Video

Entry fees are $5 for Students (include photocopied ID with submission) and $10 for General
Completed submissions are due by the deadline of midnight on September 7th.

The Guerilla Film Project is an opportunity for High School film makers to put their skills to the test. Student teams are asked to write, shot and edit a 3 minute film within 65 hours. The competition will be held in conjunction with Bellingham’s Projections Film Festival.

The Film Festival Channel is devoted to covering the latest film festival buzz and broadcasting unique, quality films in on-air competition, giving promising filmmakers exposure and celebrating their most innovative work.

NEVAC / High Tech Learning Center Film Festival 2004!
Students, grades 9-12, in multimedia courses such as Video Production, Media Production Technology, TV Broadcasting, etc.

The Cascadia Community College Festival of Short Films is slated to provide a full day of entertainment, insight and inspiration for movie enthusiasts. Hollywood buffs, and even regular TV and movie watchers won't want to miss the opportunity to hear real-life stories from people who have made successful careers in Los Angeles. Names such as Stewart Stern (author of the "Rebel Without a Cause" screenplay), "X-Files" Executive Producer Bob Goodwin and other Hollywood insiders will present informative sessions ranging from effective storytelling to tips for raising money for film production.

And now... the moment many of you have been waiting for. It's time for the 19th Annual Videomaker Short Video Contest. Show us what you can do, and we'll give you a chance to take home some pretty slick video equipment.
Sept: timecode

Check out what it takes to win.

A festival of film and video for the students of Puget Sound high schools.Catagories: news story/documentary, Sports feature, commercial/PSA, comedy/satire, cultural diversity, animation, thriller/psychological, music video, community service, experimental

Students at Senior High are engaged in a variety of film, video, and animation projects. Most of these projects are executed by the students outside their regular classes, producing them out of a general interest in the art form.

Northwest High School Film Festival is the high school video festival of the Puget Sound region.  Last Year, entries were solicited from 51 schools, and over 200 entries were judged by a panel of 18 film and video professionals.  Several of the winning productions went on to take prizes at national festivals.  Students receive valuable written feedback from professionals, get beautiful trophies, if they win awards, and have a chance to see the best theregion has to offer.
Event June 3rd

A great article from Videomaker

I am writing you to announce the 2005 International Student Film Festival call for entries.  Submission Deadline is Aprill 22, 2005.  Attached is a copy of the submission form for high school  level entries.  I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions.  You can email me at this address or at info@studentfilmfestival.org.

I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Chrissy Strassburg
Festival Coordinator
www.studentfilmfestival.org
5296 El Carro Lane
Carpinteria, Ca. 93013 USA
(805) 566-0198
(805) 566-9171 Fax

This festival covers video, animation, and web design. The festival includes screens and workshops.

You can rate the videos.

Check out the attached flyer for details on the festival.

Be a part of the Seattle International Film Festival’s very first FutureWave, a program of new works by the filmmakers of tomorrow! SIFF plans to present the best of young people’s filmmaking from the US and Canada – Your film could be it!

We are looking for original short films (20 minutes or less) that are imaginative, evocative, innovative and inspiring. Films can be narrative or documentary, live action or animation, shot on film or video. Films must be made by filmmakers who are 18 or younger at the time of submission.

Films selected will be presented at FutureWave during SIFF 2006. The WaveMaker Award for excellence in youth filmmaking will be presented to one film chosen in recognition of its outstanding artistic and technical achievement. The award comes with a $500 cash prize.

Final Submission deadline is March 2, 2007. Submission fee is $20(Fee is waived for Washington State residents).

Shoreline-The Lake2Sound Student Film Festival is pleased to announce several exciting additions to our Festival this year. We have a new Film Festival Director, and are expanding in several exciting ways:

* we will be offering limited written feedback to every student entrant from professionals working in the film and video industry
* we will be giving a special award for Socially Relevant Fictional Film (in addition to our usual categories)
* we are making a push to reach students outside the Puget Sound area

Taking over as festival director is actor, on-set acting coach, screenwriter, comedian, and producer Michelle Sheiman. Her extensive experience in film and television as well as her enthusiasm will make for an exciting festival this year.

 

Lake2Sound is a Puget Sound home-grown festival entering its 6th year and is a component of the larger Shoreline Arts Festival now in its 16th year.   Lake2Sound focuses on Washington State student films.  The festival will be held on Saturday, June 24th and Sunday, June 25, 2006.  Entry deadline is June 1, 2006. Entry forms and guidelines are now available at www.shorelinearts.net

Celebrating 30 years of excellence in student media
Since 1923, the Association for Educational Communications & Technology has been a leader in promoting the use of technology to improve teaching and learning. Beginning in 1974, AECT sponsored the International Student Media Festival, celebrating outstanding classroom media projects. Students and
teachers from kindergarten through college are honored in a three-day event that includes workshops, screenings of winning entries, and an awards ceremony. It has now grown to be one of the oldest and largest events of its kind.

We see lots of videos of every kind at Videomaker, good, bad and ugly. Personally, I have numerous awards under my belt and have learned a few things about how to enter, how to get my videos noticed, how to avoid disqualification and how to have an entry rise to the top.

Why enter? It's fun, gives you a sense of satisfaction and heightens your skills--and if you win, you might win prizes and you have something cool to add to your resume.

Remember, at the contest entry point, no one has even seen your video yet; they can unceremoniously dump your video from their massively expanding entry collection without ever giving it a chance.


Here are some dos and don'ts tol help you stand out from the crowd and win in the Video Contest arena.

