2021 - 2022 Dekalb Film Festival Guidelines & Resources

2021 – 2022 Dekalb Film Festival Guidelines & Resources

All Short Film Submission Must Include the following Prompts:

  • Line: “everything will be okay”
  • Prop: broom
  • Character name: Morgan Jackson

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 (25 pts)
  • EDITING  (25 pts)
  • CREATIVITY (15 pts)

Winners will be recognized during a virtual Festival screening in MARCH 2022. Students who work on the top videos will be invited to an exclusive tour of a film studio & invited to a conversation with an award winning filmmaker. Additional prizes may be awarded.

ENTER THE 2021 – 2022 DEKALB FILM FESTIVAL – REVIEW ALL INSTRUCTIONS & GUIDELINES BELOW

  • GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:    
  • Teams must officially register by filling out this FORM by JANUARY 14, 2022 
  • Film must contain a) Line “everything will be okay” b) Character Name, Morgan Jackson, c) Prop, Broom
  • Each team will pick their Genre: comedy, drama, suspense, fantasy, horror, mockumentary, musical, western, romance, scifi, superhero
  • You have until Feb. 14, 2022 at 11:59 pm to plan, shoot, edit, and submit film. Films must be uploaded to the submission link provided: https://www.dropbox.com/request/NP45jFWmA7UBKMdxDzgFUploaded video should be labeled: Name of Submitter_Title of film (example: Coppola_TheGodfather)
  1. TIME LIMIT 
  • Movie must be four minutes or less.
  1. BEGINNING AND END

Slating:  Slating is for Judges identification and contain the following:

  • Five second of black
  • White font on the black background with film title

 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
  1. 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.

  1. 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.
  1. 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
  • 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place 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. Student crew leaders must complete this REGISTRATION FORM by January 14, 2022
  2. Crew leaders must UPLOAD the film to the dropbox folder
  3. The form and submissions must be turned in by 11:59pm on Monday, February 14, 11:59 PM EST.  Entries not received by this due date will not be accepted.

RESOURCES

Improv & Screenwriting Resources 

    • CROW 
      • Character
      • Relationship
      • Objective
      • Where
  • 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”
  • Pixar in a Box – FREE video lessons, activities, resources

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

Cinematography – Take Better Pictures

Filmmaker Resources

  • 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

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