2020 Rules:
The following guidelines apply to each participating Team and their projects:
1. Times:
• Project Twenty1 2020 will Launch on August 1, 2019 at 4:00PM US PDT. The Secret Element will be revealed at 4:00pm (U.S. Pacific Daylight Time) via a live-stream, on social media, and on this website.
• All projects must be completed and submitted digitally via FilmFreeway by 4:00 p.m. US PDT 21 days from the Launch, on August 22, 2019.
• ONLY projects that are submitted prior to the deadline will be officially part of the competition, and eligible for Awards.
2. During the 21 day period, all creative endeavors are to take place. All footage must be shot and all animations created within the 21 day time period. Stock footage, animations, 3-d models, sets, logos, overlays, and other project enhancements are permitted as a part of the project, but the project should be something totally new.
3. Work that may commence prior to Project Twenty1 is, fundraising, project participation promotion, securing crew, cast & equipment, character and location design, if animating, securing locations, and securing pre-recorded music & SFX rights.
4. The Secret Element (which may be one or more of the following: a theme or concept, a genre, a character, a prop, a type of location, a line of dialog, an action performed by a character) must appear in the project.
5. The finished project may be as short as you wish, but must be a maximum of 7:00 minutes in duration, including opening and closing credits. This is to ensure quality over quantity.
6. Projects do NOT have to be in English, although if you choose to make a short in another language, it must contain English subtitles.
7. Projects may be live-action film, animation, CGI, mixed-media, stop-motion, immersive or VR projects, podcasts (rendered as video files), trailers, teasers or any other sort of media so long as they can be submitted via FilmFreeway in some form or another.
8. Cast and crew, as well as musicians, locations, and any other involved parties may be paid or volunteer at the team’s discretion, and as permissible by law. Project Twenty1 is not responsible for reimbursing any fiscal outlay by any of the teams during the filming or editing of their projects, nor will Team be reimbursed for any expenses at any point in the future. Live-action Teams using SAG-AFTRA talent must adhere to SAG-AFTRA Short Project Agreement and fill out the Preliminary Information Form with SAG-AFTRA with an intent to use SAG-AFTRA performers: https://www.sagaftra.org/preliminary-information-forms
Animation Teams using SAG-AFTRA performers must use the Standard Agreement and pay SAG-standard rates. We understand that this means that many animation Teams without full budgets will be unable to use SAG-AFTRA performers. We were unable to find a workaround for this, unfortunately.
9. Each participating team must secure talent, crew, music releases and location releases, and must be authorized to use everything that appears in his or her project. Project Twenty1 will not require releases to be submitted as a part of the project (beyond the certifications required by FilmFreeway), unless a problem arises. By participating, you certify that you have releases in your possession.
10. Project Twenty1 reserves the right to not screen any project that can be considered racist, bigoted, pornographic, or that depicts hard core or graphic sex. Anything that would be above an "R" rating in general is not recommended.
11. Shorts must include the following credit:
"Made as a part of Project Twenty1."
They may also include Project Twenty1 logos (emailed to Team during Registration) if desired.
12. To be certified as an "Official Project Twenty1 Short," each participating group's project must follow all rules herein. Project Twenty1 reserves the right to screen only certified "Official Project Twenty1 Shorts." All such projects are eligible to compete for awards in its selected category. A panel of independent judges will determine the winners. Student shorts will be judged in the regular categories, as well as a student category reserved ONLY for shorts lead by students.
13. Definition of Student Short: A student short, which qualifies for a discount, is any short collaboration made primarily by people who are enrolled in an educational institution, such as a middle school, high school, college, or graduate program. FilmFreeway requires students to have a current and valid student ID.
Typically, student shorts tend by students, but from time to time, professors and mediators will help guide the experience. Student Shorts do not have to have student actors - in fact, we encourage students to ask for help from the swath of talented actors within their local communities. Students are welcomed to also enlist help from crew and volunteers within their community. Shorts created entirely by adults with student support (P/As, interns, etc.) do not qualify as Student Shorts. The intent of this category is to provide students with special opportunities that could level the playing field, as some Participants in this program are professionals with reasonable resources.
14. This isn't so much of a rule but a guideline and promotional tip - creators are encouraged to wait to upload their completed shorts until after the #ProjectTwenty1 Live Stream.
15. The Project Twenty1 Producers may add to or amend these rules at any time prior to the beginning of the 21-day time period.
Additional Rules/Legal Disclaimers: http://www.projecttwenty1.com/rules/