CONTEST FAQs
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Is my film guaranteed to be shown?
Absolutely not. Films can be rejected by the discretion of the judges. A reason is not needed for a film to be rejected from the showcase, but here are some examples:
Is there any maximum length restriction? Yes, 10 minutes is now the maximum. We strongly recommend that you keep it under 5. We prefer quality over quantity and a longer runtime will earn you no favours Can I team up with another artist? YES! You can team up with as many people as you like. It is difficult to collaborate with other artists, so if you pull it off, you deserve to benefit. You can even pay others to work on your film - it helps the animation economy! Can I submit my film even if it is unfinished? Yes you can. However, this could play a significant factor in how it is judged. If it is too unfinished, it will not be shown. Be smart with your production! Give yourself plenty of time, and expect that the film will take longer than expect. Cut scenes which aren't necessary to the overall story if you are struggling for time, and build your animation up in layers of detail. So if you do run out of time, at least the story and performance will make sense. Can I release my animation early to my own channel before the contest premiere? We like for as many entries as possible to be premiere entries (first time showing), but you are welcome to do as you wish with your film. Your entry will not be affected if you release it on your channel. Can I submit one of my old films to be considered? No. You can create a film that you have been thinking about before the competition, or use material that you had previously sketched down in your sketchbook. But the animation production time needs to be between the time you sign up to the event, and the submission deadline. If we find out that you are submitting a previously released animation, you will be disqualified and black listed from future events. What if I started working on my animation before the contest was announced? Any pre-production work made before the contest announcement (August 19th) is allowed. That includes story ideas, script writing, designs, concept art, storyboards, animatic. We expect you to volunteer for a time penalty to keep things fair with the other contestants. For example, if you worked on your animation for 1 month before the contest announcement, have your animation ready at least 1 month before the official contest deadline. This needs to be enforced by your own honor / sportsmanship. We allow this because we want you to participate with your chosen passion project, but please do not exploit this allowance. Can I promote my entry in other places as well as the contest? YES! Your film belongs to you. It is yours to do whatever you like with. Can I submit more than one film? No Can my film be a trailer for a larger film or series? Yes... But you will be at a disadvantage against the short narrative films. Trailers typically don't deliver on story, they just give a preview of the visuals and themes. We would recommend that instead of creating a trailer, you make a pilot film or episode. A pilot episode is the first episode in a series. It sets the pieces in motion and delivers a resolution. Can there be nudity in my film? It must be dignified, not explicit. Renaissance statues at an art gallery are an example of dignified nudity. If we feel that your use of nudity is a bit too explicit, we will contact you before the premiere and work with you to change it to be suitable for a teenage audience. Can there be violence / gore in my film? We want this to be a fun, non-traumatic viewing experience for the teenage audience who watches this contest premiere. If your film goes a bit too far, we will contact you before the date of the premiere and work with you to censor the film. As a frame of reference, this is the most violent film we have shown in our contest. If you are concerned that your planned film will be un-suitable, you can talk about it with one of our discord moderators. Are foreign language films allowed (not English)? Yes, but help us all out by subtitling it. Otherwise, many of us won't understand your story. |
Where do I upload my film?
On the same contest page you used to register. Registered contestants will be notified when the page is launched. What if I sign up and change my mind later? Dropping out is not a problem. We understand that life happens. You do not need to notify us. Can I reference trademark brands in my film? Yes, your character can sip a Starbucks coffee, for example. Can I adapt a character / story from a book or comic? We want this to be your story. We want you to come away from this, owning a piece of intellectual property which truly belongs to you. No. Can I create a parody film? This is a chance for you to use your own voice, to make a film which comes from you. No. Can I use sound FX ripped from games / movies? Sometimes this is unavoidable, since sound FX are bootlegged and re-sold on the internet. A good habit is to combine sound FX together. For example, playing two explosion sound effects on top of each other at half-volume will give you a new original explosion sound. What are some good places to find sound and music? You are cleared to use any music and sound fx from epidemic sound archive, but you are not limited to just this. You can also use this massive free Adobe sound archive. And music from YouTube's audio library. These are just a few examples of sound you can find on the internet. What if I accidentally include copyrighted material unknowingly? We will contact you before the date of the premiere, and work with you to replace the copyright infringing material. We will not disqualify you without giving you a chance to fix the problem. Can I use rotoscoping in my film? Yes! We support rotoscoping as a legitimate animation method. However, you need to own the footage you rotoscope. No rotoscoping other people's video footage / animations. We will know if you have rotoscoped stolen footage. Can I use 3D animation? Yes! Can I use stop motion animation? Yes! Can I mix live action images/footage and animation in my film? Yes, but the film needs to be at least 51% animated What software am I allowed to use? Any software |
