. That said, we will try to make it as distanced as possible. Stay in your groups!
Hotel – Discounted Rate Expires October
Hyatt Place Hotel booking link ($114 room per night): Hyatt Hotel Discount
Marriott Hotel booking link ($119 room per night): Marriott Hotel Discount
*IMPORTANT NOTE: The Marriott Downtown Provo Hotel is NOT available Friday, November 5th due to a BYU football game selling out the hotel. We recommend booking the Hyatt for the final weekend stay if rooms are available.
In-Person Check-In, Festival & Special Event Passes
1.) When you arrive, come to the front check-in desk and Jonna (our Assistant Director) or a member of our staff will check you and your team in. You will also be given a temperature check and sign the liability waiver.
2.) Feature films are allotted two festival passes each. Short films, screenplays (unless they have more than one writer, etc.), web series, etc. are allotted one festival pass per project.
3.) If you have additional cast & crew with you that aren’t covered by the above festival pass rules, they will need to buy the VIP pass for $100.
4.) While basic entry to our SPECIAL EVENT PARTIES (details coming soon) is covered by the filmmaker and VIP passes, we will need to charge an additional fee for the catered food and drink if you wish to partake. While we’re still finalizing those costs – prepare for them to be between $20 and $40 for each. We do this in part to comply with Utah liquor laws, which allows us to serve alcohol in an unlicensed venue via a “drink pass.” If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
5.) During check-in, we will also be scheduling you for your complimentary on-site portraits with our festival photographer as well as on-site interviews with our videographer. Don’t miss this appointment, as we’ll only have a few windows to get you all in!
Travel from SLC Airport to Provo
You have a few options here, which are:
Train: There is a train (the Frontrunner) that goes directly from the SLC airport to Provo. From there, a very short uber ride or bus ride will take you to either the Marriott or your place of stay. This train ride takes about 2 hours and is the cheapest option.
Uber/Lyft: I’d recommend avoiding a taxi as it’ll likely be more expensive, but an Uber ride down to Provo is probably the fastest way to get here. We all know how this works, so pretty simple.
Shuttle: There is a shuttle service from the airport to wherever you need to go, but I believe it’s the most expensive option and you’ll have to wait for others to be dropped off along the way.
Rent-a-car: You can of course rent a car. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you plan to travel around the area a bit, and/or if you plan to stick around Utah and enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and then some. Save the money, keep it simple. Everything at the festival is literally a short walk away from each location – like, a less than 5 minute walk.
Bring Extra Cash & Swag Bags
We want you to have the most fun and memorable experience possible. While this is going to be a more “subdued” event due to the obvious of what has transpired this past year, we are still working hard to create for you something Fantastic! Consider these other items as you prepare for the festival:
Petty Cash: We pride ourselves with the sweetest merch in the festival game. So be sure to bring some money to buy yourself some merch like t-shirt, satin jackets, hats, pennants, pins, buttons, keychains, etc.
Concessions: There will be concessions provide at the festival for a small fee. Popcorn, sweets, drinks, etc. will be available to you for the screenings.
Swag Bags: Every VIP guest will be given a sweet swag bag, filled with goodies and offers. It’s about $50 in value, so enjoy the prizes inside as our extra special gift to you!
Restaurant Discounts
We’ve been working with the local businesses in Provo to provide for you food discounts when you show your access pass. That said, we don’t have as many partners as in recent seasons because due to Covid, a lot of our partner restaurants have closed. Which sucks – but we still have places you can get a discount.
A full list of locations available for discounts will be made available to you upon check-in.
Q&A’s – In-Person & Virtual
IN-PERSON: Every single screening, unless filmmakers are not in attendance, will have a 15 minute Q&A after the screening block.
We’ll be recording these Q&A’s for preservation and broadcasting them live via Facebook whenever possible.
VIRTUAL Q&A’s: Due to there being so many time zones and nations to consider for the Q&A’s, making it impossible to do them live, we will be getting pre-recorded Q&A’s from the filmmakers (due Friday, October 15th) and put them with their respective blocks online for the virtual fest. We’ll keep these Q&A’s though for a future FilmQuest YouTube channel we’re launching later this year so they can be seen forever!
Press at the Fall 2021 Fest
Most of the press “attending” the festival will be doing so virtually. While we’re finalizing this press list available at the festival and virtually, they’ll be doing interviews, reviewing films, and taking red carpet photos when able.
Virtual press will be watching your films from afar, writing reviews, and also reaching out to you at their discretion for interviews and/or additional information.
Awards, Closing Night Awards Show & Red Carpets
One of the most fun experiences at any fest are the awards. Let’s be honest – everyone wants one! We provide an audio-visual event, that highlights the winners while giving due praise to all the filmmakers.
Trophies vs. Plaques: Not every award gets a Cthulhu. That would be crazy expensive for us. What we do is highlight the 18 or so “high profile” categories and award them the coveted Cthulhu Trophy (think Best Feature, Best Director, etc.), and the rest get a high quality, brushed silver plaque.
That said, if you are fortunate enough to win an award and didn’t get a Trophy – you can still get a Cthulhu! You just have to pay for the duplicate when we put in our orders for the next festival, which we do once a year. So you can always get one even if you “only” got the plaque. But be wary – it’s not cheap (but totally worth it)!
Dress Code: There is no dress code – however, we do recommend you come looking like a rock star and being what you feel is your best self. There will be pictures, a small touch of glam, and excitement. So look the part if you desire, but t-shirts and jeans are A-Okay as well.
Red Carpets: There is a 30 foot red carpet on location. This is accessible to you at any time, but there are also designated times we’ll be “glamming” it up as well. We’ll have our photographers there, and it’s really a time to have fun, get those red-carpet essential photos, and be with your friends.
Winners Photos: If you happen to be a winner of either a FilmQuest Cthulhu or a plaque, you’ll get just a touch extra attention after the Awards Show to get pictures your with wins and your team.
Filmmaker Lounge
This will be next door to the venue in the events space of Mozz. Here you’ll sign the commemorative festival poster, hang out, relax, write, talk to other filmmakers, etc. It might also be used as a screening overflow room for this year’s event in case we’re too packed inside Velour. In the past, we’ve had some snacks and treats in the Filmmaker Lounge at the fest, but this year we won’t due to the obvious that comes from Covid-19 in order to ensure the safest space for the festival.
The filmmaker’s lounge is a great place to quietly mingle with your new friends, for press to do write-ups, eat some food away from a crowd, or play some vintage arcade games!