1. Festival Mission:
The Webster Short Film Festival is a student initiative created for Webster University students. The Festival is an event designed to promote student work. We want to allow students and the greater community to enjoy art in an all-encompassing one-day event. With independent films, professional speakers, and local companies we will provide a day full of exploration and entertainment in the world of film. The three core outcomes of the festival are competitive success, inspiring creativity, and creating a strong community network.
2. Film Submission:
• Free submission
• Registration period: October 1, 2019 – March 1, 2020
• Submit film via online screener through Filmfreeway.com
• No late submissions will be accepted
3. Screening Format:
• If selected, filmmaker is required to provide the film in .mp4 - codec H264 - 1920 x 1080
4. Eligibility Criteria:
• Filmmaker MUST BE ENROLLED AS WEBSTER UNIVERSITY STUDENT when the film is created
• For projects OUTSIDE of Webster, the submitter's position must be Director, Producer, Editor, or Cinematographer.
For projects INSIDE of Webster, the submitter's position must be Director or Producer.
• Length of the film must be under 25 minutes including end credits
• Film must be original content, in the case of selective use of non-original materials,
filmmaker must obtain copyright clearance
• If film is created in a language other than English, filmmaker must include English subtitles
• Filmmaker must include opening disclaimer for film with explicit content such as violence, nudity, sexual content, and drug use
• No premiere status restriction. Films that are screened previously at other festivals are
accepted
5. Film Categories:
• Documentary - a nonfictional motion picture intended to document reality, primarily for instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record.
• Comedy - Films where the main emphasis is on humor.
• Drama - Films that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters.
• Horror - Film that seeks to elicit fear for entertainment purposes.
• Experimental - Films that rigorously re-evaluate cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms and alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working.
• Music Videos - a videotaped performance of a recorded song, usually accompanied by dancing and visual images interpreting the lyrics.
6. Award Categories:
• Best of Show
7. Selection Process
Festival Organizers will check submissions for submission requirements.
Webster Teachers will pick the top 3 from each category.
An outside judge will pick a winner from each category.
8. Disclaimer:
• Rules and regulations are subject to change at the festival committee’s discretion
• In the case of submission complications such as inability to view submission films, the festival committee will exercise due diligence to contact the filmmaker, however, the committee is not responsible should there be any unforeseeable errors.