Maintaining current and accurate account information is essential for receiving festival updates, managing your submissions, and ensuring smooth communication with Fear Screen Horror Film Festival. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for updating your personal details, managing your account settings, and permanently closing your account if needed. Why Account Information Matters Your account details serve as the primary contact method for all festival communications. Keeping this information current ensures that you receive: Submission status updates and selection notifications Festival announcements and important deadlines Credentialing information if your film is selected Communication regarding technical issues or submission corrections Promotional materials and festival news Changes to your account information take effect immediately and apply to all future communications from Fear Screen. Accessing Your Account Dashboard Your account dashboard is the central hub for managing all aspects of your Fear Screen account, including personal information, submission history, and account settings. Logging Into Your Account Navigate to the Fear Screen website and click the Login button, typically located in the top right corner of the page. Enter your registered email address and password, then click Sign In. The system will authenticate your credentials and automatically redirect you to your account dashboard upon successful login. Returning to Your Dashboard If you are navigating other areas of the Fear Screen website and wish to return to your account dashboard, locate your profile image or account icon in the main navigation menu (usually positioned in the top right corner). Click on this icon to display a dropdown menu with account options. Select Account Dashboard from the available options. If you do not see a profile image in the navigation menu, you may not be logged in. Return to the homepage and log in using your email address and password. Modifying Your Personal Details Your account profile contains information that defines how you are represented in the Fear Screen system and how we contact you regarding your submissions and festival activities. Step 1: Access the Edit Profile Section From your account dashboard, locate and click the Edit Profile button. This button is typically displayed prominently near the top of your dashboard or within a Profile Settings section. Clicking this button will open the profile editing interface, where you can modify various account details. Step 2: Update Your Display Name Your display name is how you are identified throughout the Fear Screen system and may appear in festival materials, programme credits, or correspondence. Locate the Display Name field and enter your preferred name. This may be your full legal name, a professional name, or a creative pseudonym, depending on your preference and how you wish to be credited. Ensure your display name is spelled correctly and reflects how you wish to be represented in association with your film submissions. Step 3: Update Your Username Your username is a unique identifier used to log into your account and may appear in certain areas of the Fear Screen website or communication. Locate the Username field and enter your preferred username. Usernames must be unique within the Fear Screen system; if your chosen username is already in use, you will be prompted to select an alternative. Usernames typically contain only letters, numbers, and underscores and cannot include spaces or special characters. The system will provide guidance if your chosen username does not meet technical requirements. Step 4: Update Your Contact Email Address Your email address is your primary point of contact for all Fear Screen communications. It is essential that this address be accurate and regularly monitored. Locate the Contact Email Address field and enter your current email address. Ensure the address is spelled correctly and that you have access to this mailbox. If you are changing your email address, you may be required to verify the new address by clicking a confirmation link sent to that email. Check both your inbox and spam folder for the verification message. Step 5: Update Your Profile Picture Personalising your account with a profile picture helps create a recognisable online identity and enhances your presence within the Fear Screen community. Click the profile picture upload section, typically displayed as a circular image placeholder or an Upload Photo button. Select an image file from your computer to use as your profile picture. The system will prompt you to crop or adjust the image to fit the required dimensions. Adjust the image as desired and confirm your selection. Once uploaded, your new profile picture will be displayed throughout your account and in any public-facing areas where user profiles are shown. Profile pictures should be clear, professional or appropriate to your public representation, and should comply with Fear Screen's community standards. Step 6: Saving Your Changes After you have made all desired modifications to your profile information, locate and click the Save button at the bottom of the Edit Profile page. This button may be labelled Save Changes, Update Profile, or similar language depending on the page layout. Clicking Save will process your updates and apply them immediately to your account. You will receive a confirmation message indicating that your changes have been successfully saved. Step 7: Verifying Your Updates Return to your account dashboard to verify that your changes have been applied correctly. Your display name, username, contact email, and profile picture should now reflect the information you have just entered. If any information does not appear correct, return to the Edit Profile section and make additional corrections as needed. Updating Your Password For security purposes, you should periodically update your account password to protect your submissions and personal information. Locating Password Reset Options From your account dashboard, navigate to the Security or Account Settings section. Look for a Password or Change Password option within this section. Click on the password update link to access the password change interface. Changing Your Password You will be prompted to enter your current password to verify your identity. This security measure prevents unauthorised password changes if someone gains temporary access to your logged-in account. Enter your current password in the designated field. Next, create a new password. Your new password should