Do:

Do read the contest rules clearly; the rules and decisions are theirs, not yours, so follow them to the letter to pass that first hurdle.
Do include the entry fee for each and every entry. Be aware of how they want the fee included. Some contests allow one check to cover all entries, other want separate checks for every entry. Clearly identify which video and category you are paying for.
If you are entering a foreign film festival, check to see what currency they require, and check to be sure that you're actually applying to a legitimate contest.
Do fill out your entry forms legibly, preferably with block letters or typed text. If they can't read your entry form, they might not give you a chance.
Do include proof of copyright for all music, even if it's your own and you might need proof of ownership on copyright video, too.
They might not require it, but get releases of all talent you use during the shoot, just in case.
Do pay careful attention to proper production qualities like audio, lighting, focus, etc.
Do stay aware of the "safe action" and "safe title" areas. If your titles bleed beyond the safe frame, you may lose points.
Do listen to your audio. Music videos with muddy, unintelligible vocals are just downright annoying. Poor lip-sync will lose points. Audio mixes may sound different on other systems so test your video on several DVD players and TVs.
Do get to the point! A good video will always have a strong storyline with beginning, middle and ending well defined.
Do be sure to follow standard shooting and editing techniques. Experimental may lose you points, so know your category well.
Do pay attention to subject matter. If your entry is clearly a drama documentary, don't enter it in the comedy category. Narrow down your focus so that the judges don't have to.
Do open your video on a strong note, to keep the viewer's attention focused.

Don't:

Don't send a submission on an unspecified format. If you only have DVD, and they request VHS, then it's your responsibility to convert it, don't expect them to. Always keep in mind that they may receive thousands of entries per contest; if you make it too difficult for them to convert media, decipher handwriting, or otherwise move the process along easily, they're gonna dump you by the wayside.
Don't wait until the last minute to send your submission. Carefully note whether the entry must arrive at contest central on the deadline date, or whether postmark dates are acceptable. Saturday delivery might not be possible, your package might go to the wrong department, delaying it by a day, the person checking in entries might call in sick, anything could happen that could risk a missed deadline.
Don't use menus if your submission is on DVD, just program the piece to play when started. (Judges aren't interested in outtakes, director's cuts, or resumes.)
Don't send a video longer than the maximum length specified. A 15-minute video that is entered in a 5-minute contest will most likely be disqualified.
Don't use storylines that are violent, sexually graphic, distasteful or otherwise considered annoying by the general public, unless it fits with your story. If you alienate the judges, it doesn't matter how well shot, composed, lit or edited it was.
If you use opening or closing credits, factor them into the total running time.
If entering a commercial or PSA category, submit the exact length that traditional commercials or PSAs run, as if your entry was going to be aired. If contest rules state :30 or :60 runs, don't "compromise" with a 45-second spot.
Don't include personal messages to the judges. However, some contests request a written note on the details of When, Where, How, etc., and if so, then make your explanation brief. (I once won a Best Live Shot award with a poorly lit handheld shot, but explained that my crew and I were first on the scene, moments before airtime, and that we weren't able to use lights or tripods.)
Don't overdo the effects! A plethora of cheesy effects will lose you points. Whether it's colorizing, posterizing, whatever, it needs to have a purpose, and needs to follow throughout the story.

And the Winner is...
So there you have it... some tips to getting your entry accepted, and a glimpse at what the judges are looking for. Foremost to any contest entry, try to put yourself in the judges' shoes, and think how they might view your precious work of art.

In next month's issue of Videomaker, we'll release the results of this year's short video contest. Hopefully, our winners will inspire you and these tips will help encourage you to enter our next video contest.

Good luck and happy contesting!

Jennifer O'Rourke is an Emmy™ award-winning videographer & editor and Videomaker's Managing Editor.

Sidebar:

5 Things Judges Love
1. Quick precise editing
2. Good pacing
3. An opening that grabs their attention immediately
4. An obvious conclusion
5. A good story

Seattle Parks and Recreation's Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (LHPAC) will host the Third Annual African American Film Festival featuring the work of filmmakers from around the world. This year's festival is April 22-April 30, six days longer than previous years. This marks a watershed festival for Seattle audiences and African-American artists.

Buoyed by the large number of local entries, Langston Hughes will bookend both Saturdays of the festival with films by local filmmakers. In addition, a wide array of talk backs, panels and receptions will provide a much-needed bridge for local artists and community patrons to get to know the talent "in our own back yard."

2006 Film Festival Highlights
 
 2006 Festival Opens in April
Opening Night: "3 Films 3 Visions" World Premiere and Gala
Paper Trail: 100 Years of the Chicago Defender
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
"A Nega磯 do Brasil" & "Daughters of the Wind" 

Over 1,000 students and teachers attended all or part of the first "STN Film Festival" last February, and the event will be back next year.

The second annual film festival will be one of the many highlights during 2006-2007.  Students from STN affiliate schools may enter ten-minute (or
less) movies showcasing their creativity and technical expertise.

The top ten films, as selected by a panel of judges, will be screened at the 2007 STN Affiliates Convention in Anaheim, CA the evening of March 9.
In addition to the screening, all entries will be eligible for special awards.  These will be announced at the end of the film festival screening.  Categories include Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Soundtrack, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and a few others we will announce later in the fall.

Postmarked deadline for entries is Friday, February 2, 2007.  All film festival submissions must be on DVD this year, so take notice now and make plans to convert any tape entries to disc.  As always, STN copyright restrictions apply.

Stand by for more convention-related information later this summer.

Dave Davis
STN Convention Chairman

“Five Freedoms” Contest Rules, Guidelines and Entry Form

The 7th Annual "Delta Moon Student Film Festival" is searching for the best high school short films in the country! Since 2001, our festival has been dedicated exclusively to showcasing the works of high school students.

Please visit our website for more information.
www.deltamoon.org
An entry form and flyer are attached.