So, how does one choose what films to see at MIFF? There are many different ways - some people I know turn up on the day and wander into whatever takes their fancy. Others pick a theatre and stick to that venue for a stretch to avoid the uphill sprint to a new venue between films.

I don't really do either. I plan, plan and then do more planning. It's not very wild or exciting, I know, but my time is limited, and I don't want to miss a gem due to lack of proper analysis.

So, here's what I do, in case you're looking for a system yourself.

1. Get a copy of the Melbourne International Film Festival program guide.

2. In the middle is a Film & Screening Index. I tear this out as it will be with me for the entire festival

3. In the Index, I hunt down all the lower-case titles and cross them off. They're short films, and I don't dislike them, but I'm not going to go and see a main feature based on what short film is showing before it

4. Now comes the long and arduous task of ranking the films on offer. For each film, I look at the description to get a sense of whether I'd like it or not. I will also search the film on imdb.com, and watch a trailer if possible. If I've seen something by the director that I enjoyed at a previous MIFF it's more likely to rank highly. There are also some things I keep an eye out for, which I went into more detail in a post from my 2005 MIFF blog, but in essense:
* ACMI only session means it may be a low quality film (very low budget, or shot on video)
* Be wary of words like experimental, dream-like, visual code. There are definitely people into these types of films, but I still like to have some kind of plot (even if not excessive).
* If it's a South Korean film, it may well be brilliant (some of my fave films in previous year are from there), but if it's some kind of futuristic police drama where the guide's entry is a confused outline of the plot points rather than a description of the film, it probably means it is not worth the time.

5. I rank each film from 1 to 4. '1' means 'must see, can't miss, no matter what'. There are usually around 4-10 of these each year for me. '2' means 'definitely want to see it'. '3' is 'won't see it unless someone really persuades me that it's worthwhile'. And, '4' is a very special rating to signify a film that I won't see. A '4' is the rarest rating of the lot, as usually I'll keep an open mind about films. But, I've seen enough Guy Maddin films to last me a lifetime, so he'll get a '4' from me this year. Sorry Guy. I mark the rating I give next to every film in the Film & Screening Index so that I can quickly tell what I suspected a film might be like when I'm trooping around the city and talking to others about their highlights.

6. Once I've ranked all the films, it's time to start planning the timetable. I fill in timeslots for the '1's first, and then the '2's. This is a fine art, as there are usually only two sessions for each film, and there are always some conflicts. Sometimes a film needs to be dropped. I'll give a preference to seeing films on weekdays at the 1pm or 3pm session where possible, since the cinemas are a little quieter then. I'll choose the Capitol or Regent over ACMI or Forum, and choose all of those before Greater Union. For films that are likely to be popular, I try and see the session before it as well, so I can get a good seat for potential sell-out sessions. I try and be mindful to give a couple of breaks during the festival to avoid burning out in week two. And, I try to plan any social/family commitments before this step to avoid conflicts. Oh, and I consult with my wife and my friends who are going to see if any of us have chosen the same films, so we can try and see them together.

7. Finally, when the grid looks like it's in place, I book all the tickets using MIFF's fantastic (and it really is!) online booking system.

Easy, huh?

Note that while I do plan all of the above, the original plan isn't always right. One year I forgot that I had a commitment on a saturday afternoon/evening, which put my schedule into disarray. I also lose energy at some point during the festival and tend to start skipping days or late sessions. Or, I might get a burst of energy, or hear of a film that is meant to be brilliant, and then add a couple more. So, yeah, I'm not entirely inflexible. :-)