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General Rules:
The contest is
aimed at finding the best work of writers and directors. In
a change from pre-opening earlybird announcements, it is not necessary
that the director be one of the writers. However, we
strongly encourage submissions from writer-directors.
Each film must be based on an original screenplay or an authorized
adaptation from a non-visual medium (such as a book or article).
Sample pilot episodes or films otherwise derived from characters or
stories in film or television are not eligible.
Submitted films must be the wholly original work of the credited
writer(s) and director(s). “Wholly original work” may
include a film which is an authorized adaptation from a
non-visual medium (such as a book or magazine article), but not a
film, video, or webcast.
There must be no dispute about the ownership of submitted film or the
writers’ right to submit the film. If this is in dispute for a
submitted film and cannot be resolved by the time of submission, the
film will be disqualified from prize consideration.
Submission Formats, Deadlines
Submissions to
enter the festival must be on a DVD formatted to play on a U.S.
consumer DVD player. Films will be viewed by the jury in this
format.
Filmmakers of
selected films will be notified to re-submit on VHS tape or DVD NTSC or
PAL (please test before sending). The entry must be available for
screening on 35mm composite condition, HDCam, or
digital file.
Films must have been completed after July 18, 2009 (two years before
the contest closing date).
All submissions must be postmarked by the final, late deadline of
Monday, July 18, 2011. Earlier submissions will receive the
benefit of discounted submission fees. The Competition reserves
the right to extend the deadline.
Selections for
screening will be announced 21 days prior to the
festival.
Eligibility
Narrative films which have obtained
U.S. distribution prior to being selected for Screenwriting Expo Film
Festival
screening, or films produced, financed or initiated by a major U.S.
film studio or television network are ineligible for prize competition,
but may be considered for special screening, and may be designated to
receive Special Jury Awards.
Films that have screened on U.S. network or cable television, or which
were distributed to U.S. theaters prior to the festival dates, are also
ineligible for competition.
Films that have played in the county of Los Angeles, California, in a
theatrical setting to a public audience for more than two consecutive
days or more than five times are deemed to have been exposed to Los
Angeles audiences and are not eligible for prize competition.
Such films may, however, be considered for special screening, and may
be designated to receive Special Jury Awards.
The Screenwriting Expo Film Festival reserves the right to change
submission
category at its discretion.
Films by more than one writer are eligible, but only one prize will be
given and it will be the writers' responsibility to distribute the
prize.
All participants must be at least 18 years of age.
Employees, occasional or regular or long-term contractors, or immediate
family members of principals of Creative Screenwriting, The
Screenwriting Expo, and Inside Information Group, Ltd. may not submit
films.
Please read and understand these Rules and Regulations.
Failure to adhere to the festival guidelines will result in
disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.
The 2011 Screenwriting Expo Film Festival may substitute alternative
prizes of
equal or greater value in place of previously announced prizes other
than cash prizes.
Additional Narrative Feature
Film Entry Requirements:
Films must be feature-length narratives, 60 minutes or longer.Open to
anyone who wishes to enter.
Additional Narrative Short Film
Entry Requirements:
Recommended length of films is 30 minutes or less (may be up to 40
minutes, no longer). Open
to anyone who wishes to enter.
Returns and Acknowledgments:
Exhibition selections only will be returned if the filmmaker sends the
submission with a properly addressed and fully postage-paid
mailer. Preview DVDs and press materials will not be returned
under any
circumstances. Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each
submission if you wish acknowledgment of the receipt of your entry.
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Prizes:
Prize Categories:
Prizes will be
awarded for:
-- Best narrative feature-length film (60+
minutes)
-- Audience favorite narrative feature film
-- Runnerup to best narrative feature film
-- Best short narrative film (under 40 minutes)
-- Audience favorite short narrative film
-- Runnerup to best short narrative film
Prizes include a
total of $3,000 in cash (which may be revised upward, but which will
not be reduced). The complete and official prize list is as
stated
on the official prize list page:
http://Screenwriting
Expofilmfest.com/prizes.html
No other list or summary of prizes is the official list.
Occasionally, promotional literature on prizes may be in error due to
changes in prizes. The page above is the only official prize list.
There are both cash prizes and publicity/industry exposure prizes.
No Waiving Of Fees
The
Screenwriting Expo Film
Festival does not waive entry fees on any basis, including
hardship. Waiving fees would erode the financial foundations of
the festival and creates an uneven playing field; the festival is not
in a position to know or examine who can and cannot afford to pay a
festival fee. We do understand that filmmakers often have small
budgets for promotion. However, the festival operates on a very
slim budget and charges the lowest fees it can charge to maintain
financial soundness and protect from risks of financial
failure. We sincerely hope that you can find it in
your budget to submit your film.
The Screenwriting Expo Film Festival does not invite films to be in the
competitive
screenings; each filmmaker enters with an equal opportunity to win the
competition. The festival does reserve the right to schedule
special screenings which are not in competition for prizes.
The value of such special screenings to competing entrants is that
films which may not be eligible but may draw attention will raise
awareness of the festival, improving the visibility of all entries.
Who Receives Awards:
The Screenwriting Expo Film Festival celebrates writers.
Therefore, all
awards are credited to the writers, with the writer-director (if the
director is one of the writers) as the
recipient and the first-named.
Awards will be presented the evening of Sunday, September 18, 2011, at
the Screenwriting Expo Film Festival Awards dinner at or near the
festival
venue. All awards are given based on the jury’s judgments of
merit, other than the two Audience Awards.
Audience’s Favorite Feature Film
and Short Film Awards:
Each film screened at the Screenwriting Expo Film Festival is eligible
for the
“Audience’s Favorite” feature and short narrative film awards.
These awards are given solely on the basis of audience voting. As
noted on the official prize list page, if the jury’s choice of Best
Feature Film or Best Narrative Short Film is also chosen as the
audience favorite, the film will be named as the winner, but a
runner-up will be named, and the cash prize for the favorite will go to
the audience favorite runner-up. The “Audience’s Favorite” awards
are based solely on audience voting at screenings.
Screenings:
Each film selected for screening will receive one film screening during
the period Sept.15 to Sept. 18, 2011. Each selected film will
receive five complimentary tickets to
Each Competition Filmmaker receives a screening during the
Screenwriting Expo Sept. 15-18, 2011;
five complimentary tickets to each of the film's screenings, one
ticket to the Screenwriting Expo Film Festival Awards Dinner
(writer-director is
the preferred representative; the film will be feature in the festival
program.
In addition, the producers of each screened film will be entitled to
two free passes to the entire Screenwriting Expo Film Festival and
special honored
guest passes to the Screenwriting Expo, including access to the Green
Room.
Rule/Guideline Amendment Rule
As this is the first year of this festival, we acknowledge that we may
not have thought of every contingency. For the sake of fair play
and a level playing field, we reserve the right to amend rules through
notice on this page.
Rule Change Notice:
A rule in the pre-opening "earlybird" period required
that the director be one of the principal writers. This rule has
been revoked in favor of encouraging writer-director entries. If
you entered under that rule during the period before May 15 and want to
withdraw due to this change, you may do so. Contact contest
management below.
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