be: At least 12 characters in length A combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters Significantly different from your previous passwords Not based on easily guessed information such as your name, birth date, or common words Enter your new password in the New Password field and again in the Confirm Password field to ensure accuracy. Click Save or Update Password to apply the new password to your account. You will receive a confirmation message. You should log out and log back in using your new password to ensure the change has been applied successfully. Managing Your Notification Preferences Fear Screen sends emails regarding submissions, festival updates, and important announcements. You may customise which types of communications you receive through your notification preferences. Accessing Notification Settings From your account dashboard, navigate to the Notifications or Email Preferences section. This section displays a list of communication types and your preferences for each. Customising Your Preferences Review the available notification options, which typically include: Submission status updates (selection decisions, requests for information) Festival announcements and news Programme and scheduling information Special offers and early bird reminders Newsletter and promotional content For each notification type, select whether you wish to receive emails. You may opt in to essential communications (such as submission status updates) while declining promotional emails, if preferred. After adjusting your preferences, click Save or Update Preferences to apply your changes. Note that you cannot opt out of essential communications regarding your submissions, as these are necessary for your participation in Fear Screen. Deleting Your Account If you no longer wish to maintain an account with Fear Screen Horror Film Festival, you have the option to permanently delete your account and all associated information. Account deletion is irreversible and should be considered carefully before proceeding. Important Considerations Before Deletion Before deleting your account, please note the following: Data Permanence: Account deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed. All personal information, submission history, and associated data will be permanently removed from Fear Screen's active database. Record Preservation: If you have submitted films or participated in Fear Screen activities, we recommend downloading or preserving any records you may need in the future, such as submission confirmation emails or programme information for films you submitted. Future Participation: Once your account is deleted, you will not be able to access your submission history or account information through Fear Screen's system. If you wish to resubmit films in future years, you will need to create a new account. Outstanding Submissions: If you have active submissions under review, deleting your account may complicate communication regarding those submissions. We recommend resolving any outstanding submissions or withdrawing them before deletion. Account Deletion Process Step 1: Access Account Settings From your account dashboard, navigate to the Security tab or Account Settings section. This section contains sensitive account options, including password changes and account closure. Step 2: Locate the Account Deletion Option Scroll to the bottom of the Security or Account Settings page. You will find an Account Closure or Delete Account section, typically displayed with a warning or alert to indicate the seriousness of this action. Step 3: Initiate the Deletion Process Click the Delete Account button to begin the account closure process. You may be prompted to enter your password to verify your identity and confirm that you authorise this action. Step 4: Review the Warning Message Fear Screen will display a prominent warning message explaining that account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Read this message carefully to ensure you understand the implications. Step 5: Confirm the Deletion Click the Confirm Deletion button or similar confirmation option to proceed. You may be prompted to answer a security question or provide additional confirmation to prevent accidental deletion. Step 6: Completion Once you have confirmed deletion, your account and all associated data will be permanently removed from Fear Screen's active database in accordance with our privacy policy and data retention guidelines. You will receive a final email confirmation that your account has been deleted. After this point, you will no longer be able to log into your Fear Screen account. Data Privacy and Retention Fear Screen is committed to protecting your personal information and complying with applicable data protection regulations, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Information regarding how your data is collected, processed, stored, and protected is detailed in our Privacy Policy, available on the Fear Screen website. Review this policy to understand your rights and our obligations regarding your personal information. Troubleshooting Account Issues Password Reset If you cannot remember your password, click the Forgot Password link on the login page. You will be prompted to enter your email address, and Fear Screen will send a password reset link to that address. Click the link in the email to create a new password. Email Access Issues If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your account, or if you are not receiving emails from Fear Screen, contact our support team. Our team can verify your identity and update your contact email to restore communication. Unable to Update Information If you encounter technical issues whilst updating your account information, try the following: Clear your browser's cache and cookies, then log in again Use a different internet browser Try updating from a different device Disable any browser extensions that may interfere with the website If problems persist after attempting these steps, contact our support team for assistance. Support and Further Assistance If you encounter any difficulties whilst managing your account information, or if you have questions about account settings, privacy, or data management, contact our support team via the Fear Screen website contact form. Our support team is available to assist with account-related inquiries and will work to resolve issues promptly. When contacting support, provide relevant details such as your email address, the specific issue you are experiencing, and any error messages you have received.
