2023 - 2024 Dekalb Film Festival Guidelines & Resources

All Short Film Submission Must Include the following Prompts:

• Line: “I didn’t see that coming”
• Prop: Deck of cards (any kind)
• Character name: Kai Miller

Entries will be scored by judges in the film industry according to this JUDGE’S RUBRIC with the following criteria:

• CREATIVE ELEMENTS (5pts)
• STORY (30 pts)
• TECHNICAL (30 pts)
• EDITING  (20 pts)
• CREATIVITY (15 pts)

Winners will be recognized during a festival screening in MARCH 2024. Additional prizes may be awarded.

ENTER THE 2023 – 2024 DEKALB FILM FESTIVAL – REVIEW ALL INSTRUCTIONS & GUIDELINES BELOW

• GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:    

• Students must officially register by filling out this FORM 
• Film must contain a) Line “I didn’t see that coming” b) Character Name, Kai Miller, c) Prop, Deck of cards (any kind)
• Each team will pick their Genre: comedy, drama, suspense, fantasy, horror, mockumentary, musical, western, romance, scifi, superhero
• You have until Jan. 31 at 11:59 pm to plan, shoot, edit, and submit film via Film Freeway

2. TIME LIMIT 

• Short film should not exceed 5 minutes

3. Credits :  
   

• closing credits must be 10 seconds or less and do not count as part of film time
• Should include all crew, actors, and music licenses

4. AUDIO/MUSIC

Up to 60 seconds of a copyrighted song can be used. Credit must be given at the end of the movie for all copyrighted audio. Original and royalty-free audio does not have to be cited.

5. TEACHER INVOLVEMENT

• The teacher must preview all films prior to submission to verify all rules have been followed.  If any rule is broken or requirements not met, the home teacher must disqualify the entry prior to submission to the contest.
  LIMIT:  5 NOVICE SUBMISSIONS/ 5 ADVANCED SUBMISSIONS PER SCHOOL 
• The teacher may not write, shoot, or edit entries.

6. DO’s AND DON’Ts

• Absolutely NO real or look-alike tobacco, drugs, alcohol or weapons can be used ON CAMERA or ON CAMPUS.  Any violence should be insinuated, not seen, when possible.  Younger children will likely attend the film festival screening (PG or G content).
• Absolutely no profanity spoken, mouthed and bleeped or inferred.

Inadequate or inappropriate entries may be withheld at any teacher’s discretion.   

7.  FESTIVAL NIGHT

• Top entries will be shown the night of awards, determined based on the total entries
• Winner & Runner-up will be awarded for each winning video within its category (Novice and Advanced)
• Additional awards such as Best Actor, Best Film Editing will be given in each division.

This is a school sanctioned event. All Dekalb County School Rules Apply.

ENTRY PROCESS

Export your video using the h.264 codec as a 1920 x 1080 MP4.  

1. Crew leaders must UPLOAD the film to Film Freeway
2. The form and submissions must be turned in by 11:59pm on Wednesday, January 31, 11:59 PM EST.  Entries not received by this due date will not be accepted.

RESOURCES

Improv & Screenwriting Resources 

• • CROW 
    • Character
    • Relationship
    • Objective
    • Where

• REFERENCE: Helpful blog w/improv principals like CROW and “YES and” http://learnimprov.blogspot.com/2008/05/c-r-o-w.html

• Story Ideation Prompts

• • • Improv exercise/game in small groups
    • Use a photo as writing prompt for script
    • Shape of Stories – Students interview each other and draw/identify shape of their partner’s story
      (i.e. Man in Hole, Cinderella)
    • Story Circle – Dan Harmon (Rick & Morty) is well-known for this “formula”

• National Writing Project www.nwp.org  and www.writingproject.org

• Narrative Structure Template

• Pixar in a Box – FREE video lessons, activities, resources

• PixarinaBox.com —> The Art of Storytelling —-> 3. Story Structure

• • Use Pixar’s Story Spine prompts and refine idea from there:

Cinematography – Take Better Pictures

• Storytelling in the modern world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLiLouKxQdk

• Color Theory: https://vimeo.com/105089367

• Sound Link: https://youtu.be/q4NBKiJ33Ag

• Lighting and why it matters: https://youtu.be/H8czWZTqtmM

• Senses and how we take in the world: http://4h.okstate.edu/literature-links/lit-online/others/volunteer/4H.VOL.115%20Learning%20Styles_08.pdf/

• First 4k short shot on iphone 6s: https://nofilmschool.com/2015/09/check-out-first-4k-short-film-shot-on-iphone-6s

• Great short film shot on a shoestring budget: https://nofilmschool.com/2019/01/how-we-made-academy-award-shortlisted-film 

Filmmaker Resources

• No Film School: https://nofilmschool.com (this is Nick’s personal favorite)

• Wolf Crow: https://wolfcrow.com (A little more basic)

• Motiongrapher: http://motionographer.com (More reviews and less how to tutorials, but still really good)

• The D Word: https://www.d-word.com (requires a free sign up, but great information regarding documentaries and story telling)
• YouTube Channels: re:imagine/ATL (check out COMMUNITY or No Comment Playlists), RocketJump Film School, B&H, Ghetto Film School

Recommended Links

• https://www.videoschoolonline.com/green-screen-how-to-chroma-key-in-adobe-premiere-pro/
• https://filmora.wondershare.com/adobe-premiere/chroma-key-in-premiere-pro.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNNZ-ZG_j4M&feature=youtu.be 

Online Resources and Books for Editing

• Nofilmschool.com
• Premiumbeat.com
• Premierebro.com
• Fstoppers.com
• Jonnyelwyn.co.uk
• Concrete Wedding Cake by John Heath
• In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch
• The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media by Bruce Block

Follow @reimagineatl on social media for learn about new opportunities (like getting funds for your next project) and to connect with our community